Brisbane cleared of salary cap wrongs

Brisbane have been cleared of salary cap breaches, but the NRL has hit out at the lack of co-operation it received during the investigation.

Broncos officials self-reported a number of salary cap-related problems reportedly involving around $500,000 in irregularities in May.

And on Thursday after a lengthy investigation, the NRL announced that “no evidence of any breach of the salary cap rules has been identified”.

However, NRL general manager of integrity Nick Weeks said there had been obstructions to a thorough investigation.

“The investigation was impeded because it was not possible to obtain information from the Broncos Leagues Club and others from the Broncos who have left the game,” Weeks said in a statement.

“Given the evidence currently before us, there are former officials from both clubs (Brisbane and the Gold Coast) who are unlikely to be registered to be involved in the NRL in the future.”

The Titans were the subject of a separate salary cap probe, as a result of which they were hit with a $300,000 fine.

Former Titans playmaker Scott Prince’s deal with the club was at the centre of the investigation. He will not have his role as an NRL One Community ambassador renewed due to the findings.

Former Broncos football operations chief Andrew Gee resigned from his role the week before news of the investigation was made public.

The allegations against the Broncos were rumoured to include heavy scrutiny of Ben Barba’s move to the club at the start of last season.

The investigation surrounded third-party deals, and there was no suggestion Gee was guilty of attempting to rort the salary cap.

Brisbane released a statement saying they now considered the issue concluded.

“The Brisbane Broncos today welcomed the NRL’s determination that the club has been cleared of any salary cap breach,” the statement read.

“The Broncos self reported this matter to the NRL earlier this year in an act of transparency, and always had faith the club would be found to have no case to answer.

“The NRL have vindicated that faith with today’s ruling and the club now considers the matter closed.”

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