Penrith coach Ivan Cleary has attempted to clear any confusion over his alleged blow-up with an NRL referee on Sunday, saying: “I didn’t say anything to him.”

Cleary escaped any sanction from the NRL over an incident in the tunnel last week, despite admitting post-game he “might have” spoken to the referees.

“I didn’t say anything to him,” Cleary said on Thursday.

“I can’t understand where all this came from. I said after the game that there was nothing in it. Thankfully but not surprisingly, the NRL thought the same.”

Earlier this week, Cleary was alleged to have sworn at referee Ashley Klein when he said: “Ashley, they’re f…ing lying all over us. You can’t let them.

“You’ve got to stop them.”

It is understood Cleary has taken legal advice following the accusations.

Speaking prior to the club’s visit to Nepean hospital, Cleary maintained he wanted skipper James Tamou to clarify some issues with the officials.

“I just wanted to get him to clarify a couple of things with Ash Klein,” Cleary said.

“When I got down there, I spoke to Jimmy, who didn’t even hear me. He was already talking to Ash. That was it.

“I didn’t speak to a referee directly. I certainly didn’t swear. This story’s completely fabricated. It’s laughable on one hand, but disappointing on the other.”

Told he had suggested post-game that he approached the officials, Cleary said: “I said, ‘I might’ve’, because I spoke to Jimmy, who was across the other side of the tunnel.

“I just thought maybe one of the refs – certainly not Ash because he didn’t even look at me and I didn’t talk to him – thought that I said something.

“That’s why I said might’ve.”

Cleary, who worked with the referees after being sacked by Penrith in 2015, re-iterated he had complete respect for the game’s officials.

“I’ve been in the game almost 30 years and in around 500 games, I’ve never abused any referee and never been sanctioned for anything,” he said.

“I’m not going to start now.”