Supporters of Matt Lodge say he told a New York court that he couldn't afford to defend himself in a lawsuit brought against him, shedding new light on the controversial failure of the Brisbane Broncos prop to begin paying $US1.234 million ($1.56m) to victims of his violent home invasion.

There has been criticism of the NRL for registering Lodge's contract with the Broncos after the American lawyer representing the four victims of the 2015 incident, Renan Varghese, told Fairfax Media that his clients were still seeking all of the damages a judge last March ordered that the 22-year-old pay them.

Sources close to the Brisbane prop, however, have moved to paint an alternative picture of the situation, saying Lodge had never had the chance to defend himself in the civil action because of financial hardship.

They claim that after spending more than $US100,000 on his criminal defence his team was told that a further $US200,000 would be required up front for a law firm to take on the lawsuit brought against him. Having been left with no income after being sacked by Wests Tigers following his arrest, that was well beyond his means, they say.