The NRL will conduct an investigation into the Broncos after former club official Andrew Gee was seen in the coach's box during Sunday's elimination final loss to the Dragons.
Gee quit the Broncos in 2014 and rejected interviews after the club was probed for a salary cap breach.
The Broncos were cleared of any salary misconduct, but Gee's departure was seen as a bad look at the time.
Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett was irked by reporters when asked about Gee's attendance.
“Because I invited him. It’s still a free country isn’t it?” Bennett said.
“I don’t tell the NRL who I am bringing to the game. He’s not a criminal.
“He’s a friend of mine. He can come and sit in the box with me any time he wants.
“What’s wrong with you guys?”
Despite Bennett brushing off Gee's presence, the NRL has confirmed that they will explore the incident.
"The NRL will ask the Broncos for an explanation as to why Andrew Gee was in the coach's box today," an NRL spokesperson told NRL.com.
But Bennett remained firm on his stance that Gee's attendance in the coach's box was harmless.
“I don’t think it is a relevant question at all, I really don’t,” Bennett said.
“He’s not working for the Broncos any more.
“I invited him as a friend. What’s wrong with that?”
Gee won four premierships with the Broncos over a 255-game career.
"He's not working for the Broncos any more. So he goes and sits in the stands? He can do that still and he can come and sit with me if he wants to as well," Bennett said.
Comments are closed.