Footy clubs head to pubs for Mad Monday celebrations

The end of the home and away season means not only the exciting beginning of finals football, but also the start of the infamous Mad Monday celebrations.

Aussie Rules players have descended on pubs across Melbourne and throughout Australia after the regular season wrapped up on Sunday.

Players sporting outrageous costumes have been spotted filtering in to various establishments to celebrate the season that was and drown their sorrows on the year that could have been.

Players sporting outrageous costumes have been spotted filtering in to various establishments to celebrate the season that was and drown their sorrows on the year that could have been

Western Bulldogs stars Bob Murphy (left) and Luke Dahlhaus (right) wear quirky glasses for their Mad Monday celebrations 

Professional and amateur players from across Victoria and Australia have been turning up to their respective venues in a variety of costumes from wrestlers to bananas in pajamas.

One man was photographed wearing a dog collar because he was received the ‘coach’s pet’ award.

Catholic priests, Richie Benaud and Top Gun were other costumes of revellers enjoying their post-season drinks.   

One man was photographed wearing a dog collar because he was received the ‘coach’s pet’ award

Retiring St Kilda legends Nick Riewoldt (center) and Leigh Montagna (right) go as Iceman and Maverick to their final Mad Monday party

Despite being the home of Aussie Rules, Melbourne dominates the list of Mad Monday attendees in the AFL for 2017, with seven of the 10 teams missing the top eight coming from the Victorian capital.

Last year’s Premiers the Western Bulldogs missed the cut, along with perennial powers Hawthorn.

Premiership-winning captain Bob Murphy appeared in an image with star midfielder Luke Dahlhaus on Sunday, suggesting the Bulldogs started their celebrations a day early. 

The Melbourne Demons added another chapter of intense heartbreak to a growing history of failure, losing to lowly Collingwood on Saturday and seeing West Coast smash minor premiers Adelaide on Sunday to fall out of the eight in the dying seconds of the season.

Carlton, St Kilda and North Melbourne reserved their regular places among the league’s worst and are no strangers to the Mad Monday festivities. 

Collingwood did not hold a Mad Monday function, instead choosing to announce they are re-signing coach Nathan Buckley for two years. Buckley’s future with the club he captained for nine years has been in doubt after another poor season for a club with such high expectations.