Warriors CEO Cameron George has refuted any claims of wrongdoing over the attempted recruitment of Parramatta Eels teen Dylan Brown, following revelations yesterday .
In a report from the Sydney Morning Herald, the Warriors are claimed to have made an offer to make Brown, 18, the highest paid player yet to play first-grade, with a deal worth $3.12 million.
However, with Brown contracted until the end of the 2020 season, the Warriors would be in breach of the NRL's player acquisition rules, only able to attempt to sign players on November 1 the year before the end of their current deal.
Sanctions could follow if the Warriors are deemed to have broken the rules, with scout O'Sullivan's name at the bottom of the proposed contract offer.
Addressing media today, though, George said that the club have made an honest mistake in their approach.
"We were advised that Dylan Brown's contract expired at the end of 2019," George said.
"Our records show that discussions occurred with his manager thereafter, the appropriate time being 1 November.
"A short time later, his manager advised us that he'd reviewed his file and there was a variation signed for 2020 with Parramatta Eels. At that time we've got it on and in writing that we'd withdrawn our offer as soon as we were made aware of that.
"From a club's perspective, we've done everything that's entitled to do within the rules and regulations of the game."
George also says that the club are working with the NRL, in order to ensure that they prove their innocence.
"As of last night, I've spoken to the NRL integrity unit," he began.
"We hadn't been advised at all yesterday about an investigation, but given the media speculation I approached the NRL, and as such, they've asked us to provide any material that we had on record throughout any discussions with Dylan Brown's management."
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