Bennett stood in the middle of Redfern Oval and watched his players prepare for Friday night's clash against his old club Brisbane as News Limited reported Bennett had dined at Leichhardt restaurant Grappa on Wednesday.

The NRL has confirmed current biosecurity rules state players and staff in each club's bubble must not attend cafes, restaurants, clubs or pubs.

Bennett has since been banned from attending tomorrow night's clash with the Broncos.

Speaking after Thursday morning's training session, Bennett confirmed he had attended Grappa.

"If it was a breach I wouldn't have done it,'' Bennett said. "I didn't think it was a breach. I went there with my partner, who I live with, just me and her, we had something to eat and that was it.

"It's in the hands of the NRL and people who are running our COVID quarantine.

"I go shopping, we go to different places to get meals at times. It's just me and my partner who live together.

"She was with me, I went somewhere to have something to eat at lunchtime.

"It's [the NRL's] call. The rules have changed that many times about what we can and can't do ... I didn't think I was breaking any rules yesterday because I wasn't with a group, it was just myself and my partner, there was nobody else, and we didn't sit near anybody.

"I feel great today.''

Bennett sat on the Project Apollo committee and is one of the most knowledgeable people in rugby league, and conceded he of all people should have been across the COVID rules.

Rival players have already been forced to isolate for similar incidents, including Penrith's Charlie Staines who isolated after partying with too many friends and family after his NRL debut, plus a trip to hospital to be treated for lockjaw.

"I think I do know the rules, and I'm confident I do,'' Bennett said.

"I went for lunch yesterday with someone I live with. I know I'm still allowed to eat, aren't I?

"We'll wait and see what happens and what they say.

"Of course it has been hard [keeping up]. Look at the TV news programs, people in different parts of Sydney have different rules, we have different rules, there's the border stuff. I come from Queensland where I have family up there still, we're totally confused about what we can and can't do.''

Bennett then claimed the players and coaches as a whole had done a wonderful job following the protocols, but they had not been perfect.

"It's a difficult time for everyone in Australia right now,'' Bennett said.

"The governments have done a really good job and worked hard to get outcomes. We as a club and game have been good ourselves.

"Are we perfect? Probably not. But we've all tried and been supportive of it.

"We live in a bubble, but I'm sure we haven't been perfect with it, I'm sure we've had our moments, all of us. Basically we do comply right across the board. [But] to think we've all been perfect, that wouldn't be the fact.''

Bennett added there may have been a couple of other times he had dined out during the pandemic.

It's not the first time Bennett has been in hot water with the NRL this year.

The Rabbitohs were fined $10,000 after Bennett did not tell the NRL about a video of Cody Walker kicking a man in the chest in his home town of Casino late last year.

More to come