St Kilda stars Bradley Hill and Paddy Ryder have reportedly been involved in what’s been termed a “verbal altercation” at a pub earlier this month.
According to The Age’s Sam McClure, a third St Kilda player was also involved in the incident.
Hill and Ryder were both left out of the side that faced Sydney at the weekend, with Hill officially left out for “personal reasons”, while Ryder was “managed”.
READ MORE: Nick Kyrgios says Wimbledon’s decision is ‘stupidest thing ever’
READ MORE: DCE, Billy Slater bristle at ’embarrassment’ question after State of Origin thrashing
READ MORE: Maroons torched in State of Origin II player ratings
READ MORE: Opinions divided on controversial Origin call
The club has continued to insist that the two players’ absences were not linked with the incident.
“Brad Hill and Paddy Ryder were not dropped for brawling,” McClure tweeted.
“They were involved in a verbal altercation at a pub in Mordialloc over the bye weekend and left when bouncers intervened.
“A third St Kilda player involved in the incident played against Sydney.”
News of Hill and Ryder’s run-in at a pub comes with the Saints currently in the midst of a three-game losing streak that has seen the side slip out of the top eight.
https://twitter.com/sam_mcclure/status/1541374967094226945
Veteran AFL columnist Caroline Wilson called news of the incident “disappointing”
“It’s just not good enough,” she told Nine’s Footy Classified.
“Ryder was managed and Brad Hill missed the game for personal reasons, and you have just have to wonder whether that was linked to what happened on the Saturday night.”
St Kilda has continued to back unsigned coach Brett Ratten despite the current form slump.