NRL star Nathan Cleary is caught out breaking social-distancing rules

NRL star Nathan Cleary has been caught breaking social distancing rules after pictures emerged of him surrounded by a group of young women. 

The images were reportedly taken at Cleary’s Sydney home on Anzac Day after the women had shown up on their way to get an Uber.

The 22-year-old has apologised to his team mates for his actions, however, an NRL investigation is underway.

It has come at the worst possible time with the NRL on the verge of finalising delicate discussions with television broadcasters and governments to restart the season on May 28. 

He is the third NRL star caught flouting the strict rules which were introduced to slow the spread of the coronavirus. 

NRL star Nathan Cleary has been caught breaking social distancing rules after pictures emerged of him surrounded by a group of young women

The images were reportedly taken at player’s Sydney home on Anzac Day after the women had shown up on their way to get an Uber

The Rabbitohs fullback Latrell Mitchell and Melbourne Storm star Josh Addo-Carr are under investigation by the NRL’s integrity unit and the NSW police for going on a 12-man camping trip on the state’s mid north coast over the weekend.

Latrell, 22, and Addo-Carr, 24, were both fined $1,000 each by NSW Police for breaking social-distancing laws as investigations begin into an alleged firearms breach. The NRL’s interim CEO Andrew Abdo is expected to hand down further punishments for the pair as early as Tuesday.  

Photos posted to social media showed the men dirt bike riding, shooting guns and sitting around a campfire at a rural property in a breach of NSW’s social distancing rules, where gatherings of more than two people are banned.

Hours after apologising to outraged Australians, Mitchell posted a photo to Instagram of a photo of a crowd of swimmers on Coogee beach alongside a snap of his camping group sitting around a fire.

The photos, which were originally posted by an NRL fan, were labelled ‘Coogee Beach’ and ‘Private Property’.

‘Can you spot the difference? I can,’ the fan’s post read. ‘One group of people is coloured! I stand with ya cuzz.’ 

Both players apologised for the weekend gathering at the property near Taree, with Mitchell admitting the Kangaroos stars had ‘slipped up’.   

NRL stars Latrell Mitchell and Josh Addo-Carr are seen in a group of 12 people on a camping trip – openly flouting social distancing rules designed to keep people safe from COVID-19

Latrell Mitchell shared the post to his Instagram. The photos, which were originally posted by an NRL fan, were labelled ‘Coogee Beach’ and ‘Private Property’

Mitchell insisted they did not mean to flout rules imposed by the federal and state governments to stem the coronavirus pandemic.

‘I have been up here with my family for four or five weeks practising social distancing,’ Mitchell said in a video.

‘It was a little bit of a slip up. Foxy (Addo-Carr) reached out, his cousins are going through a bit of stuff up in Sydney.

‘He just wanted to get up to the bush and make sure they were getting cultured and connected again.

‘That was the whole part of the concept of what the weekend was. I wasn’t here to break any rules or hurt anyone.

Melbourne Storm star Josh Addo-Carr (pictured) sparked controversy after he posted several pictures of a boys weekend away on the NSW mid north coast on Instagram

‘We’re not being selfish, I couldn’t turn down the brothers in a time of need. 

CORONAVIRUS CASES IN AUSTRALIA: 6,728

New South Wales: 3,009

Victoria: 1,351

Queensland: 1,033

Western Australia: 549

South Australia: 438

Tasmania: 214

Australian Capital Territory: 106

Northern Territory: 28

TOTAL CASES:  6,728

RECOVERED: 5,588

DEAD: 84

‘On behalf of Foxy and all my mob, we do want to apologise.’

NSW Police released statement saying they were aware of a group of the breach. 

‘Police have been told a group of more than 10 men were at a gathering on a rural property near Taree on Saturday 25 April, in contravention of current ministerial directions,’ the statement read.

‘Following extensive inquiries, three men – two aged 22 and one aged 24 – have been issued with $1,000 (fines) for failing to comply with a ministerial direction.

‘The 24-year-old had previously received a warning for breaching the Public Health Act.

‘Inquiries are continuing to identify the other persons and continue investigations.

‘Investigations are also continuing into other potential offences, including potential breaches of the Firearms Act (1996) at the Taree property.’  

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