Bulldog arrested

[shadow grinder]

A Bulldogs player, Brad Morrin, has been fined $5,000 for bringing the Club into disrepute. Morrin was involved in a misunderstanding with a passing motorist outside the Bulldogs’ Melbourne hotel early on Sunday morning.

Bulldogs CEO Malcolm Noad said, “Brad Morrin notified senior staff early Sunday morning of the incident and apologized to the team and officials at a team meeting. He has attended a meeting of the Club’s disciplinary committee this morning and has been fined $5,000. The Bulldogs’ players committee has endorsed this fine and expressed their extreme disappointment to Brad and the Club.

Morrin said, “At 3am, I was trying to flag a taxi outside the hotel to get something to eat. After several full taxis went by I decided to try and hitch a ride. A car stopped in front of me and I opened the back door to ask the driver if I could get a lift. He got out of his car and looked upset. I explained I thought he had stopped to give me a lift and I apologised for alarming him. The motorist accepted that there had been a misunderstanding.

Morrin added, “A policeman, in his car just behind us, witnessed the incident and felt I was inebriated. The officer decided that the sensible course of action was to take me in. I willingly went with the officer and after an hour in a cell was released.”

The Bulldogs Club has been informed that it is standard police procedure in Victoria for anyone who is found to be drunk in a public place to be put into a police cell for four hours.

Morrin added, “I apologise to my teammates, Club officials, sponsors, Bulldogs fans and the NRL for the embarrassment this has caused them. I fully accept the punishment handed down by the Club.

bulldogs.com.au

http://bulldogs.com.au/dogbites.asp?ID=2083&SN=1

 

[AlexM]

another bulldogs off field incident, no suprises there.

 

[Nugby]

No harm done though, i feel sorry for Morrin getting fined for that.

 

[smeghead]

He handled the situation well and kept his cool. A silly incident but he kept his head,

 

[JK]

Well handled, but 5,000 must be a lot of dosh on what he would be getting.

 

[Bumble]

That stinks.

He didn't do anything wrong, but at least he took it like a man.

 

[Dani]

well this was on page 3 of todays melbourne paper, whilst also being mentioned on the front page:

League star jailed
Paul Anderson
24may05

A RISING rugby league star was jailed in Melbourne at the weekend for allegedly being drunk in a public place.

Brad Morrin, who starred for the Canterbury Bulldogs against Melbourne Storm at Olympic Park on Saturday night, had "over celebrated", the club said.
Morrin was arrested at the corner of Flinders and Spencer streets about 3am on Sunday after trying to force his way into a car driven by a couple he did not know.

Canterbury said yesterday Morrin, 23, was celebrating a victory over the Storm and left the team hotel for a snack when he was arrested.

The club claimed Morrin was trying to hitch-hike a ride to a food outlet at the time.

Canterbury chief executive Malcolm Noad said the team returned to the Holiday Inn from celebrations about 2am.

"He decided he was hungry so he went outside to get something to eat," Mr Noad said.

"My understanding is he was trying to hail down a cab and couldn't get one. He had his thumb out and a car pulled up . . . in traffic or at the lights.

"Brad opened up the back door, put his head in and said, 'Are you going anywhere near some food?'

"The driver got out. He was upset and Brad apologised, as I understand it."

Police happened to be driving behind the car when the dispute began.

Morrin was charged with being drunk in a public place and left to dry out in a cell at Carlton police station.

He skulked back to the hotel in time for a team breakfast and rehab session in the hotel pool.

"We only then found out about it when he told club management," Mr Noad said. "The kid is just beside himself."

Morrin, who was named the "players' player" for his game against the Storm, was fined $5000 by Canterbury.

"I apologise to my teammates, club officials, sponsors, Bulldogs fans and the NRL for the embarrassment this has caused them," he said in a statement.

"I fully accept the punishment handed down by the club."

Mr Noad said the club was very disappointed with Morrin's behaviour.

"He is a young player, a second-tier player who's been playing first grade for about the last four or five weeks," he said.

Mr Noad said the Canterbury players were disappointed as they had been working hard to repair their image in light of recent bad publicity over sex assault allegations.

A woman claimed she was sexually assaulted by several Canterbury players at a Coffs Harbour resort last February. No charges have been laid.

The club has also been embroiled in salary cap breaches and allegations of drug use.

although i dont believe he did much wrong, it aint good for RL down here

 

[Thomas]

Bloody hell...I'd hate to be a NRL player and accidently sneeze in public.

They'd string me up from a lamp post!

 

[Dani]

i agree, big storm in a tea cup

 

[shadow grinder]

i read on the storm forum that there is a 7-11 just down the road..and you can see it from where he was...then why did he need a lift?

 

[argy-bargy]

thinking is never a straight foward process when youre pissed. or perhaps he just wanted a kebab

 

[bazza]

I know where that hotel is - it is a 2 minute walk across the river to Crown Casino.
I am sure the KFC in the food court would still be open

 

[elyod138]

Yeh but im sure he wouldnt know his way around the area.