The NRL has slammed Dragons players caught breaking stay-at-home orders with fines totalling more than $300,000 and an eight week ban for the host Paul Vaughan.
The National Rugby League fined Dragons players more than $300,000 for their COVID-19 breach with host Paul Vaughan banned for eight weeks.
NSW Police issued 14 separate $1000 fines for breaching stay-at-home orders and the NRL has come down heavy on the Dragons players involved on Monday night.
Vaughan was suspended for eight weeks for organising and attempting to conceal the house party, where it’s claimed by Nine News that Jack de Belin hid under a bed to avoid detection.
Vaughan was also fined $50,000 fine while the other 12 Dragons players at the party received a one-week suspension and more than $300,000 in fines. Corey Norman also received a $50,000 fine.
De Belin was not initially included on the list of offending players but it was confirmed on Monday that the former NSW State of Origin lock also visited Vaughan’s Shellharbour home.
Several other senior players have also become caught up in the incident, including Josh McGuire, Jack Bird, Matt Dufty and Norman.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has criticised the players, claiming they had jeopardised the rest of the state.
And rugby league Immortal Andrew Johns was livid with the players.
Speaking on Nine News, Johns said: “You can understand people in small business who have lost everything with the lockdown, they’d be sitting back going ‘what are these peanuts doing’.”
It was de Belin’s attendance that raised the most eyebrows.
The 30-year-old is only four games back from missing two-and-a-half years of football as part of the NRL’s no-fault stand-down policy while fighting sexual assault charges.
His case was subsequently dropped after two hung juries, with de Belin able to resume his NRL career.
Questions will now be asked as to why his name had not been raised in early investigations and if there had been an attempt to cover-up his attendance.
The NRL released a statement that confirmed players had hidden from police.
“The NRL alleges that player Paul Vaughan invited players to a gathering at his home on Saturday 3 July which was attended by 12 teammates, in breach of NSW Public Health Orders and the Game’s biosecurity protocols. It’s alleged a number of players hid or fled the residence when NSW Police attended the home after complaints from neighbours,” the statement read.
The Dragons will have the numbers to field a side in their next match against Manly in Round 18, but it would be significantly weakened and will be played just two days after Tariq Sims and Ben Hunt run out in State of Origin 3.
The full list of penalties, which took into account previous disciplinary issues and wages (Vaughan received an eight week ban, all others a one week ban):
Paul Vaughan – $50,000
Corey Norman – $50,000
Jack de Belin – $42,000
Zac Lomax – $31,000
Jack Bird – $25,000
Matt Dufty – $23,000
Blake Lawry – $20,000
Josh Kerr – $18,000
Daniel Alvaro – $15,000
Josh McGuire – $12,000
Tyrell Fuimaono – $12,000
Kaide Ellis – $5,000
Gerard Beale – $2000.
GregM
Roar Rookie
so where is the "press apology" from the other 12? they'll do the usual, quote a few cliché's not look at the camera, show ZERO remorse
Crow
Roar Pro
Lucky, you could have got the sack.
Crow
Roar Pro
He might be figuring out about now that his little gathering was not a good idea.
Big Al
Guest
We are innocent until proven guilty and they didn't find him guilty. Therefore he is innocent.
Tony
Roar Guru
The Men From Mensa?
Tony
Roar Guru
:laughing:
MCPC
Roar Rookie
Rotten eggs that have been kept in the freezer overnight.
MCPC
Roar Rookie
Why not just field the Rezzies against EITHER Manly OR Souths then just play all other 3 games with a full squad? Tank against one opponent & other three you’re 100%. Would also piss NRL off to no end, which would be kinda funny.
MCPC
Roar Rookie
I’m hiding in the closet. Unlikely to come out.
MCPC
Roar Rookie
If only that poor girl had employed a similar tactic...
MCPC
Roar Rookie
OI MATE!! U leave The Tigers outta this ORRIGHT!!?
MCPC
Roar Rookie
Time for The Green Dream you reckon?
MCPC
Roar Rookie
High-School boyfriend perhaps??
jameswm
Roar Guru
Exactly. The final vote is confidential too. Could have been 10-2 for innocent or guilty. It used to be you needed unanimous either way but I think 11-1 is enough now.
Maxtruck
Roar Rookie
A dozen from the Dragons and five from the Bulldogs, enough for a new team in Sydney. One of the pharmaceutical companies making a fortune from the spread of covid maybe sponsor ? Just needs a name . Astrazeneca All Stars ? Pfizer Pull Throughs ? Moderna Morons?
Larry1950
Guest
Yeah Paul, one game sounds a bit like that ‘claytons’ supplements suspensions the sharks players got a few years back but NSW has been running a ‘shutdown lite’ according to epidemiologist Tony Blakey so maybe they’re ‘lite’ suspensions in the same vein. Nothing less than what I’d expect of Norman from my observations of him at the broncos when he had the excuse of youthful inexperience. The cynical me might be thinking the Dragon’s are getting an overpaid, out of form & aging forward off the books to get some salary cap relief, am I too harsh?
Larry1950
Guest
Wonder if JdB will get another standing ovation from Dragons supporters next time he takes the field for them, if ever? I thought at the time that was gross behaviour from the fans, given the publicity around the verdict and the potential impact on the young girl. Reckon he’l make Freddie’s origin squad next year?
Blue Stephen
Guest
Thank God we are in lockdown. Otherwise we'd have the spectacle of these boofheads doing the obligatory visi tto the Cancer Ward at the Children's Hospital to show how sharing and caring these fine young men really are! To echo Wayne Bennett, the issue is club discipline. The successfullly run teams don't seem to have these ongoing behavioural lapses.Im surprised Prof. Catherine Lumby hasn't surfaced to make a comment. Or has she been 'red carded'?
Larry1950
Guest
Wonder how those few holdout jurors now feel about Jack de Berlin’s trustworthiness with his own version of truth under oath?
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
:laughing: :laughing: Costly punch up, Lomax got one of the highest fines…