Mikaele Ravalawa has admitted he is angry at himself over his early-morning blow up with teammate Zane Musgrove, and the St George Illawarra pair insist they have moved on from the drama.
Dragons players fronted the media on Monday for the first time since the pair's public spat, with captain Ben Hunt defending the club's culture after a nightmare off-season.
In a brutal three months for the Saints, five-eighth Tyrell Amone has been stood down after an alleged assault charge while prop Francis Molo has pleaded guilty to intimidation on a domestic matter.
Coach Anthony Griffin is under pressure to keep his job heading into the start of the season, while multiple departing players were critical of their relationship with him at the end of last year.
The club have since fined Ravalawa and Musgrove over their loud 6am argument at their Mudgee team hotel after last week's Charity Shield defeat to South Sydney, which the players say was football-related.
"It was just a bit dumb," Ravalawa told AAP.
"I was angry at myself after it. I let the club down and I just want to get back on the field and play well this year.
"We cleared it up straight away and jumped on the bus. We are good mates."
Both Ravalawa and Musgrove admitted they were surprised the drama had become public, with the latter adamant the argument was no different in nature to any at training.
"No punches were thrown, there was no scuffle," Musgrove said.
"The club said we could have a few beers after the game, and myself, I probably should have went to bed a bit earlier.
"But it was literally nothing. It was a heated argument. I am very apologetic, but I want to move on.
"It was just footy talk. You should see our team meetings, we talk in them and if you're not happy you express how you feel about something. It's just what you do."
Musgrove did, however, understand why fans would be frustrated with him after the Dragons' poor summer off the field.
So too can Hunt.
"I can definitely understand why they are getting a bit restless and a bit annoyed with what is going on," Hunt said.
"On the whole I don't think there is a culture problem, everyone is working hard every day to be better and everyone wants to win.
"It's frustrating for 99 per cent of players when things like this pop up.
"All you want to do is train hard and win games of footy. Then you're faced with this stuff all the time."
Hunt admitted the drama going public was not an ideal distraction ahead of the Dragons' round-two match against Gold Coast, after an opening-weekend bye.
But the halfback dismissed claims from former captain James Graham that there was rat in the club's ranks.
"I don't think there is anyone who has intentionally gone out and ratted the club out," he said.
"It's just something that happens."
