SL clubs look to reinstate Nigel Wood.

[phiggins]

12 minutes ago, RigbyLuger said:

The lack of pushback or fact checking from journalists whenever Beaumont says something disprovable is a disgrace.

But in this instance, they could be provable, or disprovable. Probably some of each. Clubs and Journalists need to get into the detail, beyond the name. 

[dkw]

Degsy has his pet journalists who basically never question him, LoveRugbyLeague is almost now his own mouthpiece.

[Dave T]

1 hour ago, phiggins said:

But in this instance, they could be provable, or disprovable. Probably some of each. Clubs and Journalists need to get into the detail, beyond the name. 

I don't particularly have an issue with clubs looking to make a move to replace what they deem as poor leadership - if they get the level of support needed, fair play, it means there is an issue of some sort. 

But I don't think this letter covers him with glory. Pushing for Wood to return and arguing a technicality over whether your Chairman is independent or not is hardly a great look. Whether independence is technically required is one thing, but surely we should want that and not Bradford's owner doing it on the side for a bit?

I also think the point about being RFL leaders during huge reductions in income is a little off. I'd like to see some of the validation of those figures and particularly when we look at what they are responsible for as the RFL has been stripped of responsibilities more and more in recent years. 

I'll be honest, it's difficult to know what he really wants, he just wants IMG out, the RFL leadership out, and Nigel Wood in. I'm not convinced that is a compelling proposition.

[Damien]

31 minutes ago, dkw said:

Degsy has his pet journalists who basically never question him, LoveRugbyLeague is almost now his own mouthpiece.

Not just that one though unfortunately. 

[JohnM]

2 hours ago, phiggins said:

But in this instance, they could be provable, or disprovable. Probably some of each. Clubs and Journalists need to get into the detail, beyond the name. 

In the name of transparency, Beaumont must disclose the names of the clubs that he is saying support him.

[RigbyLuger]

3 minutes ago, JohnM said:

In the name of transparency, Beaumont must disclose the names of the clubs that he is saying support him.

The transparency you get after setting off fireworks right before kick off.

[phiggins]

10 minutes ago, JohnM said:

In the name of transparency, Beaumont must disclose the names of the clubs that he is saying support him.

Wouldn't that become apparent when they vote though?

[Click]

If Woods comes back, does that mean we get that huge payment back?

[Agbrigg]

6 minutes ago, Click said:

If Woods comes back, does that mean we get that huge payment back?

I think he is already back at Wakey. I have seen him in hospitality at all our games this year. Mind you the meals in there are very good.

[JohnM]

1 hour ago, phiggins said:

Wouldn't that become apparent when they vote though?

Why wait? Surely it would help Trumps  oops Beaumont's case if they stood up and were counted now.

Coincidentally Beaumont and Hetherington both started off selling double glazing.

Edited March 4 by JohnM

[Damien]

Simon Johnson steps down:

Simon Johnson, Chair of the RFL since 2019, will step down after the scheduled spring Council meeting on Wednesday 12 March.

His resignation will end more than a decade serving the sport and nearly six years as Chair. He was appointed interim Chair in July 2019 then named Chair in October 2019 and will now leave with 15 months remaining on his second term.

Simon first joined the Board as a Non-Executive Director in July 2014, adding experience of over two decades operating at the highest level of sports and media.  He had been Director of Rights & Business Affairs at ITV, negotiating rights for multiple major sports, spent two years as Director of Legal & Business Affairs at the Premier League, and worked alongside the CEO at the Football Association as Director of Corporate Affairs.

https://www.rugby-league.com/article/63535/rfl-chair-simon-johnson-to-step-down

 

[Griff]

Welcome back, Nigel.

[Archie Gordon]

What a mess.

[Eddie]

Even by RL standards….

[The Daddy]

On 12/02/2025 at 13:19, Sports Prophet said:

My lasting memory of Nigel Wood will always be of a discussion I had with him in 2020 where he said the one rule change he would want to see in RL is the removal of a knock on as an infringement. I was kind of lost for words  

Are you forgetting the time when he was chief exec at Halifax and proposed teams get points for each half of football?

Edited March 11 by The Daddy

[Sports Prophet]

Just now, The Daddy said:

Are you forgetting the time when he eas chief exec at Halifax and proposed teams get points for each half of football?

Never heard that one  

[The Daddy]

Let's not forget that Nigel Wood was in charge when Scotland played home games in Cumbria instead of in Scotland itself. This was for both the 4 Nations and the World Cup. Huge opportunity to promote the sport in Scotland and you make them play home games in Workington and Whitehaven. Bonkers. 

Let's not also forget the reintroduction of promotion relegation when Catalan Dragons proved that giving clubs time to build under a licenced system gave clubs and the sport greater stability. 

Later on direct promotion relegation would be changed to the disastrous Super 8s. 

Bringing back the Lions when Richard Lewis put strategic effort into strengthening each individual home nation. 

