Broncos at the pub before hefty loss

Brisbane Broncos officials are aware a group of players were out late in a Sydney pub the night before Sunday’s finals thrashing at the hands of Paramatta.

An eyewitness has told Foxsports.

com.au at least six Broncos were in the pokie room at a Sydney hotel until around 11pm on Saturday night with one staying out even later.

The following day the Broncos were dumped out of the NRL finals with a record-breaking 58-0 defeat at the hands of the Paramatta Eels.

The Brisbane club have launched an investigation after becoming aware of the incident.

The eyewitness claimed Matt Gillett, Andrew McCullough, Payne Haas, David Fifita, Corey Oates and Anthony Milford were in the pokie room at Harpoon Harry’s hotel.

When the group left, Fifita remained in the pokie room on his own, the eyewitness claimed.

The eyewitness, who claimed he talked to Milford, told Foxsports.com.au there was no suggestion the players were drinking whilst in the hotel.

But given the fallout from the hefty defeat at the Broncos, the report will not be well received by the Brisbane club.

The Broncos have responded to

Foxsports.com.au’s story with a statement.

‘‘In relation to media reports on the actions of Broncos team members on Saturday night, the club has spoken to a number of players.

‘‘From those conversations, we understand that a small number were playing poker machines at a venue close to the team hotel.

‘‘There is no suggestion the players were drinking, and our entire squad presented at a team breakfast at 7am the next morning,’’ the statement said.