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RFL
Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2025 8:04 pm
by Charriots Offiah
Derekโs not holding back regarding their ability to run the game.
https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/le ... -proposals
Re: RFL
Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2025 9:03 pm
by josie andrews
Itโs the return of "The Fat Controller" Nigel Wood that bothers me

Re: RFL
Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2025 9:48 pm
by Ipinwigan
josie andrews wrote: โMon Mar 03, 2025 9:03 pm
Itโs the return of "The Fat Controller" Nigel Wood that bothers me
Exactly.
Looked like he ate any profits the RFL made.
Re: RFL
Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2025 10:40 pm
by fozzie58
josie andrews wrote: โMon Mar 03, 2025 9:03 pm
Itโs the return of "The Fat Controller" Nigel Wood that bothers me
Iโm not sure what Wood would bring back to the table,other than his increased appetite
Re: RFL
Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2025 10:52 pm
by widdenoldboy
fozzie58 wrote: โMon Mar 03, 2025 10:40 pm
josie andrews wrote: โMon Mar 03, 2025 9:03 pm
Itโs the return of "The Fat Controller" Nigel Wood that bothers me
Iโm not sure what Wood would bring back to the table,other than his increased appetite
Well, we'd need a bigger table!
Re: RFL
Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2025 10:54 pm
by Mike
He's probably controlable by the clubs at this point, as he will have been installed by them.
I fail to understand why Derrek expects a significant increase in income from the RFL between TV negotiations though. That's a fixed income stream until the contract is up, so how can he expect the RFL to double their income at this point?
My view on this is that we're on a steady and stable upwards trend in the years since COVID. There are bumps along the way, but the enthusiasm and engagement with the game is gradually increasing, and I think the product on the field and competitiveness across the league has improved (mostly) since the knock-on and mistake-a-thons we used to see 5-10 years ago. Even I was getting bored during games back then, but now most teams are capable of a high level performance.
Overall, I think we're on the up and its folly to change everything again just when we have an actual stable plan of improvement that IMO is working in a gradual and realistic way. I mean - a 9s comp. Does Derrek think thats going to increase Leigh's revenue by 100% in a year? Because it wont, and then they'll do something else random the next season - just like we used to. Perhaps though the clubs are in more serious COVID-related financial trouble and without a quick-fix, we're going to see a lot more go to the wall. In that case I understand the urgency and the desire to just try something to get that income up 100% in a year. Unfortunately I don't believe that's achievable regardless of who you've got in charge.
Re: RFL
Posted: Mon Mar 03, 2025 10:56 pm
by josie andrews
widdenoldboy wrote: โMon Mar 03, 2025 10:52 pm
fozzie58 wrote: โMon Mar 03, 2025 10:40 pm
josie andrews wrote: โMon Mar 03, 2025 9:03 pm
Itโs the return of "The Fat Controller" Nigel Wood that bothers me
Iโm not sure what Wood would bring back to the table,other than his increased appetite
Well, we'd need a bigger table!
He was sat two seats away from me years ago at an England International I felt like a child near him & the two seats were for him to spread out!
Re: RFL
Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2025 2:50 pm
by fozzie58
Apart from the Wood dilemma who died and made Derek a big noise in the sport? Other than a cup win and some dodgy leopard print shirts heโs really not done much for the sport in the wider aspect of things,there are far more qualified people to take the sort onwards surely?
Re: RFL
Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2025 8:00 pm
by DaveO
josie andrews wrote: โMon Mar 03, 2025 9:03 pm
Itโs the return of "The Fat Controller" Nigel Wood that bothers me
My thoughts exactly when I saw this on Fcebook.
For those who do not know it was Wood who went running to Sky asking for a new TV deal early with some of the money due on commencement of the new deal because Bradford were in danger of going bust. The result was a much lower TV sponsorship deal and a deal that was not put out to tender when the sport was arguably more marketable than it had been for a long time with stars like Sam Tomkins well known nationally. This he did without consulting the SL chairmen and Ian Lenegan was absolutely furious. So Wood screwed over the entire sport with his shit deal to save Bradford.
Given his history why on earth Beumont thinks Wood should be anywhere near the running of the sport is beyond me.
I donโt know details but I am also pretty sure Wood is not very welcome in Halifax due to his time running them.
Re: RFL
Posted: Tue Mar 04, 2025 10:34 pm
by Charriots Offiah
Bring back chairman Mo, he was the best we ever had, a visionary.