There has been speculation that at least one official was suspected, but the club has refused to comment on who the culprit or culprits were or if they have been identified.

Club chief executive Todd Greenberg, chairman Ray Dib and coach Des Hasler met Mattiske at Rugby League Central. While the Bulldogs had prepared an interim report, it had also been agreed officials would meet Mattiske yesterday.

''I think Channel Nine should definitely apologise for what they've done, as far as inflaming a lot of aggravation over what was very little evidence that there was any abusive conversation to the Channel Nine people,'' Johnston said when contacted last night.

''It could have been [directed to] someone inside the building, in fact that's the more likely explanation. ''Channel Nine were secretly recording that conversation without the knowledge of the people inside the building so it was Channel Nine' s conceit that assumed that they were talking to [her]. They had no evidence that that conversation was directed to someone on the outside of the building.

''They were stupid for going there in the first place when they weren't invited. Channel Nine are trying to drive something that wasn't there.''

In the letter Johnston writes: ''Canterbury are approaching Channel 9 to seek an apology for the way that Channel 9 has 'conveniently' interpreted this matter. I for one will be surprised if the Dogs get a reply'.''

Johnston also wrote that he was made aware of an audit compiled by a security expert who, he said, had examined, ''ALL of the Channel 9 footage and footage of internal video from the Belmore complex''. He said this had uncovered no evidence of players or staff inside Belmore directing abuse to anyone outside and that the story had been aired with ''nothing to back up Channel 9's assertion that conversation was directed to them''.