NRL's new No.2 says gender not an issue

Newly appointed NRL second-in-command Suzanne Young says she’s unfazed by the organisation’s “blokey” reputation.

Young was appointed the organisation’s new chief operating officer on Monday, making her No.2 to chief executive Dave Smith.

She succeeds the highly regarded Jim Doyle, who left in June to return to New Zealand as boss of the Warriors.

More than five months of searching later, Young was announced as his replacement, with her responsibilities to include the integrity unit which investigates player misdemeanours.

She has more than 20 years’ experience in the construction, aviation, financial services and information technology sectors.

Asked at a media conference if her appointment was part of an attempt to end the apparently blokey culture of the NRL, Young said male-dominated work environments were hardly new territory.

“I’ve worked in some very blokey industries (such as) Qantas, Leightons,” she told reporters in Sydney.

“I don’t think that (environment) will be a detriment at all.”

Gender wasn’t a big issue, she said.

“I’m not the first woman to be involved in the league,” she said.

In her first public outing as Doyle’s successor, Young was also forced to defend the emphasis on her status as a mother – rather than the specifics of her professional achievements – detailed in the NRL statement announcing her appointment.

“It’s on my LinkedIn profile. It’s not that hard to find,” she said.

While she hasn’t had any experience in rugby league administration, Young said sport was “part of my DNA”.

“My first sporting injury was breaking my nose playing rugby league,” said Young, who grew up on a farm in the Riverina area.

Young was also Australian Surf Life Saver of the Year in 1996 and was one of Surf Life Saving Australia’s first independent directors in 2010.