Top footy stars Tiana Penitani and Kezie Apps have revealed the Australian women’s team went to an all-male strip show in Las Vegas in an admission that would get their counterparts in men’s footy in deep trouble.
The Jillaroos players are due to face England at 1pm AEDT on Sunday as the teams make history by featuring in the NRL’s footy festival in Sin City.
Penitani and Apps – who are two of the most high-profile talents in the NRLW competition – made the confession when they appeared on Fox Sports’ NRL 360 program live from Vegas on Friday morning, Australian time.
Host Braith Anasta kicked off the interview by asking the pair, ‘Are you having fun in Vegas? Any shenanigans, any stories for us?’
Penitani replied, ‘Not too many crazy stories as of yet but the girls have been out and about.’
She was then interrupted by Anasta, who asked, ‘Hang on, hang on, I heard the girls went to see the Thunder From Down Under, is that true?’ as he referred to the all-Australian male dance revue, which features performers stripping down and interacting with the crowd, but stopping just short of full-frontal nudity.
Jillaroos co-captain Kezie Apps (pictured) and her teammate Tiana Penitani revealed the Aussie national women’s team went to a male strip show in Las Vegas
Penitani (pictured) and her teammates enjoyed the raunchy night out ahead of their history-making match against England on Sunday morning, Australian time
The Jillaroos took in a performance by the all-Australian Thunder from Down Under troupe, who strip down and interact with the crowd, but stop just short of full-frontal nudity
Penitani replied, ‘Yeah, we did, actually. That was very tame compared to old Vegas.’
When Anasta asked Apps what she thought of the show, she replied, ‘It was OK, it was fun entertainment. We had to go to some shows, whatever people from the NRL hooked us up.’
It’s fair to say that had stars from the four NRL teams that are due to play in Vegas on Sunday had admitted to going to a female strip show, they would be making headlines and in big trouble with the league and their clubs.
For example, four Manly players were fined $1500 when they broke curfew to visit a strip club in 2018, and Wests Tigers notified the NRL Integrity Unit after players Luke Brooks were searched by police at a strip club that year.
Thunder from Down Under also featured in the lead-up to last year’s inaugural NRL season openers in Las Vegas, when footy great turned Fox Sports star Nathan Hindmarsh performed with the troupe for a segment on the Matty Johns show.
The news of the Jillaroos’ night on the town comes after Canberra Raiders stars Hudson Young and Morgan Smithies apologised for a wild hotel lift fight that saw them escorted out of the team’s accommodation by security before being allowed to return.
The pair reportedly clashed when a problem with the hotel’s reservations system left Smithies without a room.
He asked Young if he could stay in his room, and when Young refused, they got into a physical fight.
Penitani (left) and Apps (right) were appearing on Fox Sports’ NRL 360 show live from Vegas when their visit to the strip show came up (also pictured, hosts Braith Anasta, second from left, and Gorden Tallis)
The Jillaroos (Penitani is pictured) will face the old enemy from 11am AEDT on Sunday in arguably the most high-profile women’s rugby league match ever
An inflatable baseball bat that was bought as a memento was mistaken for the real thing by security guards, who evicted them.
‘We came back after a night out on Thursday and there was an issue with the room,’ Smithies said.
‘We’re not going to go into details of that. There was a scuffle in the elevator, nothing in the hallways.’
Young admitted the situation ‘got out of hand’ and expressed regret for the distraction it caused the team.
‘I want to apologise for the actions on Thursday night. It wasn’t good enough,’ Young said.
‘I’m embarrassed for myself, our teammates, and the NRL.’
