The Warriors are adamant they didn't deliberately breach NRL anti-tampering rules when they offered a lucrative contract to rookie Parramatta half Dylan Brown.
NRL bosses are reportedly considering an investigation into the Kiwi club's recruitment boss Peter O'Sullivan, whose meeting with Brown and his manager Gavin Orr late last year has drawn a complaint from the Eels.
Fairfax Media has produced what is said to be a copy of a six-season, $3 million offer to the 18-year-old Brown, who is on a development contract with Parramatta until the end of 2020.
Under NRL regulations, Brown can't be spoken to by other clubs until November 1 this year.
Warriors chief executive Cameron George is yet to hear from the NRL and launched a staunch defence of O'Sullivan, who he said was given erroneous information about Brown's status by Orr.
George told The New Zealand Herald he has email records that show Orr admitted his mistake and O'Sullivan immediately cut off talks.
"We made an offer to Brown on the understanding he was off contract at the end of 2019, which we're entitled to do," George said.
"Brown's manager later clarified that he had a variation in his Parramatta contract that meant he was committed until 2020 and once we knew that we withdrew our offer."
George said he was furious details of the contract offered to Auckland-born Brown had been leaked to the media.
He defended the integrity of O'Sullivan, who joined the Warriors last year.
O'Sullivan had been deregistered by the NRL in 2016 after he become associated with gambling identity Eddie Hayson while working for the Sydney Roosters.
"Ever since he arrived at the Warriors Peter has been absolutely professional and added so much value to our organisation and I find it offensive that anyone would even suggest that he's done the wrong thing in this instance," George said.
