Melbourne coach Paul Roos has apologised over the “unacceptable” costumes Dean Terlich and Alex Georgiou donned at the AFL club’s Mad Monday.
Terlich dressed as convicted child sex offender Rolf Harris, while rookie-listed Georgiou donned pigtails and a dress to accompany him as a girl.
The pair face a club-imposed sanction that is yet to be determined.
“They were left in no doubt about my feelings on their behaviour yesterday. I think it’s just completely unacceptable,” Roos said on Tuesday about the dressing down he gave the duo.
“They did a lot more listening than talking.
“I was just speechless (when informed about the outfits). I just don’t understand it.
“The problem with days like yesterday is they just don’t think.
“There is no malice or intent in it, but there is just no thought process.”
On behalf of the Demons, Roos wanted to “unreservedly apologise to anyone that we have offended”.
Roos said Terlich and Georgiou were “extremely embarrassed” and “remorseful”.
Harris was earlier this year sentenced to five years and nine months jail in England after he was found guilty of 12 charges of indecent assault on four female victims between 1969 and 1986.
Seano
Guest
Ian Stewart won 3 brownlows and is a hall of famer and he had some wandering hands back in the day!
AR
Guest
I've completely missed the beat up on this one... A kid wore a dress up costume to a boozy pub party. And it's front page news. What a kid wore to a dress up party...
josh
Roar Rookie
They published a photo on a social media platform, it is in the public realm.
micka
Guest
Complete non issue. Didn't a Geelong player go as Michael Jackson not long ago. He also had questions about his nocturnal activities... Others went as Ricky Nixon and the St Kilda School Girl... There are bigger issues in sport than dress ups... SURELY. Surely Roos is just being facetious in the interview.
Cat
Roar Guru
And what are clubs supposed to do? Its the offseason players are free to do whatever they wish to do. All clubs can do is educate and inform, after that its the players responsibility to act in an adult manner or are you expecting clubs to lock away the players and control every aspect of their lives?
Olivia Watts
Roar Guru
This whole 'Mad Monday' concept is the problem and whilst Clubs tacitly support such events they only have themselves to blame for any problems they create. Take a group of young men who have just finished a long and stressful season, add youthful exuberance and copious quantities of alcohol and the Club should be thankful that this is the worst behaviour the media could find to highlight; I could imagine much worse has happened in the past and simply never made the public eye. The Club admin should issue themselves a fine for negligence and not fine the players.
Ash
Guest
Cameras are there to get a pick , pressure rises each year for new ideas just leave them alone and put the cameras away.
Brendon
Guest
And how many go to parties dressed as nazis? Does that make it ok? No but take it as it is intended, as a private dress up party. Not a media opportunity
Daws
Guest
I can see your point joe, but if someone from your family was a victim of Harris', would your attitude remain the same?
joe b
Guest
You go to any private Halloween/fancy dress party and there will be some people who opt for the topical black humour costume, and no one is outraged. Apart from the pair puting the picture on social media, which was daft, what is the big deal? Shouldn't the media outlets take responsibility for making this a story? And what a massive story.