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Winning starts in the front office: NRL's top four was decided off the field

23rd September, 2014
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No, not that Random Souths Guy. (AAP Image/Action Photographics, Robb Cox)
Expert
23rd September, 2014
44
1207 Reads

Ignore the NRL stats. Ignore what happened this season, or any other season. Ignore the bookmaker’s odds. Simply salute Nick Politis, Russell Crowe, Phil Gould and Raelene Castle.

The quality quartet are the main reasons why the Roosters, Rabbitohs, Panthers, and Bulldogs, respectively, are the final four, even though they are vastly different people and managers.

Nick Politis
Known as the godfather of the Roosters, the 72-year-old has always been a trail blazer. His City Ford on the Roosters jersey in 1974 was a first, and he’s been chairman of the club since 1993.

Clean shaven and clean cut in superb suits off the top shelf, he’s been high profile among the rugby league hierarchy and car industry, but low profile personally – rarely seen on television at Roosters games, he stays out of the limelight.

Politis’ decision to appoint Trent Robinson as coach was a masterstroke, and having won the premiership in his debut season, the rookie coach is well-placed to make it two from two.

Russell Crowe
Always in the limelight with his stubby beard and moustache, the 50-year-old Oscar-winning actor has a genuine love of his Rabbits, where he is a 75 per cent owner with Peter Holmes a Court, and is always at their games when commitments allow.

For obvious reasons, Crowe has been the target for many television cameras, he’s good copy both publicly and privately, but from the Rabbits’ point of view, Crowe and coach Michael Maguire make a formidable combination to end the 43-year premiership drought.

Phil Gould
The best qualified of the four, as a former player, a premiership and Origin-winning coach, Fairfax newspapers columnist, Channel Nine and Triple M commentator. But despite his immense value to the 13-man code, he’s the butt of many sharp, bitter, and unfair criticisms.

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The 56-year-old has forgotten more than most fans know, and the way he has rejuvenated the Panthers is further proof of his uncanny ability to get the mix right – starting with luring coach Ivan Cleary away from the Warriors

Raelene Castle
Made her CEO mark in just over a year at the Bulldogs, taking over from Todd Greenberg when he switched to the NRL as head of football.

The 43-year-old’s sporting genes are right – Raelene’s father Bruce captained the Kiwis in rugby league in 1967, while mother Marlene was a New Zealand bowls rep for 16 years, competing in four Commonwealth Games.

Before Belmore, Castle was the CEO of Netball New Zealand where she lifted commercial income by 66 per cent, and negotiated a multi-million dollar television deal.

Since then she has won the support of the Dogs, their fans, and in tandem with coach Des Hasler, is one of the main reasons why the Bulldogs are barking at the business end of the competition.

An interesting quartet, playing major positive roles.

Manly, Newcastle, Parramatta, St George and Cronulla, take note.

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