AFL: Richmond players caught up in brawl outside Gold Coast strip club

The AFL has thrown the book at two Richmond players in fury at behaviour which culminated in a fight on the Gold Coast.

Callum Coleman-Jones, top left, Sydney Stack, bottom left, and the Hollywood Showgirls on Orchid Ave, Surfers Paradise. Pictures: Getty

The AFL has banished troublesome Tigers Sydney Stack and Callum Coleman-Jones from Queensland in fury at behaviour which culminated in a fight outside a Gold Coast kebab store.

The Richmond players have also been suspended for 10 matches for a series of breaches of the AFL’s COVID-19 protocols which have embarrassed the league and their club.

Mindful of a scandal unfolding less than 48 hours after awarding Brisbane this year’s grand final to Brisbane, the AFL acted swiftly to investigate and punish the pair.

Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, who has attracted criticism for allowing AFL executives, players and other industry figures to serve quarantine at a luxury resort, sent a stern message shortly before the punishment was announced.

She declared the pair and any others to breach regulations must be sent packing.

AFL general counsel Andrew Dillon said the breaches, which involved catching an Uber, attending an unauthorised venue and becoming involved in an incident involving police, were clearly unacceptable.

“It is a privilege to be able to continue our competition, and with that privilege comes responsibility,” he said.

“The actions of the players are not only irresponsible but disrespectful to the competition and everyone associated with it.

“There is simply no excuse for this breach. The two players knew the rules and chose to ignore them, putting the safety of everyone at risk.

“The behaviour of the players is not what we expect, regardless of whether any protocols are in place or not.”

Richmond has also been fined $100,000 as a result of the club’s second breach of the policy while in Queensland.

In July Brooke Cotchin, the wife of Richmond captain Trent Cotchin, attended a day spa in a breach of rules that led to a $50,000 sanction, half of which was suspended.

The latest breach triggered the remainder of the penalty, while also leading to a $75,000 sanction for second offences under the league’s policy.

This money will be taken from Richmond’s soft cap for 2021, which in effect means the Tigers will have to either reduce the wages of some staff members or hire one less person.

Club chief executive Brendon Gale is due to address the situation later on Friday in the AFL’s quarantine hub.

CCTV footage emerges

CCTV footage shows Stack and Coleman-Jones ordering two kebabs at Kebab Zone, near the Hollywood Showgirls strip club in Surfers Paradise, at around 3.20am before the fight erupted.

Stack had paid for the food before the two players went to a bench on the footpath outside, where there was an exchange with another man who appeared to strike the first blow.

“Everything was okay. They were very nice. They weren’t drunk or anything,” Kadir Akca, who runs the kebab shop, told The Australian.

“They were nice fellas. They buy kebabs first and then the trouble started.

“The other guy was over drunk, that’s how the trouble started.

Mr Akca said that the two players’ kebabs were “smashed” in the melee.

“They came and asked for exactly the same kebabs and I made another one,” he said.

“My mixed special kebab is very famous. He’s come and asked, ‘give us your two best mixed specials’.

“Everything was normal. I didn’t see anything wrong with them. But the other guy disturbed them.

“Some other drunk person disturbed them, that’s all.”

The players are being investigated by the AFL and face a significant sanction for several breaches of the league’s coronavirus protocols.

The Queensland premier is in no doubt about what should occur.

AFL players caught breaking COVID rules should be sent home,” she Tweeted.

“Queensland won’t tolerate it. I know the AFL takes these issues seriously and will take appropriate action.”

AFL players caught breaking COVID rules should be sent home. Queensland won’t tolerate it. I know the AFL takes these issues seriously and will take appropriate action.

— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@AnnastaciaMP) September 4, 2020

As the AFL investigated the incident, West Coast coach Adam Simpson said clubs were nervous about the potential for players to make mistakes.

“Hopefully your players do the right thing. I’m not sure what’s happened with the Tigers. It’s not my issue. I’ll let them deal with the AFL,” he said.

“But we’ve got our fingers crossed with our boys that they do the right thing. It’s a lot easier when you’ve got four or five-day breaks, that’s for sure. All you do is prepare and train and play.

“You’ve got your heart in your mouth a little bit with trying to comply with everything, but that’s none of my business, the Richmond stuff.”

Strip club issues statement

The strip club’s licensee, Craig Duffy, issued a statement about the “alleged AFL fight” on Friday afternoon.

“To our valued customers. What happens in Hollywood stays in hollywood,” Mr Duffy said.

“We value our customers privacy whether they be an unknown client or a high profile celebrity or athlete.

“We cannot confirm or deny any fight or eviction occurred.”

The club has been back open since July after COVID-19 forced the closure of adult entertainment venues.

A Facebook post on Thursday promoted free entry before 10pm.

“Join us tonight for some sneaky Thursday fun. Doors open 9pm,” the post said.

Richmond facing a whopper fine

Queensland Police said they had arrested two men, aged 20 and 21, following a disturbance in Surfers Paradise around 3:30am. Both have been issued with a PIN for public nuisance (violent behaviour) and have been banned from ‘Gold Coast safe night precincts’. “Both men sustained facial injuries as a result of the incident. Further investigations are continuing into the matter,” a statement read.

The arrival of AFL executives on the Gold Coast, who entered a quarantine hub for a fortnight on Tuesday, sparked criticism from political leaders given differences in the way border exemptions are applied.

The timing of the breach by the Tigers is appalling. Not surprisingly, visiting a strip club is not among the essential reasons players are allowed to leave their own club bases.

Footballers are allowed to leave their club-based hubs to exercise or for essential shopping items. They are allowed to buy takeaway coffees, run on the beach and surf, for example, but they are not allowed to linger in those areas.

The latest breach will prove costly for Richmond given the club was fined $50,000, with $25,000 of the penalty suspended, for an earlier breach.

This was imposed after Brooke Cotchin, the wife of Richmond captain Trent Cotchin, attended a day spa against AFL regulations in July.

A second breach of AFL rules can lead to a $75,000 fine while also triggering the suspended fine.

The penalty will cost Richmond a staff member, unlikely to be able to appoint an assistant or development coach next year as the fine will come out of the football department’s “soft cap”.

An AFL spokesman said the league is aware of the report and is investigating.

Senior Richmond officials including Tigers chief executive Brendon Gale were among the arrivals to the transitional hub on Tuesday.

Richmond defeated Fremantle by 27 points at Metricon Stadium earlier on Wednesday. Stack and Coleman-Jones did not play in the win which saw the reigning premiers move to second behind Port Adelaide.

Hundreds of AFL players, families and officials have relocated to Queensland to keep the season going away from Melbourne’s coronavirus outbreak.

Brisbane has just been announced as the venue for this year’s AFL grand final amid controversy over the number of people allowed into the state.

With The Courier Mail