Broncos legends urge CEO Paul White to resign immediately
Broncos CEO Paul White is due to stand down from his position on October 31, but some club legends have told the Brisbane boss he needs to pull the pin now and let someone else fix the ever growing mess at Red Hill.
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Broncos legends have urged chief executive Paul White to resign immediately so the embattled NRL club can begin rebuilding as it fights to avoid the wooden spoon.
White is under mounting pressure to walk away from the Broncos on the back of the bungled sacking of Tevita Pangai Jr, the club receiving a $140,000 fine for COVID protocol breaches and Brisbane languishing in 15th spot on the NRL ladder.
After 10 years at the helm of the Broncos, White’s tenure is slated to officially end on October 31 following one of the most tumultuous seasons in Brisbane’s 32-year history.
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The Broncos have begun the search for a new CEO and chairman Karl Morris has indicated a comprehensive review of the struggling club will be conducted at the end of the NRL season.
The review could lead to the sacking of coach Anthony Seibold, who White played a key role in appointing, among other changes.
Whether the departing White has a role in the review, or is part of the decision-making process moving forward, remains to be seen.
Former Test prop Glenn Lazarus urged White to walk away immediately and give the Broncos more time to bounce back in 2021.
“The CEO and the board, they’ve had a shocker ... and need a good look at themselves,” he said.
“Paul White hasn’t really put himself out there in recent months to answer the tough questions. He has gone missing in action, I don’t know why, maybe it’s because he is leaving, but it’s time for him to move on now and get a CEO in to freshen the joint up and make some tough calls to the organisation.
“I am disappointed for the club as a whole, there are blokes being selfish and breaking COVID rules. They are having massive fade-outs during games and the end result is embarrassing for the club and everyone associated with it.
“The Broncos have become a circus and it has become hard to watch. Sadly, I don’t think it will end anytime soon. I don’t see them turning their form around and they could finish the season with the wooden spoon which would be a total embarrassment.
“Paul White won’t be there next year and the Broncos are in the process of finding a new CEO. Ben Ikin keeps being touted as the next CEO but to be honest, the change can’t come quickly enough.
“If Paul White won’t be there next year to help get this club out of the massive hole it’s in, leaving sooner rather than later is the best thing for the club.
“They have shown they can’t fix things so the club should get some fresh faces in to rebuild the club, starting with the CEO.
“I can’t believe the club has got into this state, it’s totally bewildering.”
A former police officer and mining executive, White was appointed CEO of the Broncos in October 2010 to replace Bruno Cullen.
The Broncos have grown into a $52 million powerhouse during White’s tenure, call a $27 million headquarters at Red Hill home and are the NRL’s richest club.
While they went within seconds of winning the 2015 NRL grand final against North Queensland, the Broncos have not won a premiership during White’s stint and Seibold is the fourth coach to serve under him.
White oversaw the sacking of foundation coach Wayne Bennett in December 2018 and his final season at the Broncos has been one to forget.
Former Broncos hooker Kerrod Walters played 182 games for the club and said it was time White moved on.
“They need to get a new CEO appointed ASAP and some direction back in the club, at the moment it’s terrible,” Walters said.
“They’ve got to try and get something out of this year. Whether it’s a new CEO or they do something with the coach, something has got to be done sooner rather than later.
“We haven’t seen much of Paul in the media and he is leaving so he should not be part of a review.
“There will be a lot of people wanting the Broncos’ CEO job so they should get some good candidates and a cracker person to take over. They need to be involved moving forward along with the board.
“They need to make an appointment sooner rather than later.
“We have to start going forward, we can’t keep going backwards. The further back we go the longer it is to come back.
“If we make some changes now it won’t be such a steep hill to climb.”
If the Broncos lose to the Dragons at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night and Canterbury beats New Zealand on Sunday, Brisbane will drop to last on the ladder.
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Walters said it hurt to see his former club in crisis.
“It does hurt, it’s terrible,” Walters said.
“I watch every game. I still support and love the Broncos. I feel for the current squad, they must be hurting.
“They are a chance of coming last and no Broncos team has ever got the wooden spoon. I didn’t think it was possible based on the strength of the club and resources they have.
“The current Broncos situation is unacceptable. It should never happen. It’s mind boggling to think that’s where we are.
“For such a great club we should be the benchmark of the NRL. Now we’re the easybeats. It’s unbelievable.”