Less than 18 months into a four-year contract with the Wests Tigers, CEO Shane Richardson has decided to exit the joint-venture following the sacking of four independent directors, including Chairman Barry O’Farrell.
Linked with an exit from the club over the past seven days, Richardson has now informed staff that he has decided to walk away from the club.
This comes after the iconic off-field rugby league figure was able to turn things around at the club on and off the field, which saw them move off the bottom of the ladder and also turn a profit.
“It’s been a privilege to be part of the Wests Tigers and see what we’ve been able to achieve as a Club,” Richardson said.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Benji Marshall, the players, staff, sponsors and fans for their support over the last two years.
“We’ve got a fantastic group of staff who work tremendously hard – from administration through to football – and their efforts in turning this Club around need to be recognised, without them the Club would not be in the position it is today.”
Manly Sea Eagles CEO Tony Mestrov (who will leave the Northern Beaches on December 19) has emerged as a possible candidate to replace Richardson on an interim basis, while AAP understands that Wests Tigers GM of Football Shaun Mielekamp is another option.
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Despite Richardson’s departure, the NRL are yet to determine if his conduct should be investigated following allegations that a whistleblower raised concerns about the money being paid to Enrichd Group (a business owned by him and his son) for their marketing, branding and digital consultancy and the employment of two members of the Richardson family.
The recent turmoil is also set to create more rumours surrounding the futures of star fullback Jahream Bula and NSW Blues five-eighth and co-captain Jarome Luai who could potentially leave the club as soon as the end of 2026 due to clauses in their contracts.
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“As the majority owners, Holman Barnes Group is well within its rights to take back control of the board if there are concerns with governance,” Homan Barnes Group (HBG) Chief Executive Daniel Paton told The Herald on December 4.
“In order to take back control and have the ability to reconstitute the board, the only lever the Holman Barnes Group had to pull was to remove the four independent board members.
“The work done by the majority of the independent board members has been commendable, and we are in talks with some of those members as we work through what the new board looks like.”