EXCLUSIVE
Police have launched an investigation into a pub fight involving Paul Gallen after Ny Breaking Australia published footage of the wild scuffle.
Gallen was filmed being restrained by up to four men at a time during an overnight confrontation last weekend at the Shoalhaven Heads Hotel on the NSW south coast.
Police were not called to the hotel at the time and on Tuesday evening they said the incident had not been reported.
On Thursday afternoon, a NSW Police spokeswoman said the position had changed since Ny Breaking Australia published the footage.
Police have launched an investigation into a pub fight involving Paul Gallen after Ny Breaking Australia published footage of the wild scuffle. In one video, an employee is shown cleaning Gallen’s face with a cloth
Paul Gallen made his first appearance on Wednesday since a video emerged of him in the middle of a wild pub brawl, showing signs of injuries including a mark on his right eye
“Officers from South Coast Police District have begun an investigation into an alleged altercation at a licensed premises in River Road, Shoalhaven Heads on Saturday,” she said.
The statement suggests the brawl took place in the early hours of Saturday morning rather than the last hour of Friday evening.
When Ny Breaking Australia asked Gallen about the incident on Tuesday afternoon, he initially said: “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Hours after the video of the skirmish was published, Gallen issued a statement in which he admitted he was involved in an “altercation” but denied throwing punches “in retaliation.”
On Wednesday, Gallen flew from Australia with his wife and four children on what he said was a planned overseas vacation.
Gallen, an NRL commentator on television and radio, had gone to the pub, known locally as The Heads, with his radio colleague Mark Levy.
Levy could be heard in the background of the brawl shouting, “Stop it. Enough enough. Gal, stop’ as a group of men struggled to restrain Gallen and shocked drinkers looked on.
The pair had arrived together at the pub where witnesses said the retired footballer played pool in the beer garden and headed to the dance floor.
Levy did not respond to requests for comment from Ny Breaking Australia, but 2GB breakfast announcer Ben Fordham said he spoke to his colleague on Tuesday evening.
“Mark Levy was in another part of the pub and when he came back Gal was wrestling with someone,” Fordham told his audience.
‘How did it start? Well, I was told that when Paul Gallen showed up he was chatting to people and posing for pictures, but later that night he was punched in the face and I have no idea what led to that incident.
“Mark Levy tried to arrange everything, but things were already getting out of hand.”
There is no indication that Levy, who regularly fills in for Ray Hadley on his 2GB morning show, has done anything wrong.
Gallen had gone to the hotel with his radio colleague Mark Levy, who could be heard in the background shouting: ‘Stop it. Enough. Enough. Gal, stop’
Witnesses claimed the fight started after Gallen lost a pool game and broke a cue stick over a table.
Several sources said Gallen was bleeding from his face after being beaten.
The video, which lasts 1 minute and 29 seconds, begins with Gallen being held down by three men. In the background you can hear a concerned Levy pleading, “Enough. Enough, enough, enough. Stop. Enough. Enough. Bile, stop.”
As a scuffle rages through the hotel, another voice says, “Get out now,” before Gallen falls to the ground.
A patron can be heard saying, “He’s bleeding everywhere” as Gallen stands up. Another voice says, “Go away.”
Two men then push a man wearing a shirt away from the fight and Levy appears to say, “No more, Gal.” Not anymore. Not anymore. Not anymore. Stop.’
In a second video, an employee is shown cleaning Gallen’s face with a cloth as Levy watches.
Ny Breaking Australia understands Gallen and Levy had been staying at Currarong, a 50-minute drive away, and traveled from the hotel to the pub by courtesy bus.
Police did not attend the pub following the incident and it is believed Gallen and Levy returned to their accommodation via the same 12-seater transport.
Levy has posted on social media in the past about visiting the hotel. Management declined to comment on Friday night’s brawl.
When asked Tuesday if he would comment on how witnesses had described events, Gallen said, “Yeah buddy, I won’t comment on it.”
When told that witnesses had captured footage of the fight, Gallen added, “No worries,” then asked, “What do the witnesses say happened?”
Hours after the video of the skirmish was published, Gallen offered a fuller version of what happened.
“I was involved in an altercation with customers at the Shoalhaven Heads Hotel last Friday evening,” he said.
Gallen left his south Sydney home with his wife and four children on Wednesday afternoon, five days after he was filmed being held in a hotel on the NSW south coast.
‘The clients were unknown to me and the group I was in. The video circulating online does not accurately reflect the full circumstances under which I was first affected.
“While I did not strike in retaliation, I apologize to the hotel owners and other customers for the incident.”
On Wednesday, Gallen broke ground for the first time since the video emerged, which showed signs of injuries, including a wound to his eye.
The 42-year-old State of Origin legend was found to have suffered a cut above his right eye, marks on his forehead and right cheek and abrasions to his left elbow.
Gallen quickly put on a pair of sunglasses when he realized he was being photographed, just 24 hours after Ny Breaking Australia published footage of the brawl.
The 42-year-old State of Origin legend appeared to have suffered a cut above his right eye, scratches to his forehead and right cheek and abrasions to his left elbow
As his family piled into a black, chauffeur-driven Kia Carnival for a ride to the airport, Gallen was in no mood to talk about what happened Friday night.
‘What do you want?’ he asked after being approached while transporting luggage from his $4 million estate overlooking Gunnamatta Bay.
Anne Gallen supported her husband for more than a decade, saying: “He didn’t do anything.”
Gallen declined to comment on what was not captured on the mobile phone footage, but was likely captured by CCTV cameras.
“I’ve said what I have to say,” he told Ny Breaking Australia. “The proof is in the video.”
Gallen then said those comments should not be used for publication.
“That’s not a statement to you,” he said of his comments moments earlier. “I’m not saying anything.”
“The proof is in the video. That’s not a statement to you, so I retract it.
‘You can’t write that. No comment. No comment. I have no comment.’
As his family piled into a black, chauffeur-driven Kia Carnival for a ride to the airport, Gallen was in no mood to talk about what happened Friday night.
Gallen declined to elaborate on what was not captured in the leaked cellphone CCTV footage, but was likely captured by CCTV cameras. His left elbow is depicted
Gallen (left) and Levy (right) work in 2GB’s Continuous Call team during the NRL season and the Cronulla Sharks premiership-winning captain contributes to Nine’s Wide World of Sports
Gallen played 19 seasons in the first grade with the Cronulla Sharks, leading the team to the club’s first premiership in 2016.
He appeared 24 times for NSW and captained the side that won the 2014 State of Origin series, which broke Queensland’s eight-year winning streak.
For much of his interstate playing career, Gallen was regarded by Maroons fans – whom he once called ‘two heads’ – as their worst enemy.
In 2014, Gallen was one of several Cronulla players who admitted unknowingly using a banned peptide in exchange for a reduced retroactive ban.
Gallen started boxing in 2012 and has won 15 of 18 fights as a heavyweight, including victories over Lucas Browne and Mark Hunt.
Gallen retired from the NRL in 2018 as the game’s oldest player and has since been employed by Nine on programs including the Sunday Footy Show, Sport Sunday and 100% Footy.
Levy has worked at 2GB since 2007, after working as a producer and reporter at Sky Racing for more than six years.