NIGEL WOOD is back at the RFL as chairman in a decision that has certainly caused a ruckus within the world of rugby league.
Wood, who was chief executive for the RFL for 12 years before his departure in 2018, in which he received a £300,000 payoff, has returned on an interim basis until the end of July.
In doing so, Wood has also stepped down from his role at the Bradford Bulls to lead a ‘strategic review’ into the sport after answering an SOS from Leigh Leopards owner Derek Beaumont and Leeds Rhinos chief Gary Hetherington.
It’s fair to say that Wood has his work cut out if he is going to unite the sport and also find an end to the Salford Red Devils debacle that is currently raging on.
The club continues to be under special measures and operating on a £1.2 million sustainability cap – features which have seen the likes of Marc Sneyd (Warrington Wolves) and Brad Singleton (Castleford Tigers) move to Super League rivals.
The necessity of ensuring the Red Devils compete until the end of the 2025 Super League season is great from a Sky Sports contract point of view, but there are also other pressing issues for Wood to sort out in such a short space of time.
Here is how rugby league readers of League Express feel Wood’s priorities should lie:
Starting negotiations for a new TV deal – 40.86%
Re-negotiating the IMG 12-year contract – 29.49%
Ensuring that Salford can survive to the end of the season – 19.03%
Getting tickets on sale and promoting the Ashes series between England and Australia – 10.63%
