Sydney Roosters players Willie Mason and Braith Anasta were caught in the middle of a brawl at the Coogee Bay Hotel, as the famous Bra Boys got rough with others at the troubled Eastern Sydney location.
It doesn’t get much unluckier for the two NRL stars, Willie Mason still reeling from death threats and a Kings Cross flare up only weeks ago – this time he finds himself and team-mate Braith Anasta right in the middle of a pub brawl.
Apparently the action happened quite early in the night, which helps keep the Roosters out of the spotlight. No doubt had it occurred later in the evening or in the early hours of the morning the luckless NRL guys may have been targeted by gossip mongers and the like.
Surprisingly the Coogee Bay Hotel came in 2nd on a list of the most troubled pubs last Tuesday ranking the worst licensed venues in NSW for assaults.
Mason, 27, a new recruit for the Roosters in 2008 has always been around the big headlines off the Rugby League field: “I know all the Bra Boys and they are all good guys. They have respect from me and I have respect from them.
“It had nothing to do with me and them, I was just getting caught in the crossfire.”
Mason and Anasta both former Bulldogs, said he had no idea what caused the brawl.
“Me and BA [Anasta ] were just having a beer and we were in the crossfire so we walked away,” he said. While because of his initials Anasta is known as BA, big Willie was probably is the one more reminiscent of the former A-Team man – BA Baraccus [aka Mr T] – with Mason wearing just as much bling and cruising in a similar fashion to the former TV icon.
“I was just an innocent bystander. The security guards were unbelievable. They got in there and got everyone out, they did a great job.
“It wasn’t my problem, so I got my girl to get me the hell out of there.”
Mason and Anasta moved on to the Golden Sheaf Hotel, Double Bay. Anasta, 26, who plays pivot at the Roosters, said he was not involved in the Coogee Bay incident.
Police were called to the hotel at 6.40 pm after reports of a brawl and a police spokesman said two people were injured in the violence.
FOI info shows there were 41 assaults at the Coogee Bay Hotel last year putting it behind the Mean Fiddler Hotel at Rouse Hill where there were 51