‘Disrespectful and stupid’: Dragons stars begin public apologies as duo remain in exile

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Gerard Beale has admitted his decision to attend the infamous Paul Vaughan house party was “disrespectful and stupid” as the Dragons sweat on whether Zac Lomax and Daniel Alvaro will join them in a Queensland hub with their season on a knife-edge.

Beale became the first member of St George Illawarra’s dirty dozen to issue a public apology, and others will follow over the barbecue, which cost Vaughan his contract and has the Red V scrambling to maintain their spot in the top eight.

Blake Lawrie and Josh McGuire will be the first players to front the media on Tuesday about the affair, which resulted in $305,000 in fines handed out by the NRL and the 12 players having to serve one-game bans over the next month.

Ten of the 12 players who were at the party returned to training on Monday after being given approval to re-join the Dragons’ biosecurity bubble, but there are concerns Lomax and Alvaro won’t re-join their teammates at all during the competition relocation.

On Monday night, the pair were still in a 14-day COVID-19 hold and had yet to sign an NRL-drafted sworn statement which, in part, confirms there were no other people outside the club’s bubble at the party.

Lomax and Alvaro had taken legal advice on whether to sign the document or not.

“I should have respect and honoured the biosecurity rules that are in place to protect us. Instead, I made a disrespectful and stupid [call].”

Players had spent the weekend phoning angry club members and apologising for their actions, a sentiment repeated by Beale in a post to his Instagram page on Monday.

“I am deeply disappointed in my decision making and actions that occurred last weekend, July 3,” he wrote. “I should have respect and honoured the biosecurity rules that are in place to protect us. Instead, I made a disrespectful and stupid decision.

“I am extremely sorry for my actions. It’s important I take ownership of this mistake and learn from this experience. I hope I can rebuild the trust and your respect in the near future.”

Lomax and Alvaro have dug their heels in and will not join their teammates on the charted flight to Queensland on Wednesday should they not change their minds.

Why Zac Lomax could be sidelined for a month should he refuse to sign a sworn statement about Paul Vaughan’s BBQ.Credit:Getty

Twelve NRL clubs will flee Greater Sydney and the latest COVID-19 outbreak to be base themselves in south-east Queensland for at least the next month to keep the competition going.

NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo said if Lomax and Alvaro failed to sign the required paperwork, they would be required to quarantine for a further two weeks in Queensland before rejoining their teammates.

“That was their call to make [not to sign],” Abdo said on Monday. “In the situation of the Dragons, there was a COVID hold based on that particular breach, which was a 14-day period.

“We worked with the club on how we could potentially assist the players and the club by reducing that COVID hold, and that required a number of things, [including] confirming information already provided to us in writing, and some related to testing and other elements.

The Dragons will strike a deal that will allow them to field a competitive team against Manly.Credit:NRL photos

“Ten of them have completed that and will [rejoin] the bubble and travel up on Wednesday. Those who haven’t won’t.

“Then I guess it’s a matter for club and us down the track on what, if any, opportunity may arise to get them and other players into the bubble at a later stage.”

Lomax is one of the Dragons’ best players and is ready to resume playing after a thumb injury. His brother Hayden is a contracted St George Illawarra player, and even though he never attended Vaughan’s party, has also been excluded from the club’s biosecurity bubble because he lives with Zac.

The Dragons at least had some reinforcements with Warriors prop Jamayne Taunoa-Brown arriving on Monday on a three-match deal.

“We have worked with the Warriors in recent days to make this happen and wish to thank them for their cooperation in allowing us to sign Jamayne,” Dragons general manager of football Ben Haran said.

“It’s an added benefit for the Warriors that we can provide Jamayne with game time he might not have seen otherwise over the coming period.”

Abdo said the Dragons’ house party, along with the Bulldogs’ ‘Bondi Five’ and Jai Arrow’s Queensland Origin biosecurity breach meant the players knew they had to be on their best behaviour once north of the Tweed.

There will also be no shortage of COVID cops, or what Abdo preferred to call “biosecurity liaison officers”.

“I think everyone understands what is at stake now. Everyone understands the responsibility we have and just how difficult and important the next couple of weeks are for us,” Abdo said.

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