The Garfield Hotel, which found itself in the spotlight during Richmond’s vibrant end-of-season celebration, has spoken out in defense of the AFL players amid scrutiny over their lively Mad Monday traditions.
On Monday, the Richmond Tigers made their way to the Garfield Hotel, located in the quaint township of Garfield, roughly 80 kilometers southeast of Melbourne. The players were spotted indulging in the typical festivities associated with winding down their season.
Mad Monday represents a cherished AFL custom where teams unwind and let loose after their final game of the season. Observers saw the Tigers hauling a cooler and enjoying their beers, all while engaging in spirited drinking games on the balcony of the pub.
In a released statement, the establishment shared, “Today, we welcomed the Richmond Football Club to our venue, and we can’t emphasize enough how positively they carried themselves.”
“Despite being a relatively youthful group, they were remarkably respectful and genuinely enjoyable to host,” continued the statement, praising their demeanor.
Star youngster Sam Lalor smiles as pints of stout with eggs in them are lined up at the Garfield Hotel for Mad Monday celebrations
Tigers defender Tom Brown is open mouthed as a teammate does a spot of pole dancing
Some players went shirtless while others wore local netball jerseys
‘They enjoyed a few quiet beers to unwind after a long season, and we see nothing wrong with that.
‘They had booked out the venue for the afternoon, so they were the only patrons on site. They enjoyed their afternoon and moved on. In our view, this has been blown out of proportion.
‘Two members of the media were waiting on their arrival this morning and remained on site filming in the hope of capturing a misstep, which we consider disappointing.’
At one point, players were seen spanking the buttocks of a teammate in an apparent reference to the sexual assault allegations made after Sydney Swans players had a night out in Melbourne last week.
Richmond finished its last game with a 57-point loss against the Geelong Cats on Saturday.
They won three matches in the 2026 season, twice against West Coast and once against Essendon.
Tigers players were seen drinking pints of Guinness with eggs in them at the Garfield Hotel before taking off their shirts and sitting in the sun, some wearing local netball jerseys.
Other players were spotted whipping each other with belts, while another appeared to act out pole dancing.
Noah Balta and Nick Vlastuin enjoy the sunshine in Garfield
Tom Brown tosses an item of clothing as the players unwound after a long season
Kane Cornes, a Seven commentator, described the belt-whipping as ’embarrassing’.
‘Firstly, what are you celebrating? It’s a team that’s finished 17th for the second season in a row,’ he said.
‘They won three games and you’re out during the day celebrating while your fans are hurting.
‘To be there with your tops off in view of the public is just nothing more than an embarrassment to me.
‘It’s not the first time Richmond have done it. They’re not the only club that dresses up like morons when it comes to this stage of the year, particularly for teams that have nothing to celebrate.’
There is no suggestion any of the players broke behavioural rules.
However, the sight raised eyebrows amid an investigation into another AFL team – the Sydney Swans.
Five players – Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, Nick Blakey, Riley Bice and James Jordon – were suspended last week for ‘breaching club standards’.
Tim Taranto and Dion Prestia carry an esky on the way into the pub
Veteran forward Tom Lynch goes shirtless and gets a hug from a teammate
Toby Nankervis and Tyler Sonsie were among those enjoying the day
Nathan Broad got some sun while showing off his impressive tattoos
At one point players took to the roof of the venue
Tom Lynch and fellow teammates enjoy the beer garden at the Garfield Hotel
The sanctions are separate to a police investigation into a sexual assault allegation at East Melbourne’s Pullman Hotel on August 17.
The club found they had breached their standards by staying out late, drinking and bringing women back to the hotel.
No charges have been laid and all players have denied wrongdoing.
The Daily Mail does not suggest any of the players are involved in any wrongdoing, just that they spoke to police about the alleged incident.
Also on Monday, AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon delivered a strongly-worded statement at a press conference to kick off the finals series.
As the Swans crisis continues, Dillon said respect for women was ‘not negotiable’.
There have been several incidents over the past few years at Mad Monday celebrations that have sparked controversy about player behaviour, yet the tradition remains a strong part of club culture.
The AFL Finals Series is set to kick off on Friday with the wildcard games.
The Western Bulldogs will host Collingwood at the MCG for the first wildcard final on Friday, followed by Melbourne versus Carlton at the MCG on Saturday.