Furious North Queensland coach Neil Henry has accused the NRL of bungling the handling of the drugs-in-sport crisis, labelling the investigation 'farcical' and a 'disgrace'.
Clearly upset his club was one of six singled out following the Australian Crime Commission's report into drug use and criminal activity, the Cowboys boss went on the attack.
"To me, I think it's embarrassing for the NRL to come out and mention there is six teams and to be forced into a situation to defend ourselves against something we don't even know about," Henry said on Wednesday.
"The way the whole thing has been handled has been a disgrace.
"The information hasn't come out until after the event and it's a slight on the integrity of the club.
"It's just wrong. It's been poorly handled and, to me, it's farcical."
Cowboys CEO Peter Jourdain was called to a meeting by ASADA representatives in Sydney on Tuesday, later emerging to say the club was rated in the 'lower than low risk' category in the investigation into the use of performance enhancing drugs.
Henry feels the entire North Queensland club has been tainted by the scandal without any clear proof of wrongdoing.
"For people to have to defend themselves not knowing any information is just wrong," he said.
"Our reputation is intact. There's no proof, no evidence, that anything untoward has happened at this club.
"It's a shame we have had to go into this defensive mode for something that we know nothing about.
"It was just poorly handled from day one, this whole sorry saga.
"Community image to us is everything. We are a community-owned club, and for the press to have innuendo about the club is just poor."