Matt Lodge denies he covered up his past following explosive domestic violence allegations

MATT Lodge has denied he covered up his past as NRL boss Todd Greenberg declared he would not backflip on his decision to allow the Broncos forward back into the game.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA — MARCH 08: Matthew Lodge of the Broncos runs with the ball during the round one NRL match between the St George Illawarra Dragons and the Brisbane Broncos at UOW Jubilee Oval on March 8, 2018 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

MATT Lodge has denied he covered up his past as NRL boss Todd Greenberg declared he would not backflip on his decision to allow the Broncos forward back into the game.

Lodge has come under fire again following explosive allegations of domestic violence by a former partner.

The 22-year-old prop will return to Campbelltown Stadium on Friday night to face the Wests Tigers for the first time since they sacked him following his New York night of terror in 2015.

Lodge was cleared to return to the NRL this year after missing the entire 2016-17 seasons as he underwent rehabilitation and counselling.

And the NSW Origin hopeful said he had presented his entire history to the NRL when seeking to be reinstated.

“There’s no cover up with the NRL,” Lodge told The Courier-Mail.

“They knew the full story, I kept them informed of every incident the whole way.

“That’s why they have allowed me to play again.”

The NRL and Broncos’ bungled handling of Lodge’s return to the game has been met with fierce criticism.

Lodge and the NRL have denied there was a cover-up.

Greenberg recently admitted the game should have been more transparent around the reasons for Lodge’s return.

The NRL chief declared he would not be backflipping on his decision to let Lodge back in.

“Everything that was written and said over the course of the weekend was not new information to us,” Greenberg said.

“The integrity unit had assessed all of that information.

“It doesn’t for one minute condone any of his actions nor does it take away any of the concern we have for the victims.

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“Matt spent a long time out of the game. He spent a huge amount of time in counselling and rehabilitation, including a specific case around domestic violence.

“We made a decision to register his contract and nothing written on the weekend was new information to us.”

Lodge played his last match for the Tigers on June 28, 2015.

Wests sacked Lodge after he went on a drunken rampage in New York and was briefly locked up in the infamous Rikers Island jail in October that year.

The NRL and Broncos have been criticised for allowing Lodge back into the game despite the victims of his New York rampage having not been financially compensated.

Lodge, Brisbane and the NRL have attracted heavy criticism.

“This is a game that divides opinions and everyone is entitled to have their opinion,” Greenberg said.

“We make decisions which sometimes aren’t popular and will divide opinion and I understand that.

“This particular one goes to the very core of my own personal values. I thought long and hard about this. I deliberated about this for a long time.

“Like anything in life, it’s not just about punishment. It’s also about rehabilitation and a game that tries to help others.

“It’s about trying to make sure you give people an opportunity to be better.”