‘Picture says 1000 words’: Bulldogs ditch ‘mad Monday’ for a reason

It’s been a turbulent year for the Bulldogs, but that didn’t stop Cameron Ciraldo’s squad from snubbing the traditional rugby league ‘mad Monday’.

Monday 4 September 2023, Canterbury Bulldogs feeding the homeless for their Mad Monday celebration a Loaves and Fishes in Sydney. Photo: Supplied

It’s been a turbulent year for the Bulldogs, but that didn’t stop Cameron Ciraldo’s squad from snubbing the traditional rugby league ‘mad Monday’.

Instead of enjoying a boozy day, more than 40 players and staff headed to the Loaves and Fishes Restaurant in Ashfield, to support the Rev Bill Crews Foundation.

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The foundations provides assistance to “address the cause and effect of homelessness, poverty and disadvantage” according to a Bulldogs club statement.

The Loaves and Fishes is the foundation’s soup kitchen and delivers meals twice daily to those in need, with the Bulldogs’ leadership group making the decision to snub ‘mad Monday’.

“It didn’t surprise me when Reed (Mahoney) told me this was what the playing group wanted to do once the season was over,” Bulldogs chief executive Aaron Warburton said in a statement.

“The Bulldogs purpose is to unite and inspire, and I am immensely proud of how our team has come together to live out this purpose.

Canterbury Bulldogs feeding the homeless for their Mad Monday celebration at Loaves and Fishes in Sydney. Photo: Supplied

Canterbury players spent Mad Monday feeding the homeless. Pics: Bulldogs Digital

“There has been a lot of noise of late calling our club and club leaders into question but in this instance, I think a picture says a thousand words.

“I couldn’t be prouder of their unity and commitment to upholding the culture that they have fostered together as a playing group and under Cameron (Ciraldo) and his staff. T

“This is the essence of a family club, and the culture that we see here at the Bulldogs.

“The Bulldogs are a proud, community-based club and we are extremely proud to be able to give back to our local community through this initiative today.”

Bulldogs players were pictured helping pack food hampers, as well as sort cutlery ready for use and pack and clean the cool room.

Canterbury Bulldogs feeding the homeless for their Mad Monday celebration at Loaves and Fishes in Sydney. Photo: Supplied

Mid-season recruit Toby Sexton said the experience was “eye-opening” and spoke of some of the conversations he had with patrons.

“I met one fella who is there every day of the week, seven days a week. He goes in for breakfast and lunch and he is mostly there because he sometimes gets bored and just misses being able to socialise,” he said.

“He gets to go in there and have people around him. I was chatting to him all this morning.

“A lot of them are in pretty difficult situations, where I guess they are struggling to find a place to live and a lot of them living on the streets.

“Us as rugby league players, we are very fortunate in regards to what we’re able to do and we’ve all got really safe homes to go to every night and they struggle with that.”

Originally published as ‘Picture says 1000 words’: Bulldogs ditch ‘mad Monday’ for a reason