No Mad Monday for the Dragons after years of boozy off-field fiascos that have humiliated the NRL club
- Dragons won’t celebrate Mad Monday even after three wins to end their season
- CEO Ryan Webb was not risking the possibility of a bad headline
- Manly and the Tigers have already made Monday plans for their squad
The Dragons finished their season with three straight wins but won’t be rewarded with the spoils of a Mad Monday celebration as the club management cracks down after years of off-field drama.
St. George CEO Ryan Webb told the playing group they must only celebrate with family at Kogarah after their round 25 clash with the Broncos.
Dragons captain Ben Hunt will not be partaking in Mad Monday celebrations – as his side have been banned by club CEO Ryan Webb
Rabbitohs players share a laugh while partying on Mad Monday in 2021 after their tough loss to Penrith in the grand final
Webb told the Daily Telegraph the Dragons are no longer entertaining the infamous Mad Monday event after Covid chaos and player scandals swept club headlines.
NRL Integrity unit boss Jason King has called around to club CEO’s whose players will be let off the leash on Monday, ready for a long off-season after missing the eight.
The Dragons roster are reportedly split regarding coach Anthony Griffin – with key forwards Jayden Su’A and Blake Lawrie not siding with ‘hook’.
St. George CEO Ryan Webb did not want to risk negative headlines coming out of the club’s Mad Monday celebrations
Captain Ben Hunt strongly supports the former Panthers and Broncos coach and affirmed his intentions yesterday to resign with the Red V.
Sea Eagles CEO Tony Mestrov has taken on the opposite route to Webb, encouraging his players to bond and get together amidst a pride scandal that ruined the club’s finals hopes.
The former Greyhound NSW chief said it’s important the players unwind from a high pressure season.
‘We’re really organised in planning venues and a number of security guards,’ Mestrov said.
‘I had a call from Jason King about what we are doing and I’ve sent him our plan.
Panthers centre Stephen Crichton partying hard after their 2021 grand final win – celebrations were nearly a week long
We’ve got a pretty good bunch of players. I think everyone in rugby league has learnt from the past. It’s been a tough year but you’ve got to get that balance. The players will have a beer and a good time then we’ll reset for next season.’
Illawarra players were rocked with fines last year after terminated prop Paul Vaughan hosted 12 teammates for a house party during strict NRL and NSW covid policies.
Vaughan was supposedly having a quiet barbeque when police were called.
Geelong Cats have been Australia’s top sporting club when it comes to celebrating Mad Monday hard, but without incident
He was fined $50,000 while fellow teammates like Zac Lomax who hid under a bed, were also slapped with fees.
Wests Tigers are already planning their Mad Monday celebrations, taking to the harbour for a cruise and partying on at a hotel function following their Sunday game against Canberra.
Mad Mondays have caused quite the media stir in the past, especially in 2012 at Belmore.
Former Bulldogs Brett (L) and Josh (R) Morris enter Mad Monday celebrations after their finals exit in 2017
The Bulldogs lost 14-4 to the Storm in the 2012 grand final and players were openly seen urinating on their home ground, allegedly hurling verbal abuse at a female journalist who was covering the story.
The club donated $30,000 to a charity as a ‘sorry’ note for their poor behaviour.
Jason Taylor was sacked as the coach of South Sydney in 2009 after partying too hard with his players which ended in an odd scuffle.
Taylor was jokingly kung-fu fighting his squad while out drinking, when Rabbitohs player David Fa’alogo returned fire and punched him in the face.
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