Delighted chairman Peter Hood hailed the capture of Greg Bird and declared: Get ready for the Bulls charge.

The Australian Test stand-off joined Bradford in a surprise deal over the weekend and Hood believes it is a sign the club can be a Super League force once more.

“Just weeks after bringing Australian legend Steve Menzies to Bradford, we have now signed one of the most prodigious young talents in world rugby league,” he said.

“The signing of another top-class international complements our ongoing junior development strategy and our message is clear – the Bulls are on the charge.”

Hood defended the decision to move for Bird, who has had a colourful past with Cronulla Sharks in the NRL and has a court case hanging over him on April 27.

As part of a severance deal, his club would only allow his release from a four-year deal on the basis he would not be able to play for anyone in the NRL this season.

Bird, 24, has had off-field problems but there is no doubting the player’s class and Hood said: “As far as we’re concerned, the past is the past.

“When he comes over here he starts a new life and starts with a clean slate. He’s here because of his footballing ability and we will always take people as we find them.

“We have a certain reputation here for the way we expect our players to behave and we’re not concerned with what has happened before.

“He will have to return for his court case in April, or of it’s put back he’ll have to return later, but in effect he should only be away for a week.”

The New South Wales star faces charges of reckless wounding, public mischief and making false accusations following an incident last August after which his girlfriend Katie Milligan required surgery for a fractured eye socket.

That brings into question whether Bird will secure the necessary paperwork to gain access to the UK – especially after Huddersfield Giants saw their efforts to bring Todd Carney, another Aussie stand-off, foiled due to a criminal record.

But Hood said: “There is such a thing as being innocent until proven guilty.

“We’ve started the procedure of obtaining the work permit and visa and that will take a few weeks but we’ve no reason to suppose at this stage it’s going to be a problem.”

Bird has signed a 12-month deal with an extra two-year option at Grattan Stadium but Cronulla boss Ricky Stuart has admitted the player would be welcome back there in 2010.

Writing in his Sydney Sunday Telegraph column, Stuart said: “Both Greg and the club needed this.

“He is a young man whose life has been football. He needs the game but he also needs to go away and understand what he had and what he lost.

“A year playing in England will give him time to think and time to realise the opportunities he had and lost.

“In time, he will realise he made a mistake and that the club acted the only way it could. And then he will get a second chance, which I for one will be willing to give him.”