Turning up to a RL game as a senior RL representative wearing RU British Lions gear(think it was a cap)

And those were just the highlights and the ones I can remember. 

He was an absolute disaster for the sport and undid everything Richard Lewis had spent time cultivating prior to his tenure. 

As a general note. I don't like personal attacks on people about their characteristics, background etc so any comment about his size are uncalled for. 

Edited March 11 by The Daddy

[The Daddy]

13 minutes ago, Sports Prophet said:

Never heard that one  

That was quite some time ago, when he was involved in Halifax 

[The Daddy]

In my book Ralph Rimmer was the fall guy for mistakes that preceeded him. He had a lot of issues to deal with including covid and the role of the rfl by the time Rimmer was in charge was greatly diminished. 

Rimmer was really dealing with putting out fires and I don't blame him at all. The damage was already done 

[Eddie]

6 minutes ago, The Daddy said:

Let's not forget that Nigel Wood was in charge when Scotland played home games in Cumbria instead of in Scotland itself. This was for both the 4 Nations and the World Cup. Huge opportunity to promote the sport in Scotland and you make them play home games in Workington and Whitehaven. Bonkers. 

Let's not also forget the reintroduction of promotion relegation when Catalan Dragons proved that giving clubs time to build under a licenced system gave clubs and the sport greater stability. 

Later on direct promotion relegation would be changed to the disastrous Super 8s. 

Bringing back the Lions when Richard Lewis put strategic effort into strengthening each individual home nation. 

Turning up to a RL game as a senior RL representative wearing RU British Lions gear(think it was a cap)

And those were just the highlights and the ones I can remember. 

He was an absolute disaster for the sport and undid everything Richard Lewis had spent time cultivating prior to his tenure. 

As a general note. I don't like personal attacks on people about their characteristics, background etc so any comment about his size are uncalled for. 

Not a fan then?

[JohnM]

Sounds like the adults are leaving the room. Let's hope it's because Johnson's had enough rather than "Trump" Beaumont winning the day. 

[Damien]

Interesting statement by the IRL, with the word concerned no accident an the attack on the previous administration. Obviously no IRL statement can be without Troy Grant spouting his usual:

International Rugby League (IRL) is saddened and concerned by the news of the resignation of the Rugby Football League Chair and Deputy Chair of the International Rugby League, Simon Johnson.

Mr Johnson has served on the International Rugby League Board for a period of five years.  Since late 2023, he has served as the Deputy Chair of International Rugby League.

IRL Chairman Hon. Troy Grant said: “Simon has been a wonderful contributor to the rebuilding of International Rugby League as part of the new board who inherited an organisation that suffered a telling period of selfish amateur administration, lack of vision and strategy and poor governance. With his fellow Directors, he helped guide and navigate the organisation through the pandemic period and made a meaningful contribution to the organisation's rebuild structurally, operationally, and financially.”

Mr Johnson has been a member of the RFL Board since 2014 and served as RFL Chair for nearly six years, playing a key role in England's hosting of the Rugby League World Cup in 2022.

Mr Grant said: “Simon has been instrumental in building the strong relationships that now exist between the Australian Rugby League Commission and Rugby Football League fostering a close personal and working relationship with ARLC Chairman Peter V'landys.  This relationship has seen record investment back into the international game, regular tours of southern hemisphere teams in Tonga and Samoa to England in recent years and the historic return of the Kangaroos tour to England in the Autumn of 2025.

“Simon is deeply admired and respected by his fellow IRL Board Directors, and my friend will be greatly missed.  He has been a wonderful Deputy Chair to me, who was always fully supportive with the highest integrity, decency, and has always acted in the game’s best interests. I will miss him dearly as sound counsel and only wish him every success in the future.”

https://www.intrl.sport/article/404/irl-statement-resignation-of-simon-johnson,-rfl-chairman

 

Edited March 11 by Damien

[DemonUK]

On 04/03/2025 at 10:29, JohnM said:

I didn't get that far. Beaumont is my trigger word and I had to scrabble for my inhaler. (letter value = 10 )

That is one word of describing it.  You have a proper HATRED of Mr B and all that surrounds him, quite boring really

[JohnM]

4 minutes ago, DemonUK said:

That is one word of describing it.  You have a proper HATRED of Mr B and all that surrounds him, quite boring really

I don't hate him. That would be a waste of valuable emotion.  He's done great things with Leigh but if he's going to be the face of our sport, we're doomed.

But don't be bored. Put me on ignore.

Edited March 11 by JohnM

[Amber Avenger]

1 hour ago, The Daddy said:

In my book Ralph Rimmer was the fall guy for mistakes that preceeded him. He had a lot of issues to deal with including covid and the role of the rfl by the time Rimmer was in charge was greatly diminished. 

Rimmer was really dealing with putting out fires and I don't blame him at all. The damage was already done 

I agree with much of your thoughts in this thread, but I don't think we're quite at the stage where we need a sympathetic reinterpretation of the Rimmer era TBH.