Did you know that when GH founded Sheffield Eagles he did so by re mortgaging his house?
Not many money men like mr Lenighan would risk almost everything he had

Hit the nail on the head the likes of lenegan would not do that as they are hard nosed buisnessmen who would not take silly risks which is why we need the likes of them making the big comercial and buisness decisions in RL.

Yes, because the likes of Wigan and Hull have being much better run than Leeds commercially over last few years. No really.

since lenegan came to wigan he has transformed the club from nearly being a relegated team to winning 2 challenge cups 2 grands final wins 2 lls best academy by far in SL and healthy profits the club is in a great healthy state and all overseen by lenegan.

Why has Wood suddenly become Hetheringtons man? Hetherington has been quite scathing about the RFL under Woods stewardship, all of a sudden he is his man? Also why is now the rumour that the Rebels want rid of Wood? Isn’t Wood going anyway at the end of the year? I’d heard he was off to Aus to work outside RL.

Personally I don’t think Hetherington is all that averse to the demands of the rebel clubs more the timing and the way they have gone about it. Whats also strange is that the rebel 6 don’t seem actually united against the changes being proposed, more using it as an opportunity to get the leverage for their demands. That seems the craziest thing about this issue. What the rebel 6 want, they will most likely get and would probably find support in the other 8 clubs. What the rebel 6 are rebelling against they don’t actually mind and that structure will probably go ahead as well.

So we are in a position where the rebel 6 clubs are refusing to participate in a process to change the structure to a structure they know they will probably eventually agree to, and rebelling against the RFL and the other clubs in SL to get demands the other 6 in SL probably agree with.

Whereas GH took Leeds from a club heavily in debt, which was almost relegated, playing in front of 6-8k crowds, to a club with a turnover the envy of every club in SL, with the highest attendance, which owns its own stadium, gets healthy profits, has a fantastic youth academy which is as good as any in the country, has won the challenge cup, 6 grand finals and 3 WCC.

And in the time Lenegan has been at Wigan, Leeds have won 4 Grand Finals, been in 2 Challenge Cup finals, and also has the top academy. Whilst this has happened the clubs profits exceed that of Wigan.

So what's your problem?

Since Lenagan took over Wigan in time for the 2008 season start Wigan have won Two Challenge Cups, Two Grand Finals and Five academy Championships.
I don't see where your top academy statement comes from as Leeds have made two finals in that time losing both times to Warrington and Wigan.

Because as you well know Rogues, the job of the academy is to bring through players for the 1st team. Who wins the academy grand final is neither here nor there really.

Take for instance last year. Leeds U19’s didn’t lose a game until the end of May including beating Wigan. From June onwards they lost 5 of 13. Coincidentally at that time, Sutcliffe, Foster, Duckworth, Minns, Minchella all started being in and around the first team.

Because trophies at academy level mean jack sh@t. The measure is how many super league players have developed from that academy system.

If your seriously measuring academy trophies as the measure of how good a club is run, then sadly any debate is worthless.

So which team have brought the most quality academy players through their team in those six years?

I'm guessing Leeds, Wigan, and Saints. And considering two of those have won the only trophy that matters, then that would be a sign of top academy.

Leeds have brought through Watkins, Hall, BJB, McShane, Ward, Burgess and Clarkson, and are now bringing through Sutcliffe, Singleton, Minns, Minchella, Foster and Duckworth.

all in to a team which in those 6 years won 4 super league titles, an LLS, 2 world club challenges and made 3 challenge cup finals.

All this tittle tattle about who is best suited to make decisions just gets US nowhere, just as the Rugby League Chairmen have got nowhere.
I have a feeling that what is lacking is a strong lead from the Executive, which must include the inclusion of the clubs in the winning of sponsorship. Some obviously feel they can do better, but I think that many of the dissenters are from Clubs with a good brand, like Wigan, or a successful team. Get them on board and get their input. Use their connections (Although parochialism may lead to their wanting the funds for their own clubs). They may find it is not so easy on a national scale to get support for what is, in essence, a local sport.
The Chairman of the RL must also knock a few heads together so that some consensus can be achieved and the game can move forward in the face of the currently superior Union product.

And for most of the last few years, who was running Hull?

