Sharks due for probing

Interim Cronulla chief executive Steve Noyce strenuously denied yesterday that a bank account operated outside the club’s books had been used to pay for the club’s supplements program in 2011.

The possibility was raised on the ABC’s 7.30 program on Tuesday, along with allegations that captain Paul Gallen had received undisclosed third-party payments from a security company.

Noyce said although the account should never have been opened or used the way it was, the money was used only to buy gym equipment for the club’s underresourced high-performance unit.

He also said the account, which was opened in April 2012 and closed in April this year, had not been used to pay controversial sports scientist Stephen Dank, who worked with the club for a short period in 2011.

“Obviously, if an account was opened ... in 2012, it’s impossible to pay for anything in 2011. The club is not aware of any payment made to Stephen Dank,” Noyce said.

NRL boss David Smith said the allegations about payments to Gallen were not new, adding the Sharks had already been fined $150,000 for the salary cap breach, but acknowledged he had been asked by NRL chief operating officer Jim Doyle, the head of the code’s new integrity unit, to investigate the bank account.

“I don’t know the details of the account,” Smith said.

“What we need to do is have a good look at what actually has happened. Have a look at – if the account existed, what it was used for, and all the things you’d expect the investigation team to do.

“We’ll put the integrity unit on to that.”