Yeppoon Seagulls premiership winning player Samuel Albert Lollo faces court after ‘Mad Monday’ blunder

A premiership-winning Central Queensland rugby league player and mines superintendent has faced court for his blunder during “Mad Monday” celebrations. Here’s what happened.

Sam Lollo in action for the Yeppoon Seagulls.

A “Mad Monday” blunder while celebrating grand final glory has landed a Central Queensland first-grade rugby league player and mines superintendent in court.

Samuel Albert Lollo, 27, pleaded guilty in Yeppoon Magistrates Court on September 29 to high-range drink-driving.

Police prosecutor Mirren Smith said that at 1.55am on August 30, police intercepted Lollo driving a Ford Ranger on Anzac Parade, Yeppoon.

He subsequently returned a blood alcohol reading of .191.

The court heard Lollo had no previous offending of this sort on his traffic history.

Solicitor Grant Ireland tendered references to the court for his client.

Mr Ireland said Lollo, who resided in Yeppoon, was a qualified electrician and currently employed with BHP as a superintendent.

“That’s a recent promotion for him,” Mr Ireland said.

“On his rostered days off, he also works for himself, which obviously he can no longer do.”

Mr Ireland said Lollo was part of the Yeppoon Seagulls A-grade rugby league team which won the 2022 competition and this was the background to the offence.

“You probably would have heard about Mad Mondays in the past - well that’s what this was,” Mr Ireland said.

“And he (Lollo) drank from about 5 o’clock on the Sunday afternoon through to Monday.

“He fell asleep sometime in the Monday evening, he woke up cold, went to his car and tried to sleep it off.

“Then he woke up again in the early hours of the morning and decided to drive.”

Mr Ireland said the offence was out of character for Lollo and it would be “a very valuable lesson for him” considering the high reading made him ineligible to apply for a restricted work licence.

“He is able to get to the mines by bus which does assist him somewhat, but unfortunately on site he requires a licence - over the period of disqualification someone will have to drive him around in his capacity as a superintendent,” he said.

“So he knows well and truly that he’s done the wrong thing - he’s remorseful.”

Acting Magistrate Ron Muirhead said he accepted that Lollo was a person of good character.

Mr Muirhead fined Lollo $1400 and disqualified him from driving for nine months.

Originally published as Yeppoon Seagulls premiership winning player Samuel Albert Lollo faces court after ‘Mad Monday’ blunder