The only year with Pearson in charge that has had figures produced shows a large loss, yes, but the bulk of it was down to the image rights issues. Under whose watch were they racked up?

Pearson might not know when to keep his gob shut at times, but there's not really any evidence to say he's running Hull badly on a commercial basis at this moment in time.

Well it wasn't Gary Hetherington, which is what this was about.

And for your last point, there is no evidence to suggest Pearson is running Hull well on a commercial basis either.

With Pearson the Hetheringtons are a convenient scapegoat. During Kath hetheringtons leadership of Hull FC they grew massively in terms of crowds, brought through some quality youngsters, won the CC reached a GF and for a while were a realistic contender, Pearson has done none of this but he has painted a picture of a bogeyman responsible for the fact Hull didn’t kick on from there. Now Kath has been gone a while and Pearson is struggling to turn things around as quickly as he promised a new bogeyman was needed. There was nobody better placed for that than Kath’s husband the CEO of Hulls bigger, more successful big city neighbours. It provides a good narrative that explains why Hull failed to kick on, why they still struggling to make the jump and why said bigger more successful big city neighbours have been bigger and more successful. Its because their CEO has the RFL in their pocket innit.

Im not surprised he’s trying it, im just surprised by how far and how fast Hull fans are falling for it.

My point was, why bring Hull's commercial performance over the last few years into your retort when it is irrelevant?

Pie Man was speculating about what the likes of Lenagan would do, so I can understand why you commented about Wigan and think it's probably fair seeing as he's been there over 6 years now so had time to affect change (and he has IMO), but I still don't see why you bring in Hull's recent years as an implication that Adam Pearson is an inferior businessman to Gary Hetherington. The fact is that they were largely overseen/affected by someone else so are not a reflection of Pearson's abilities yet. You're comparing Tom's performance against Dick's to say that Harry isn't as good.

Totally agre Fred.P.
It needs sorting asap so the SL can move forward lets get them ALL round the table with their proposals and come up with acceptable plan of action that they ALL agree on.
This name calling is BS whoever said what about who the game as a whole is bigger than any 1 CEO.
P.s.Smokey bang on about Pearson a gob-sh##e who told the world and his dog what he was gonna do at FC and also with GH over the Luke Briscoe signing yet was made to look foolish on both occassions.
Saying that though there is an urgent need for them all to get it sorted asap without any personal axe to grind on either side.

The point in my post about GH putting his house on the line to further the sport of RL Football was that somebody was making veiled suggestions that he was not to be trusted

That's just BS.

Really which bit?

Your point is what? GH started a business by offering his house as collateral, like thousands of other small businesses possibly even Mr Lenegan if you could actually get to the facts. He soon ditched that when Mr Caddick's big bucks came rolling into town. The point is GH is primarily interested in GH just like the rest of us, to paint him as some kind a saintly RL figure is delusional.

The fact the RFL is in such a mess is partly down to Gary huge influence, he got Wood the job, who in turn surrounded himself with losers such as Solly and Rimmer. This proposed structural change should not happen until the RFL is re-structured so it is fit for purpose and that means some changes at the top.

Gary has done a great job at Leeds but he has had an almost bottomless pit of money to do so - this helps. He also picked up a sleeping giant with a huge catchment area - he knew exactly what he was doing when he ditched Sheffield. The real test is about to happen - his golden era, a bit like the Revie side at United, is coming to an end can he continue the level of playing and financial success?

Let's face it he made a pretty big hash of running the RU club.

Has he? I don’t remember Caddick pumping in millions as gifts to the club. Whilst obviously having the backing of a rich man helps, its quite clear that the Rhinos aren’t run as a plaything. They make profits and are expected to do so. If you look at something like the Carnegie Stand that was something the club paid for and not Caddick, the Southstand as well. That’s being done with Clubs cash surplus and loans, not Caddick throwing money at it.

I’d agree that Caddick has been a pretty good safety net, I think it’s misleading to say that its money that was the catalyst for what has happened at Leeds.

Im also not sure he necessarily made that much of a hash of running the RU club. They went from nothing to winning the powergen cup and getting to the Guinness premiership within 10 years. If anything Leeds Carnegie are a lesson in the asshattery of promotion and relegation and its destructive effects.