The National Rugby League (NRL) investigation into Kiwis star Kieran Foran could continue into next year, which might derail the Warriors' plans to have him lining up for the club by round one of the 2017 season.
Kieran Foran Photo: PHOTOSPORT
NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg said their integrity unit's investigation into Foran is likely to be a protracted similar to the one which looked into Parramatta's salary cap woes.
Fairfax Media is reporting Foran's contract with the New Zealand club has a clause which requires the player to be cleared by the integrity unit by December.
Greenberg said he'd like to see Foran return to the NRL, but didn't know when or if that might happen.
"I am like most fans - I want to see him back playing footy in the NRL. But it is only a few months ago he walked out of the game for personal reasons," Greenberg told AAP.
NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg Photo: Photosport
"So we need to be very careful in assessing how we get him back in into the game and our integrity unit will go through that process.
"I don't put a time frame on it and I won't put a time frame on it.
"But they will deal with him and they will deal with the Warriors and then we will make some decisions on when he comes back."
Foran's relationship with controversial Sydney-based gambling figure Eddie Hayson is of major concern to the NRL.
"That is something else for the integrity unit," Greenberg said.
"The integrity unit will deal with things in the fullness of time. They will do it without a running commentary and they will do it without a time frame. When they have finished that we will make a decision."
Foran signed a one-year deal with the Warriors last week, which has been reported as being worth about $600,000.
At the time, Warriors chief executive Jim Doyle said the next step was to work alongside the NRL to cover off all requirements to have the contract registered.
"We'll start that process now we've got, Kieran's signed the contract with us and...it'll take as long as it takes and we're comfortable with that. We'll work through that to make sure that we get the right outcome," Doyle said.
- AAP, RNZ
