NRL: NZ reassured on bet probe

Bulldogs hooker Ryan Tandy is caught by Cowboys tacklers in round 24. Photo / Getty Images

The NZRL has received assurances from the NRL that no Kiwi players are being investigated in the betting probe rocking rugby league.

Widespread viral emails and texts identified six players, including a Kiwis international and a high-profile Australian, and said they all faced life bans once the investigation was concluded.

A well-known player agent, former player and Sydney businessman were also fingered.

NZRL chief executive Jim Doyle contacted NRL boss David Gallop soon after the story of the betting plunge and subsequent inquiry broke to ask if any Kiwi was being investigated.

"As far as he was aware, no Kiwi players are involved," Doyle said. "I spoke to him again after the emails and texts came out and he said, 'no Kiwi players are involved whatsoever'. That is reassuring for us." For legal reasons, the names can't be disclosed.

The NRL said on Friday the electronic messages were "bogus" and also dismissed rumours life bans would be issued to perpetrators 24 hours after the grand final.

NRL operations chief Graham Annesley felt the need to respond because the emails and texts had been circulated so widely, they were being taken as factual. Police have also questioned their validity.

"There is nothing to it as far as we know in relation to all the allegations that are in those texts and emails," Annesley told the Courier Mail. "The fact the [email] says we're going to hand out life bans after the grand final just demonstrates that the email is completely bogus. It's simply not true.

"What I can absolutely guarantee you is that we've had no internal discussions about any action whatsoever because we don't know what the police are going to find.

"Until we get something back from the police, either that they are doing something or doing nothing, we're not in a position to discuss any internal action."

It's not known when the investigation will be concluded. Reports from Australia suggest police have not yet completed their investigations and were still interviewing people, including players.

Other reports suggest as many as six games are of interest but the main focus is on the round 24 match between the Bulldogs and Cowboys, when a splurge of bets were placed on a penalty kick to be the game's first scoring act.

Bulldogs prop Ryan Tandy conceded a penalty under the sticks inside the first two minutes but Cowboys hooker Anthony Watts took a quick tap and North Queensland scored a try. Tandy has denied involvement in a betting ring.

The belief the NRL and police were due to deliver the results of their investigations tomorrow led to speculation the Kiwis were delaying naming their Four Nations squad until Tuesday to see what emerged.

"That is not the case, whatsoever," Doyle said.

"What we normally do is just send out a press release with the squad but what we wanted to do this year was do it more formally with Stephen Kearney and the chairman.

"Stephen doesn't arrive in New Zealand until Monday and, by then, it was too late in the day to do it, which is why we will announce it on Tuesday morning."