Sacked NRL star Paul Vaughan has tearfully broken his silence over the illegal lockdown party that has left his career in tatters.
The former NSW Origin prop fought back tears in his first interview on Tuesday night, hours after St George Illawarra ripped up his $800,000 a season contract effective immediately over his second coronavirus breach within 10 months.
An emotional Vaughan, 30, expressed his deep remorse and apologised repeatedly after he was caught breaching public health orders by hosting 12 Dragons teammates at his home on Saturday night.
‘It was a very bad judgement call on my behalf and obviously very stupid,’ the disgraced NRL star told Fox Sports’ NRL360.
‘I’m deeply remorseful and very sorry for what’s happened. I can’t express that enough.
‘I can’t express enough how sorry I am.’
‘It was a terrible judgement call and and one that I very, very much regret.’
Paul Vaughan was seen in public taking his dog for a walk near his Shellharbour home shortly after he was sacked by St George Illawarra on Tuesday
Vaughan broke down in tears and put his head in his hands as he copped a grilling from show hosts Paul Kent and Yvonne Sampson.
‘It wasn’t the right thing to do. In hindsight it was dumb, a very stupid thing to do,’ he said.
‘I love the game so much and it pains me to see the impact it’s had on the game.
‘It’s heartbreaking for me.’
He insists the 12 teammates were the only visitors at his home on Saturday night, despite reports a number of the players’ partners were there but fled when police arrived.
Vaughan said the last 48 hours had taken on a toll on him and his wife Elle, who was also issued with a $1,000 fine by police.
Media crews have been camped outside his Shellharbour home sine the news broke on Sunday morning
‘It’s been extremely difficult,’ Vaughan said.
‘I haven’t been able to go outside. My wife and daughter don’t deserve this.’
Vaughan was spotted outside his Shellharbour home south of Sydney on Tuesday afternoon shortly after being told he’d been sacked by the club following a crisis board meeting.
The Covid breach was Vaughan’s third and final strike at St George Illawarra.
It has emerged Vaughan had been given one third and final chance with Dragons following an alleged sexting scandal and a second biosecurity breach in the last 18 months.
He was seen arriving home on Tuesday afternoon with his wife Elle behind the wheel and spoke to several police officers outside the house.
Sacked NRL star Paul Vaughan wiped away tears when he broke his silence on Tuesday night
Police officers were there to greet Elle (left)and Paul Vaughan as they arrived home on Tuesday
Vaughan sort comfort from his young daughter on Tuesday after being told his Dragons contract had been terminated
Vaughan was on his last and final chance with the Dragons when he hosted illegal lockdown part at his Shellharbour home (pictured_
The couple took their young daughter and dog for a walk to a nearby beach.
A downcast Vaughan cut a lonely figure as he sat down on the rocks looking out at the water while talking on his phone and contemplating his future.
It was the first time Vaughan has been spotted in public since the infamous barbecue three days prior which saw him fined $50,000 and suspended for eight games by the NRL.
The Dragons confirmed Tuesday afternoon that Vaughan’s contract has been terminated effective immediately due to a number of breaches that ‘include and predate the recent Covid breach’.
Vaughan had been contracted to the Dragons until the end of the 2022 season.
Vaughan cut a lonely figure as he sat on the rocks with his dog and contemplated his future
Paul Vaughan looked downcast as he went for a walk with his wife, young daughter and the family dog on Tuesday afternoon
‘The board haven’t taken any of the 13 players’ actions lightly and reinforced this on Tuesday morning by taking these additional actions including the termination of Paul Vaughan’s contract,’ Dragons chief executive Ryan Webb said in a statement.
‘The club maintains it holds no reservations over the punishments already handed down by the NRL Integrity Unit and New South Wales Police.
‘These additional penalties have been determined in such a way that the beneficiaries will be those affected by the players’ misconduct.’
Allegations of a sexting scandal 18 months was Vaughan’s first strike when he was issued with an official warning for his alleged conduct, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
Vaughan found himself in more hot water last August when he flouted the NRL’s biosecurity bubble when he ate breakfast at a cafe and signed in under a fake name.
He was fined $10,000 and stood down for two weeks for the incident.
It’s estimated he will lose around $250,000 this year, on top of the $50,000 fine from the NRL and the $1000 infringement for breaching public health orders.
Paul Vaughan spent the afternoon with family and friends after being told he was no longer wanted at St George
Now hunting for a new club in 2022, Vaughan will likely only attract up to $500,000 on the open market.
Vaughan’s sacking comes after extraordinary claims emerged about the party which saw 12 other Dragons teammates penalised for the biosecurity protocol breaches amid allegations they deliberately mislead the sport’s integrity unit.
Several players hid in cupboards when police arrived at Vaughan’s home on Saturday night to break up the illegal house party, reports say.
Some then told NRL bosses star Jack de Belin had briefly visited his teammate’s home to drop off beer, when he was too was allegedly also hiding from police under a bed.
Jack De Belin (pictured with partner Alyce) allegedly hid under a bed when the police arrived at teammate Paul Vaughan’s home on Saturday night. There is no suggestion Alyce was also at the party
Police are continuing their investigations into the illegal lockdown party. Pictured are officers outside Paul Vaughan’s home south of Sydney on Tuesday
Panellist Andrew Webster claimed on Channel Nine’s 100 per cent Footy Vaughan changed his story two or three times while being interviewed by the NRL’s integrity unit.
‘Then there’s Jack de Belin who said he was initially only walking his dog past Paul Vaughan’s place and popped his head in to say hello, then it’s emerged he was hiding under a bed when the police came knocking on the door,’ he told the program.
‘Then there’s Corey Norman … who doesn’t have a club for next season, who fled the scene without realising his car was parked out front with personalised number plates.’
De Belin was only four games back after 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 free to resume his NRL career.
Police are also investigating claims more revellers were seen running down the street when officers arrived at Vaughan’s home.
The NRL has issued $305,000 in fines on top of the $1,000 fines issued by NSW Police to each of the 13 players, and Vaughan’s wife Elle, for breaching stay-at-home orders.
Police were called to Paul Vaughan’s Shellharbour home about 9.45pm on Saturday after neighbours complained of an illegal party taking place
Other attendees included Dragons players Zac Lomax, Josh McGuire, Jack Bird, Kaide Ellis, Blake Lawrie, Matt Dufty, Daniel Alvaro, Tyrell Fuimaono, Gerard Beale, and Josh Kerr.
Vaughan and Norman have been slapped with $50,000 fines while de Belin was penalised $42,000.
The ten other Dragons were fined between $2,000 and $25,000.
The 12 other players were suspended for one game each.
The suspensions will be staggered out in order to ensure the Dragons can field a side in the coming weeks as they battle to cling to their spot in the top eight.
It’s understood NSW Police are also now investigating whether some of the wives and partners of the Dragons players who attended were also present at the barbecue, which the NRL was originally unaware, the Daily Telegraph reported.
Just 24 hours before the party, the Dragons came from 12 point behind and kicked a field goal in golden point to secure a thrilling win New Zealand Warriors.
They were warned against celebrating the victory.
The club’s head of football Ben Haran and coach Anthony Griffin reportedly said to the boys in the sheds after the game: ‘I know you love to celebrate, I know you love to have a drink but you can’t, so do the right thing.’
The alleged breach occurred after St George Illawarra came from 12 points behind to beat the New Zealand Warriors in golden point on Friday night (pictured)