It has been reported Cartwright impregnated a young woman while in a separate relationship and had a ‘fixer’ draw up a contract to have an abortion last year.

“Having known Bryce for so long it was important to me to know that he’d acted in a respectful manner and a supportive manner,” Gould said. “I am satisfied that Bryce has done as well as any young man could in the same situation.”

Gould said he did not know what the “$50,000” was for.

“I don’t want to discuss those facts,” he said. “I am confident in what I know that Bryce has acted as responsibly as he can and he’s the only one I’ve got jurisdiction over.

“I don’t know what the $50,000 was for, I don’t know what was termed, I don’t know who drew up the contract. I don’t know any of those details. That was all done privately and was a private matter between two people. What it (the money) was for, I don’t know.”

When asked if the woman was unduly pressured into terminating the pregnancy Gould said:

 “We hope not. We will support him going forward. It’s something that he has to deal with and it’s a lesson. It’s part of the education we give players and I guess it’s a reminder to us all of what can happen to people and dealing with it. Particularly when it gets in to the public domain as it has.

“We have had no contact with this young lady at all. She’s never called us, she’s never written to us.”

Gould confirmed he was contacted in October by a Daily Telegraph journalist and made aware of the issue concerning a Panthers player.    

“It was a heads up from the Telegraph that they had had as young girl contact them and the fact she had fallen pregnant to a Penrith player,” Gould said. “It was virtually just letting me know so I could go and do whatever we could. By the time I had spoken to Bryce’s manager, they had already handled the matter privately off course."

Gould said he did not know when Cartwright would return to the field.

“We are giving Bryce all the support we can give him,” he said. “I know a lot of people go through this in their lives and it’s not the first time it’s ever happened to a young couple and it’s a huge decision and it’s very emotional. I guess from Bryce’s perspective he thought the matter was settled sometime ago, so what happened on the weekend (the story breaking) sort of hit him like a bolt of lightning. I’m just comfortable in my mind that Bryce in his own mind knows he has done the best he can.

“We’ll see if football plays a part in helping him deal with this.”

Gould confirmed the NRL had not contacted the club regarding the issue.