Everything you need to know on RFL meeting, Nigel Wood return and impact on NRL takeover

The landscape of rugby league’s governance could change significantly once again on Wednesday, with a crucial meeting set to decide the future direction of the Rugby Football League.

Clubs will meet at a Council meeting at Wakefield Trinity to discuss two sets of proposals: one tabled by Leigh Leopards and Batley Bulldogs, the other a set of counter-proposals from the RFL.

Initially, those plans centered around the prospect of Simon Johnson either resigning with immediate effect, or staying on until the end of the year amidst growing discontent from clubs about the future direction of the sport.

That is now off the table, with Johnson stepping down after the meeting on Wednesday. But there are still some seismic decisions which could have huge ramifications for the sport as we know it.

Here’s everything you need to know: and what happens next.

When is the meeting?

10am at Wakefield’s DIY Kitchens Stadium.

How have we got to this point?

In short, Batley and Leigh are of the belief that there are a growing number of clubs unhappy at the direction the RFL are taking the sport.

With a dwindling TV deal and finances tighter than ever, they believe now is the time for a change: and asked for a discussion to be put on the agenda for the Council meeting regarding major changes to the governing body.

They have also pointed to the ongoing crisis at Salford Red Devils as further evidence for change.

What changes are being proposed?

Well, one of them has already been decided: Johnson’s immediate departure as RFL chair.

Now that has happened, the clubs who have tabled the proposals are seeking to bring Nigel Wood back to the governing body as interim chair – despite him being paid over £300,000 to leave just a few years ago.

But those clubs also want approval to begin a member-led review of the professional game. Member-led, in short, means the clubs would effectively be in charge of that process: the RFL would be shut out. Derek Beaumont and Gary Hetherington would be appointed as the club-nominated representatives.

They would then create an implementation committee that would oversee that review. Wood would be the chair of that too, as well as the RFL on an interim basis. That committee would then report its findings to Council in July.

Why bring Wood back?

This is the crucial aspect of the plans, and without question the most uncertain part of it all.

While Love Rugby League was told it was almost certain a vote of no-confidence would go through on Johnson’s future – hence his decision to go before the meeting to avoid embarrassment – there is more division on Wood.

Some of the leading clubs in this proposal will point to the fact Wood delivered the biggest TV deal in the sport’s history several times: which is valid and indeed true. Do not forget, clubs will follow their nose and go where they think the money is. Short-termism often wins out in rugby league.

But the landscape of TV deals have changed vastly since then and while it’s fair to argue rugby league could have done slightly more to improve its fortunes in the broadcast market in recent years, Wood or anyone would do well to deliver a similar deal to the one he previously got ever again.

It remains unclear what it would mean for Bradford, too. If Wood did come back, constitutionally, he would have to leave the Bulls.

What’s the RFL’s stance?

They are categorically against a return for Wood – but as will be explained shortly, in scenes that sum up the farcical nature of rugby league governance, they may have no choice in who their chair is.

They consulted legal advice from leading law firm Pinsents on the proposals and concluded such a move would put the game at great financial risk. They alleged it would lead to breaches of Sport England’s Code of Sports Governance, which would lead to millions in lost funding.

The RFL also suggested it could implicate the terms of their long-term loan with DCMS which was struck in the pandemic. They hope that will be enough to convince clubs this is a bad idea.

Incidentally, Wood’s successor, Ralph Rimmer, is now a non-executive director of DCMS.

As reported by Rugby League Long Reads earlier this week too, a group of women working for the RFL and RL Commercial have also expressed profound concern for Wood’s return.

The IRL also admit they are ‘concerned’ by Johnson’s exit and what may happen next.

READ MORE: IRL ‘concerned’ by RFL crisis as feelings on Nigel Wood made clear

But Beaumont wrote a strong letter to clubs recently telling them not to be alarmed by the RFL’s warnings, and that the proposals would safeguard and strengthen the sport’s long-term future.

Why do they have little say in the matter?

It’s a Council meeting, so it’s voted upon by the members. Which is where things get interesting.

How does the voting work?

RFL Council is comprised of every professional club in the game: Super League, Championship and League 1: with the exception of Catalans and Toulouse, who aren’t full members.

The community game also has seven representatives which, when you add to the 34 eligible professional clubs, makes 41: but there’s a catch.

Super League clubs’ votes have a stronger weighting; in short, the 11 top-flight teams who are voting must have an equal voting share to that of the 23 clubs outside of Super League who can vote.

So every Super League club’s vote is worth roughly 2.09, a Championship and League 1 club’s vote is 1.00 – as is the seven community game representatives.

The proposal has been tabled as an ordinary resolution, which means a simple majority is enough to pass the resolutions and trigger Wood’s likely return to the RFL. Four Super League clubs must vote in favour: that’s not going to be an issue this time around.

What do outsiders think?

We’ve already touched on what the IRL think – which isn’t very complimentary.

But Love Rugby League has also been told that the eyes of the Australian rugby league hierarchy will be on this meeting, too.

Peter V’landys, Troy Grant and many other key powerbrokers had a strong relationship with Johnson: they will want to be satisfied his replacement does not signify a backwards step to a time when the two big governing bodies could not have been more split.

With a possible NRL takeover of Super League murmuring away in the background, Love Rugby League has been told it would not be looked upon with too much positivity should the clubs be seen to be working in favour of themselves, rather than the greater good of the game.

Would it scupper a deal altogether? It’s too early to tell. But clubs effectively handing themselves the keys to the castle would add another layer of complexity to an already tricky situation.

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