Sharks players offered banned peptides: reports

NRL club the Cronulla Sharks have become tangled in the AFL's performance-enhancing drug probe after a Sharks' insider revealed they had been offered a banned growth-hormone.

Speaking to the Herald Sun, the unnamed insider who was involved with the club while controversial sports scientist Stephen Dank was employed, said players were offered a combination of amino-acids known to promote the body's natural muscle growth known as peptides.

Peptides are a supplement more commonly associated with body builders who are able to compete in non drug-tested competitions.

The insider also claimed that the Sharks were given warfarin, a blood-thinning agent known to promote anaerobic capacity.

Sharks' doctor David Givney confirmed to the Herald Sun that sport scientist Dank has been only employed for a short period of time after the two had a falling out.

"Stephen was only at the club for a short time in 2011," Givney said.

"He and I didn't see eye-to-eye over several things and we parted ways."

"That's all I've been instructed to say."

Dank has also worked with Sydney NRL clubs South Sydney, West Tigers, Penrith, St-George Illawarra and the Manly Sea Eagles.

Manly's involvement with Dank led to controversial headlines over the use of calf's blood in 2008 and former skipper Matt Orford revealed he was injected with a form of cortisone to help overcome an injury.