Furious Brisbane chief executive Bruno Cullen has branded allegations of a drugs cover-up by the NRL club as ''scurrilous'' and says he's investigating legal action.
The latest allegations to hit Brisbane surfaced a day after its humiliating 56-0 loss to Canberra, leading to irate rugby league fans hammering the club on talkback radio and on internet blogs.
Cullen said yesterday he'd consulted a lawyer and wouldn't rule out some players following suit after the Daily Telegraph newspaper alleged the club was covering up a drugs problem involving one of its high profile players.
''It's scurrilous, it's ridiculous and it's totally untrue,'' fumed Cullen, adding Brisbane drug tested its player four to five times more than it was required to.
''I believe it [the allegation] has ruined our reputation which is why I am on the front foot in regards to legal advice.
''We're currently renewing three or four sponsors which are going ahead, we've got about six or seven million dollars in sponsorship right now.''
A disappointed Cullen slammed another report claiming one of his players had been fined $10,00 for taking Stilnox and Red Bull, a home-made cocktail allegedly taken by some Queensland players during the recent Origin camp.
''I don't know where that [$10,000 fine] story came from but it's absolutely ridiculous,'' he said.
''We haven't fined anyone [the specific amount of] $10,000 since I've been at the club.''
While the player with the alleged drug problem was not named publicly, Cullen said he'd been tested ''a number of times'' over a long period with the club, including the recent State Of Origin series where he played for Queensland.
''The major content of the story is totally incorrect,'' he said. ''This club is not hiding anything from anybody with regards to drug testing.
''We've been a leader in drug testing for a number of years and we will continue to be.
''We target test and everything we're required to do under the league's drug-testing policy. We test across the board from the skipper right down to the under-20s.
''To suggest for one moment that as CEO, and I know my name wasn't mentioned but I currently have the reins of the club, I would not test or hide test results from a player is scurrilous.''
Cullen also took issue with reports that Bronco teammates Justin Hodges and Karmichael Hunt were the two Queensland players who broke curfew to go on a drinking bender during Origin camp on the Gold Coast last month.
An employee of an all-night kebab shop below the exclusive East nightclub where the players were allegedly drinking released CCTV security video yesterday claiming it showed Hodges buying food.
''I've looked at the CCTV footage and it doesn't look like the player he suggested at all, but I've made that mistake before as some of you know,'' said Cullen after Brisbane captain Darren Lockyer was caught tackling a hotel manager on security video last year.
''It's been a ordinary week but I wouldn't say it's the club's darkest hour.
''I've been involved with the club since 1989 and less than two years ago we had Parramatta put 68 points on us in the last game of the season then Melbourne put 50 on us in a finals game.
''I don't know if those two scores are worse than Saturday night or if Saturday night is worse, neither of them are too good.''
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