NRL 2024: Wests Tigers CEO Shane Richardson addresses members over reported joint venture fracture

Wests Tigers CEO Shane Richardson has addressed members over reports of fractures at the joint venture as the club prepares to avoid another wooden spoon.

Wests Tigers chief executive Shane Richardson has issued a rallying call ahead of Friday night’s Spoon Bowl, insisting that the club won’t be deviated from their plans amid reports of drama in the boardroom.

“Ignore the outside noise because I can assure you this to all the members …. no one’s going to knock us off the course,” Richardson said.

“We’re all on a course that we’ve committed to. Nothing will change from that. This board has been tight as a drum.

“The board has unanimously agreed on every resolution, including the budget that’s just been put in place.

“So please, for everybody out there, I take no notice of the scuttlebutt, except when it starts to become just silly, ridiculous.

“Scuttlebutt doesn’t concern me in any way, shape or form.”

Shane Richardson has urged members to block out the external noise. Picture: Jason McCawley/Getty Images

Reports emerged last week that there were ructions behind the scenes at the Tigers over the slow progress of boardroom reform and talk that members of the Balmain club were becoming disillusioned with the merger.

There have also been question marks over the future of interim chair Barry O’Farrell – Richardson insisted the former NSW premier was committed to the cause.

“I have no doubt also that I’ve never worked with a better chairman than Barry O’Farrell,” Richardson told the Tigers website

“He is organised, he’s across the points, he understands corporate governance, he doesn’t flare up and flash up.

“He doesn’t want to be in front of the cameras all the time. He doesn’t want to. He actually truly believes in corporate governance and the way we’re doing things.”

In terms of the delay in finalising the appointment of independent directors at the joint venture, Richardson said: ”It’s only a mechanical hold up. Is it slower than we’d like?

“Yes, but it’s not held up for any Machiavellian or evil way or people in the background, except for people of background who want to make it Machiavellian, to try and to try and set us off a path, which I can tell you now, they will not do under any circumstances.

“So we have processed 90 per cent of the report. So please everybody. That’s the truth. Very, very simple.

“I worry about the war, not the battle. The war is getting those two things in place. So sit back on Friday night. Really enjoy what you’ve done.

“It’s quite amazing. That’ll be our third sell out at Campbelltown. We’re doing a lot of exciting things for it. Sit back and enjoy yourselves.

“You know the plan. Nothing’s changed.”