A series of text messages provided to the NRL integrity unit is central to its investigation into the alleged betting activity that threatens to end the career of Wests Tigers centre Tim Simona.
Following Fairfax Media revelations that Simona had allegedly arranged bets on players he was marking to score tries against him last season, the NSW Police strike force probing claims of match fixing in the code met with the NRL integrity unit on Thursday morning.
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However it is understood the evidence gathered by the NRL against Simona may not convince police to deem it a criminal matter and launch their own investigation.
Regardless of whether police take further interest into Simona's alleged betting movements, it doesn't change the severity of the allegations being thrown at the 25-year-old, who now faces a life ban from the sport.
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It is believed the claims against Simona were raised via a tip-off from a former friend with knowledge of his alleged misconduct rather than from a betting agency. The NRL is in possession of text messages and is understood to have other evidence in the brief that was shown to detectives from the Organised Crime Squad's Strike Force Nuralda, who met with integrity unit officers on Thursday.
At the game's season launch at Martin Place on Thursday, the NRL reiterated its zero tolerance policy surrounding players gambling on matches, with chief executive Todd Greenberg admitting anyone found guilty would face potential life bans from the sport.
"What I will say is that it's pretty clear – players are acutely aware of their responsibilities," Greenberg said. "They know they can't bet on rugby league. And if they do and they are found guilty, there will be significant ramifications, including career-defining decisions. Players put at great jeopardy their own careers if they consider it. It's well understood, it's contractual, there's enough education and it's pretty simple.
"It comes with a great privilege being and NRL player. There are massive penalties in place for players who do the wrong thing and taking the integrity of the game at the very core is exactly that. If and when we have to make hard decisions, we'll make them."
Despite the police taking an interest into the NRL's probe into Simona, the governing body will continue running its investigation into alleged misconduct from the off-contract Tigers back.
It is believed the bets didn't come out of Simona's account, rather the Tigers centre helped facilitate the bets through people he knew.
The news has rocked the game just a week out from the new season, with one of the sport's highest profile players warning there were no excuses for those found guilty of betting on NRL games.
"It's pretty much black and white," South Sydney captain Greg Inglis said.  "You don't bet." Â
Simona, who has played 79 games for the Tigers since 2011, will have five business days from when he receives all relevant documentation from the NRL to put forward his appeal. The Samoan international has been shopped around to rival clubs over the past few months in a bid to absolve the joint venture of their salary cap woes leading into the start of their season next Friday night.
Under NRL rules each club has to be under the salary cap by the start of round one, however the Tigers will apply for a special cap dispensation from the governing body.
The Tigers have been trying to offload a player to comply with the salary cap, but they are reluctant to move on a player in case Simona's contract is terminated by the NRL, putting  them under the cap for 2017.
Under the NRL's betting code: "No NRL employee, NRL club employee, player, player manager or game official is allowed to participate, or be directly or indirectly involved in any way, in gambling in relation to rugby league.Â
"Or be involved directly or indirectly, in the provision of information not already in the public domain that might assist another person to gamble in relation to rugby league."
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