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Broncos on front foot over salary cap investigation

Brisbane chief executive Paul White says he is comfortable opening up their books to the NRL after alerting the league of potential salary cap irregularities over three seasons.

White said on Wednesday that Brisbane notified the NRL after the club were provided information from an external party of potential cap irregularities over 2012-14, totalling $450,000.

Allegations of the Broncos breaching the game’s strict salary cap rules came to light on Tuesday after operations manager Andrew Gee resigned, ending a 25-year association with the club.

But White believed his club had responded well to the cap allegations and would cooperate fully with the NRL’s investigation.

“We are on the front foot here. We have opened up our organisation; we are comfortable and confident with the process that we are going to follow,” he said.

Asked if he was confident Brisbane would not be found guilty of cap rorting, White said: “I am very confident that where we sit, we are in control of the investigation.

“We have provided early advice to the NRL and they are going to come in and do a complete and independent investigation.

“We have certainly contained the information which are allegations only.

“The aim of the investigation is to impartially investigate the facts, not rumours, and then determine a final outcome.”

A spokesman for the NRL added: “the Broncos have asked the NRL to look into possible irregularities relating to the salary cap and we will do so.”

White said as a publicly listed company, the Broncos had a number of internal checks relating to the salary cap including a full audit process.

But he said he felt obligated to report the cap allegations to the NRL and spark a league investigation.

“Sometimes you do receive information and this has come externally to the organisation and they are unsubstantiated at this stage,” he said.

“But we are treating it with the highest priority and utmost importance and allow the NRL to conclude and make the final determination.”

Reports have speculated that the irregularities relate to third party deals for certain players, but White refused to comment on which individuals might be involved.

He also did not want to comment on why Gee resigned.

“I am not going to speculate in relation to individuals because that is not appropriate at this time,” he said.

Their publicly listed company Brisbane Broncos Limited (BBL) later issued a share market alert.

“Brisbane Broncos Limited today announced that it is aware of certain allegations regarding possible salary cap irregularities,” BBL chairman Dennis Watt said in a statement.

“The allegations relate to the 2012, 2013 and 2014 seasons and involve sums that, if substantiated, would total up to $450,000 over the three years.

“Brisbane Broncos Limited has informed the NRL of the allegations and an investigation is under way.”

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