PART of the security footage shown on the ABC last night.
Broncos` woes deepen as more allegations made
Lockyer says "that`s not me" in footage
Broncos boss says media picking on his team
BRONCOS boss Bruno Cullen has accused the media of double standards, saying the "feeding frenzy" over his NRL club is in stark contrast to the limited coverage of Queensland netballer Peta Stephens` recent drink driving charge.
The Broncos have bunkered down after fresh allegations, levelled at club captain Darren Lockyer - who has been accused of tackling a Brisbane bar manager two weeks ago.
The latest controversy comes after police interviewed fellow Broncos Karmichael Hunt, Sam Thaiday and Darius Boyd over the alleged sexual assault of a 24-year-old woman in a Brisbane nightclub toilet last weekend.
ABC TV last night aired security footage from the Casablanca bar at Paddington, in inner-city Brisbane, from September 6, claiming it showed Lockyer tackling the venue`s manager Terry de Gunten.
Lockyer has denied the allegations and Mr Cullen today said the CCTV footage did not support the allegations.
Mr Cullen said the Broncos` treatment was very different to the media`s recent handling of Stephens` arrest.
He cited a four paragraph story in a News Limited newspaper last Sunday on Stephens being arrested for drink driving.
Stephens allegedly returned a blood-alcohol reading of .066 after being pulled over by police early on September 13 and will appear in court on October 8.
"There was a two postage stamp-size article about a captain of a high-profile sporting team being charged with drink driving ... that`s all I`ve seen of that," Mr Cullen said on ABC radio.
"It just makes you wonder about ... this feeding frenzy when a captain of a state team gets booked for drink-driving and it (appears) on page 40.
"If that was one of our lowest graded players, it would be front page news and probably on ABC TV."
Netball Queensland acting chief executive Cameron O`Hara said he "didn`t want to get into a bun fight" with the Broncos.
"We are not really in a situation to comment on any other sport being dragged through the spotlight," he said.
Mr de Gunten said he pretended to joke along because he was intimidated by the Lockyer`s teammates who surrounded him.
"I didn`t want to act in an aggressive manner because I was surrounded by six or seven guys, so I just acted as if it was a joke and laughed and laid down so they`d leave me alone,`` Mr de Gunten told Fairfax.
Mr de Gunten is expected to lodge a complaint with Broncos management today and said he would ask for an apology from Lockyer.
It wasn`t the first time his club had had trouble with Broncos players, Mr de Gunten said,citing an incident where players had thrown pizzas over the windows "a few years ago``.
Lockyer, who saw the video footage of the tackle when it was aired on television last night, later told The Courier-Mail he was not aware of any Bronco player who had tackled a staff member of the bar. And he flatly denied claims he was drunk.
"I have seen the footage and I don`t believe it was me," Lockyer said. "I don`t recall any of the Broncos I was with making a tackle.
"I`m not going to apologise for something I didn`t do."
Alleged sex assault
The latest allegations come after Brisbane detectives had interviewed fellow Broncos Karmichael Hunt, Sam Thaiday and Darius Boyd in relation to an alleged sexual assault of a 24-year-old woman last weekend.
The Courier-Mail understands police have been told a Broncos player witnessed an alleged sexual assault by three teammates in the disabled toilet of the Alhambra Lounge nightclub in Fortitude Valley last Saturday.
The Broncos have already confirmed that three players have been interviewed by police over the alleged assault of a 24-year-old woman.
The controversy comes on the eve of the club`s do-or-die match against Melbourne Storm.
NRL boss David Gallop said he was aware of the allegations involving Lockyer.
"Obviously we would expect the Broncos to look into it and give us a full report as soon as possible," he said.
Meanwhile, just one day after banning footballers, a Brisbane nightspot will tonight host a promotional party featuring rugby league stars.
West End nightclub Uber will this evening host a party for surf brand Surf Dive n Ski (SDS) to celebrate the opening of its first Queensland store.
An SDS spokesman today confirmed four Gold Coast Titans players would feature in the promotion, but no Brisbane Broncos would be involved.
He said the party was a private function and the Titans` involvement had been arranged before Uber`s ban was announced.
Uber yesterday said high profile footballers from any code would be denied entry following a string of drunken incidents involving first grade rugby league stars.
