NRL: First Storm player starts exodus

SYDNEY - Prop Aiden Tolman will become the first player to leave Melbourne since the NRL club's salary cap scandal broke after agreeing to join the Bulldogs.

The 21-year-old, who played in the Storm's grand final win over Parramatta last year, is rated as one of the game's best young front-rowers.

Tolman has signed a three-year contract with the Bulldogs starting from the 2011 campaign.

"Aiden is on the verge of playing representative footy and, importantly, everyone who knows him says he's an outstanding human being," said Bulldogs coach Kevin Moore.

"He's got a good decade of first grade footy ahead of him and will be a major asset for the Bulldogs."

Melbourne have to shear A$700,000 ($861,217) off their yearly player wages by March next year after being found guilty of salary cap breaches.

The signing of Tolman will leave the door open for Ben Hannant to leave the Bulldogs, with Brisbane and the Gold Coast interested in signing the Queensland and Test prop who wants to return north of the Tweed for family reasons.

- AAP