NRL 2023: Brisbane Broncos confirm Ben Ikin has quit the club for QRL CEO role
Brisbane football boss Ben Ikin has walked out on the club, leaving the Broncos to take on a fresh new role.
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It’s official. Departed Broncos football chief Ben Ikin is now the boss of the Queensland Rugby League.
QRL chairman Bruce Hatcher confirmed Ikin has been appointed as the organisation’s chief executive after he severed ties with the Broncos on Sunday night.
Ikin has completed his commitments with the Broncos and will commence the CEO role with the QRL on Monday, May 22 - the same day the Queensland men’s State of Origin team is announced.
Hatcher said Ikin would deliver outstanding leadership to rugby league in Queensland.
“Ben brings an immense amount of rugby league knowledge with him and is widely respected in the game,” Hatcher said.
“Part of our role in the game is from community rugby league to sub-elite, which is the Hostplus Cup and BMD Premiership, and the significant contribution our clubs make to the NRL and NRLW.
“Ben has a thorough understanding of our people and these competitions and pathways, and knows what is needed for rugby league to grow and prosper in the years to come.”
A former QRL board member, Ikin said it was a privilege to have the opportunity to run rugby league in the Sunshine State, taking over from Rohan Sawyer.
“It’s a great honour to be given this role,” Ikin said.“The QRL has a very long, proud history and is responsible for a very important part of rugby league across the state.
“I look forward to working with our staff and stakeholders to ensure that the way we do things in Queensland is both preserved and respected.”
Prior to embarking on a highly successful career in the media, Ikin played 150 NRL games from 1995-2004 for the Gold Coast Seagulls, North Sydney Bears and Brisbane Broncos.
He was a key member of the Broncos’ premiership-winning team that defeated the Sydney Roosters in the 2000 grand final.
A passionate Queenslander who started his league journey in the Gold Coast junior ranks, Ikin famously became the youngest player in State of Origin history when he was chosen for the Maroons during the 1995 season.
He went onto make 17 State of Origin appearances for Queensland and played two Tests for the Kangaroos.
Ikin has also been an assistant coach in the Hostplus Cup with the Wynnum Manly Seagulls, and has served on the board of the North Queensland Cowboys.
IKIN QUITS BRONCOS ENDING TURBULENT STINT AT CLUB
By Peter Badel, Travis Meyn and Brent Read
News Corp can reveal Ikin is leaving the Broncos with Brisbane’s head of football on the verge of formally inking a deal to be chief executive of the Queensland Rugby League.
The Broncos are aware of the QRL move and will confirm his departure on Sunday night.
As revealed by News Corp last week, Ikin had secretly applied for the QRL CEO post and was the front-runner to secure the coveted role.
Now Ikin’s move to the QRL is a done deal.
The bombshell development will see Ikin running rugby league in Queensland - and leave Kevin Walters’ Broncos without a head of football midway through this season.
But Ikin will depart Red Hill with the Broncos at the top of the NRL ladder and back in the finals hunt for the first time since 2019.
“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time at the Broncos and certainly learned a lot,” Ikin said.
“I leave here knowing the football program is in better shape than when I arrived.
“There are a lot of good people at the Broncos doing great work, and I know that ultimate success for the club is getting much closer.”
Donaghy said Ikin played a key role in Brisbane’s turnaround.
“Ben has made a valuable contribution to our club since he arrived in mid-2021,” he said.
“The football program and playing roster needed an overhaul, and Ben very diligently worked with other key staff to knock both into shape, and our results this year reflect those efforts.
“We thank Ben for his contribution and wish him all the best for the future.”
Just three months ago, Ikin ruled himself out of the race to replace departing QRL boss Rohan Sawyer, saying at the time: “I’m committed to helping ‘Kev’ (coach Walters) get the Broncos firing again.
But Ikin had a change of heart and is the new head honcho of the QRL.
It is understood the QRL whittled down a list of 70 applicants and Ikin, a former QRL board member, reached the final four, who underwent formal interviews from Wednesday.
QRL chairman Bruce Hatcher declined to discuss specific names last week, but confirmed the organisation is on the verge of finalising Sawyer’s successor.
“We hope to have a CEO very soon,” Hatcher said.
“We will interview the four candidates and then it has to be ratified by the full board.
“I would expect that to happen in the next week that we will know where we are at with our new CEO.”
Ikin declined to comment when contacted by News Corp, but Broncos hierarchy are aware of his shortlisting for the QRL CEO’s job and his possible departure from the glamour club.
The 46-year-old has stayed under the radar in the battle for the QRL post, mindful of missing out on the Broncos CEO’s role after being shortlisted to replace Paul White at Red Hill almost three years ago.
Ikin was instead appointed Brisbane’s head of football in June 2021, but has endured a turbulent tenure at Red Hill.
Broncos bosses held urgent talks last September to improve lines of communication between Ikin and coach Walters amid revelations of tensions between the pair.
Ikin’s return to Red Hill was hailed as a game-changing appointment for the club as the Broncos ramped up plans to deliver their first premiership since 2006.
But the head of football felt increasingly marginalised last season following a communication breakdown with Walters, his halves partner in Brisbane’s 2000 NRL premiership win.
At the core of the issue was Walters’ desire to control the football department as head coach – and how much input Ikin was keen to have in the running of Brisbane’s NRL program.
The pair also clashed over some team-selection matters.
Walters insisted he had no insurmountable issue with Ikin and has worked closely with his football boss this season, underpinning Brisbane’s sizzling 7-2 start to lead the NRL competition entering Magic Round.
But Ikin is entering his final weeks as a Broncos employee.
Ikin will be given a mandate to steer Queensland into a bold new era - starting with another Origin series victory NSW this season.
“We are looking for a football person,” Hatcher said of the QRL’s next CEO.
“Whoever gets the job will have to notify us of their notice period.
“The contingency plan was no rush, no panic. We have Rob Moore as interim CEO and he is a very safe pair of hands. He has done the job before and he is available until the end of August, so the successful candidate would have to give between a month and three months’ notice.
“Our role in the game is from the grassroots to sub-elite, which is the Hostplus Cup, and the contribution those teams make to the NRL is significant.
“We have to do our job in the business of rugby league so there’s no doubt we are after some good football leadership from our new CEO.”
The loss of Ikin is a major blow for the Broncos.
A veteran of 17 Origin games for Queensland as a player, Ikin is regarded as one of the code’s sharpest minds and has worked closely with Brisbane Academy chief Simon Scanlan to bring through the next wave of Broncos stars.
Ikin was also instrumental in the signing of Penrith premiership forward Kurt Capewell, who has brought a harder edge to the Broncos under Walters.
Ikin believes Brisbane are well positioned to break their 17-year title drought and Sawyer is adamant Walters’ Broncos football chief would be the perfect fit as QRL chief executive.
“Ben would do a wonderful job,” ex-QRL boss Sawyer said in February.
“I thoroughly enjoyed my time working with Ben when he was a director.
“He is a super intelligent guy who not only understands the game of rugby league but understands business.
“If I was running the search, he is someone I would have on my list and want to have a talk to because he is one of the better administrators out there that I have worked with.”
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Originally published as NRL 2023: Brisbane Broncos confirm Ben Ikin has quit the club for QRL CEO role
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