Nick Politis to celebrate 25 years as Sydney Roosters chairman with who’s who of rugby league — except the NRL
ALL Black superstar Sonny Bill Williams will head a star-studded guest list at a private dinner on Monday to honour the 25th anniversary of Nick Politis as chairman of the Sydney Roosters.
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ALL Black superstar Sonny Bill Williams will head a star-studded guest list at a private dinner on Monday to honour the 25th anniversary of Nick Politis as chairman of the Sydney Roosters.
Only 25 guests have been invited to the dining room at the flash Greek restaurant, Alpha, to celebrate and acknowledge arguably the most passionate and powerful official in the game’s history.
A mixture of former players, coaches, managers and business heavies will be in attendance including SBW, Gus Gould, John Quayle, David Gyngell, Trent Robinson, Khoder Nasser and Freddie Fittler.
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In a sign of the club’s strained relationship with the NRL, no one from Moore Park headquarters has been invited to the function.
Only former Roosters director Mark McInnes declined an invitation because he is overseas on a business trip.
Politis became chairman in 1992, the year after the Roosters failed to make the finals and has turned the club into one of the true power forces of the competition in Sydney’s toughest market with few juniors in an AFL and rugby union area.
“We stumbled over the fact it was his 25th anniversary when we were preparing some notes for our season launch in March,” said Roosters Mark Fennessy, the CEO of Shine Australia.
“Nick didn’t want to do anything but we couldn’t let it go without some sort of acknowledgment.
“No one has been more responsible for what this club has achieved.”
Sonny Bill Williams, who will miss the first two Bledisloe Cup games, is flying into Australia on Sunday especially for the dinner and will present a gift on behalf of the Roosters board.
The rugby superstar helped deliver the 2013 premiership and has remained close to Politis.
Gould, Robinson and Quayle will make 15-minute speeches.
The premiership trophies the Roosters won in 2002 and 2013 under Politis’ watch will be set up at the restaurant for the dinner.
The NRL wanted to charge the Roosters $20,000 for a replica trophy of the 2013 title but they have borrowed it instead.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian, past players and officials have done a video tribute.
Politis’ closest friends among the player managers will be there — Wayne Beavis, SBW’s man Khoder Nasser and Sam Ayoub.
The owners of major sponsor Steggles, John Camelleri and Simon Camelleri, have been invited.
Fittler and Anthony Minichiello have been invited as the captains of the two premiership-winning sides.
A recent Australian Financial Review rich list revealed Politis was now worth $1.35 billion.
Gould recently spoke of his admiration for the Roosters boss.
“Next to my father, the greatest man I have ever met,” Gould said, “Nick is a most humble, kind and caring person His outstanding success in business makes him one of the truly great achievers in Australia.”
Originally published as Nick Politis to celebrate 25 years as Sydney Roosters chairman with who’s who of rugby league — except the NRL
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