The Wests Tigers have refused to commit their future to Leichhardt Oval despite reports of a $50 million government pledge to redevelop the iconic suburban ground.
The club will hold a board meeting on Monday to discuss its future stadium strategy and is not in a position to commit to playing any games at Leichhardt.
Chief Executive Shane Richardson said he had only been made aware of a $20 million pledge from the federal government after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese contacted him last week.
“We have received no official notification of guaranteed funds for Leichhardt Oval,” Richardson told the Herald. “Last Thursday night I had a phone call with Anthony Albanese, who promised $20 million towards Leichhardt Oval and [asked] me to keep it to myself, which I have.
“However since then, I have not heard from the NRL, any other body, including the Inner West Council, about any moneys. It’s interesting that The Daily Telegraph release it before we’re told.”
Sources with knowledge of the situation, talking under the condition of anonymity, told the Herald that the current investment pledge sits at $40 million, with Inner West Council and the NSW state government indicating they would each invest $10 million on top of the $20 million from federal government.
Not convinced: Shane RichardsonCredit: Oscar Colman
The NRL requested $30 million from the federal government, but Albanese is only willing to spend $20 million and wants the state government to match that investment. The funding was hidden in last week’s budget.
“If this funding is available it will be taken into consideration with our stadium plan, which we are meeting tomorrow morning in Brisbane to discuss at our regular board meeting,” Richardson said.
“I can assure you, the first people who will know about our stadium decision will be our members, and until then we will make no further comment regarding the stadium.”
The Tigers intend to announce their stadium policy for the next three years in mid-June, with the club unlikely to commit to playing games at Leichhardt Oval before being provided with a breakdown of where the funds will be used and how it will benefit the game day experience.
“If I had a dollar for every time someone said we were getting funding for Leichhardt Oval we would have saved the ground before now,” Inner West Council mayor Darcy Byrne said. “We will keep fighting hard until we secure state and federal funding to save the eighth wonder of the world.”
The Tigers want a new grandstand at the northern end of the ground with sufficient corporate facilities, four dressing rooms to accommodate NRL and NRLW teams and a significant improvement to amenities and hospitality as part of a push to increase capacity to 19,000.
The Tigers are giving strong consideration to taking the majority of their games to CommBank Stadium in Parramatta from next season.
Bunnies on brink of Bennett announcement
If you needed confirmation that South Sydney were on the verge of announcing Wayne Bennett as coach for next season, look no further than the guests that were invited to the club’s box on Saturday night.
Bennett’s partner Dale Cage was being wined and dined by the club, which could make an announcement on the coach’s future as early as Monday.
On the move: Wayne BennettCredit: Getty
Bennett has been talking about a potential Monday meeting with South Sydney officials for days. Don’t be surprised if that doesn’t happen following conversations with the club on Friday. All that is left to be done is put pen to paper.
One of the first things Bennett will do is make changes to the club’s high-performance staff. Then he will look at the playing roster. As it stands, the Rabbitohs don’t have much wiggle room in the salary cap.
This column has been told it was tight even before they signed St Helens halfback Lewis Dodd on a deal worth $600,000.
The club has already given halfback Lachlan Ilias permission to explore his options. He won’t be the last.
There are question marks over the future of winger Alex Johnston and hooker Damien Cook, but decisions over the roster have been put on hold until Bennett signs.
The snooze headlines
Which NRL club CEO left his counterparts in stitches after getting some shut-eye while Foxtel boss Patrick Delany was talking to club bosses at Gambaro Hotel on Thursday?
By all reports the chief executives were impressed with Delany’s first address to the clubs in seven years. However, one questioned what they perceived as “negative coverage” of the sport on NRL 360.
Delany responded with words to the effect of, “If you guys didn’t leak, we wouldn’t have any negative stories”.
We’re also told Delany stared at Wests Tigers CEO Shane Richardson while talking about how successful the Las Vegas venture was for the broadcast partner.
Richardson is not a fan of the NRL’s push into the United States, recently telling the Australian Financial Review, ”Las Vegas was a f—ing disaster.”
“It was a party trip for everybody,” Richardson said. “I don’t want to go. At the end of the day, it’s about the business [of the club]. I’m all about rugby league and … those little Christmas cakes don’t make any difference to the game at all.”
At least they would have been happy with the free Hubbl box they all received on their way out.
NRL considering Super investment
The NRL has received an approach from the Rugby Football League seeking an investment in the Super League competition.
NRL club bosses were briefed at Thursday’s CEOs’ conference about the potential for the game to invest in Super League.
NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo has his team crunching the numbers to determine how much, if any, the NRL would be willing to invest to own part of the game in England.
This masthead understands the opportunity could result in the NRL owning 20 to 50 per cent of the Super League.
It’s only early days and the NRL will need to be convinced the investment would not only yield a financial return, but also strengthen rugby league as a global sport.
The NRL told clubs it was supportive of the World Club Challenge concept and that it wanted to ensure that all future matches were played in England given its significance to English fans.
The NRL is intent on supporting the concept to the point they are making contingency plans around next year’s Las Vegas season opener.
If the team that wins the 2024 NRL premiership is one of the four teams scheduled to play in America next year, they will travel to United Kingdom first as part of a three- to four-week tour.
Super League clubs Warrington and Wigan have also expressed interest in being part of the Las Vegas plans next year.
What happens in BrisVegas …
Which former NRL player was handcuffed by police during a rowdy night out in Brisbane on Friday night? He wasn’t charged.
Crichton talks turkey with Roosters
It was interesting to note that Angus Crichton’s agent, David Rawlings, met with Sydney Roosters powerbrokers during Magic Round.
We’re assured a new deal has yet to be done. Discussions will continue next week after David Fifita’s decision to reject an $850,000-a-season deal from the Roosters to remain at the Titans.
Angus Crichton’s manager was in talks with the Roosters.Credit: NRL Images
PNG team not over the line yet
Don’t be surprised if the NRL has a change of heart over its 18th team. All the talk coming out of headquarters over the past 12 months has pointed to Papua New Guinea being handed the next license.
The NRL and Australian government have hit the go-slow button as they nut out the finer details of a complicated and detailed plan to launch a team out of Port Moresby, including the construction of a gated community to ensure the safety of players and officials.
Bids from Perth and the Bears could be the big winners out of the impasse. The indication the NRL provided to clubs at Magic Round was that the next team was unlikely to be brought in during the current broadcast agreement, which expires at the end of 2027.
Panthers could tear up May contract
Taylan May could have his new contract at the Penrith Panthers torn up after he was charged with domestic violence offences on Saturday morning.
May is on a deal worth around $1.15 million over the next two years but is in danger of having that torn up if he is found guilty, following allegations he punched his partner in the face. May has been living at the family home over the past few weeks as a result of the alleged incident that occurred on April 8.
Wake-up call does trick for Broncos rookie
Brisbane debutant, Josiah Karapani, who impressed in the centres for the Broncos on Friday night, was let go by South Sydney at the end of last year.
We’re told he slept through his alarm and did not turn up for his end-of-season review with the Rabbitohs last year. The club then indicated he was free to explore options elsewhere, landing a home with the grand finalists.
SPOTTED
Surfing legend Mick Fanning in attendance at Magic Round on Sunday to watch his beloved Panthers. Fanning was spotted walking through the corporate floor with friends just before kick off against the Warriors.
Sydney Roosters chairman Nick Politis hosting the Papua New Guinea Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Henry Leonard at the Calile Hotel in Fortitude Valley on Friday afternoon.
America’s Cup winner John Bertrand with rugby league legend Brad Fittler inside the chairman’s suite at Suncorp Stadium.
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