The NRL's parade of woes and wrongdoers continues, with premiership-winning halfback Cooper Cronk and former NSW Origin player Brett Finch fined for urinating in public.
The Melbourne Storm pair told the club yesterday they had been issued with a caution by NSW Police, after being caught out in the northcoast holiday town of Byron Bay.
Both Cronk and Finch were fined $5000, according to the Australian newspaper.
The players were on leave, as Melbourne has the bye this weekend in the split round.
A club statement last night acknowledged the players had been upfront over their part "in a minor incident".
But it comes barely two weeks after former Origin and Test forward Willie Mason was photographed urinating in a laneway outside a hotel in Sydney's Double Bay.
Mason was fined $2,000 by his club, the Sydney Roosters, and ordered to do some community work with the homeless.
It also comes four weeks after Brisbane players Nick Kenny and Steve Michaels were cautioned by police in Byron Bay, also for urinating in public.
Melbourne officials said Finch and Cronk were not intoxicated at the time of Thursday night's incident, but chief executive Brian Waldron still said he was deeply disappointed.
"This type of behaviour is unacceptable," Waldron said.
"As such we have decided to send the strongest message possible to our players by imposing the substantial fines. Our players must recognise that this type of irresponsible behaviour will not be condoned."
