Noad quits NRL, News Limited to join
Bulldogs

New Bulldogs CEO Malcolm Noad has confirmed he will quit as NRL Chairman and as boss of News Magazines after confirmation he has secured the club?s top job.

Noad will start work with the Bulldogs on April 13, replacing club legend Steve Mortimer who resigned from the position last month under intense pressure following the sex scandal that continues to surround the club.

Noad says he hopes he can help the Bulldogs and the game emerge from current controversy as a strong force both on and off the field.

?Rugby league, as David Gallop has said, has got a black cloud over it at the moment,? Noad said today.

?A lot of that black cloud relates to this club, and I think that if I can help remove that cloud by coming here to support the Bulldogs and help them move into the future then I will be very happy.

?We have got to try and create a really positive environment here.?

Despite reports across a variety of media organisations, Noad will not start in the position tomorrow.

Tonight, the Nine Network will be running a forum to discuss the Bulldogs controversy as part of their regular ?Footy Show? program.

Representatives from the NRL, the Police, the Bulldogs and the Broncos will join the forum to discuss a variety of unsavoury incidents that have kicked off the 2004 season.

Meanwhile, detectives have this afternoon briefed the Director of Public Prosecutions on the progress of their investigations into the alleged sexual assault of a young woman by a group of Bulldogs players in Coffs Harbour earlier this year.