Sharks boss Barry Russell has displayed continued professionalism and integrity in difficult times as a CEO. His type has no place in rugby league administration.
When Russell took on the role at Cronulla eight months ago, he didn’t imagine wearing the flak for a series of undiscovered sins from the six years prior, even despite the high chances of something horrendous like this occurring because it was Cronulla.
But despite the awful circumstances dealt to him so far in his tenure, the CEO has been a shining light of competence through relentless turbulence. While all has disintegrated around him, he has stood firm as the club’s leader and fronted-up to adversity.
It is an honesty and expertise that is rare in rugby league administration, and frankly, it must remain this way.
This is why the NRL must act and strip Russell of his accreditation immediately.
Russell has breached a raft of rugby league guidelines with his selfless and conscientious approach to the CEO role. I’m not even sure he’s arranged an illegal third-party agreement yet, or even acted inappropriately at a function. It seriously is that grim.
By taking ownership of Cronulla’s woes, Russell has demonstrated a disastrously weak level of self-interest that is frankly unwelcome in the NRL. I hate to say it, but its only a matter of time before he’s in a richer position in a more competent industry.
Of greatest concern, by proactively conceding salary cap breaches and then complying with an investigation in to Shane Flanagan’s ban breach, the CEO has earned the praise of NRL boss Todd Greenberg.
How he survived this massive red flag is a huge mystery, and the NRL should be condemned for not realising something was amiss after finding someone competent in club land.
But while many questions remain unanswered from the Sharks imbroglio, the biggest one is this: does Russell actually know he’s working in rugby league?
Sharks coach Shane Flanagan has been told by the NRL of their intention to deregister him. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Instead of showing the way forward with a previously-unseen professionalism and selflessness, why isn’t he tampering with another club’s coach? Why isn’t he in a bitter internal feud?
What was he doing reviewing the books in the first place anyway? Why was he wasting time prudently scanning the club’s finances instead of forward spending the 2023 NRL grant on hire cars? Why does he share a strong relationship with his staff?
He needs a crash course with Brian Waldron, or for more extreme results, Phil Gould.
Russell is failing on his promise as a CEO: to keep one foot planted in the amateur era, and above all, remain solely focused on prioritising the game’s most important stakeholder – Wayne Beavis.
The embattled CEO could actually do worse than take a leaf from Tigers boss Justin Pascoe, who was outrageously de-registered this week simply for conceding he didn’t know how to do his job.
Pascoe is a good man. But he knew how to temper this by spending outrageous sums of cash on Robbie Farah to ensure he did anything but play football for the club.
Paul Gallen and the Sharks. (AAP Image/Michael Chambers)
This is a bloke who gets it – but I’m not sure Russell does.
It’s almost worth unearthing another saga for the Sharks boss just to give him the opportunity to sweep it under the rug and redeem himself. Perhaps we could arrange a rare panda for Flanagan to illegally import, if he hasn’t so already?
Seriously, Barry needs a panda. Then we might get somewhere.
Until then, Russell’s actions are a reckless blight on the industry, and a slap in the face for his forefathers who have fought relentlessly to keep rugby league dishonest and self-serving. His efforts to turn this around must be removed from the game.
If that’s not enough, at least think of the whistle-blowers going hungry.
Tom H
Guest
You know you’re right
Renegade
Roar Guru
You can repeat yourself as many times as you like, still removed from reality...
AngryEagle47
Roar Rookie
Yep a Manly boy got the Manly goss right , before the meja! And may I add the shonkies debacle , I’ll repeat myself one last time , sharks have no money, they could fold very easily given the current situation, they have a “plan” but so does Guss , sharks on borrowed time
Chris Love
Roar Guru
@ Reg. What in all of this is so complex for you to still not understand? Russell didn’t know about the Flanno emails. He saw a salary cap irregularity and immediately reported it to the NRL. At this point he’d just had to sack 10 staff because of financial issues and probably figured that self reporting would potentially lessen any potential fine than if it was found out. A very prudent thing to do. He was asked if he knew about the emails when he reported the salary cap breach and he said he had no idea at that point. What did you really expect him to do? Hire a foresnsic IT guru to wipe the servers clean before reporting? Glad you’ll never administer an NRL club.
Renegade
Roar Guru
some fanboy stuff going on here it seems...….. a manly fan got some stories about manly right and that means it stretches out to every club - please. The sharks are not in trouble financially, long term their income is sustainable with the plans in place....this whole saga was politics and cleaning out the old management from the start.
db
Guest
The problem with this calculation is the reliance on guessing the salaries of players at the top end of the roster. You've listed Brett Morris at $500 000 per season. When the guesses are this fanciful, the guesses for how much is left to pay players at the bottom end of the roster will also miss the mark by a large distance.
Reg Reagan
Roar Rookie
"BTW, did you know that Newscorp, through HT&E*(Company) are a major shareholder in the ROAR." I kind of figured that was the case since the "modding" of all my posts started around the same time as my campaign of shining a spotlight on the Roosters salary cap situation. Let's see if this one goes up? ;-)
Reg Reagan
Roar Rookie
Much as I respect your love if fair play eels47, the Roosters AREN'T playing fair as I continually have proven AND you really need to let the Roosters fans make their own excuses. Otherwise they will just copy your answers now won't they?
Reg Reagan
Roar Rookie
@ souvalis I can confirm that. Look at the stories on Zero Tackle and my posts "AngrycEagle Breaking News!". This was confirmed by AngryEagle47 3 weeks before the media reported it. He also had the same scoop about Hasler coachimg Manly and bringing in Don Singe, Noel Cleal, Brett Stewart and Matt Ballin and also confirmed Marty Taupau would be staying at Manly when it was being widely reported he was going to the Roosters to replace Napa. Perhaps it is YOU that should check YOUR facts?
Reg Reagan
Roar Rookie
Actually it's 26 players only named on the Roosters official site, so 4 players short. They only have an average of 71K to pay their last 16 players when the minimum player salary for 201
eels47
Roar Rookie
"The only difference is that the Roosters declared this in advance" I hate to be on the other side of your Rooster bashing again, but this comment is exactly the point. The Rooster declared their intentions with Mini to the NRL. That is what Pascoe and the Tigers didn't do. That bloke who is apparently in charge of things at the NRL clearly said that in his press conference in his usual, clearly rehearsed, politician like comments.
kk
Roar Pro
*Here, There & Everywhere
kk
Roar Pro
Reg, Appreciate your analysis. You could try a registered letter detailing your analysis to the Peter's Beattie and V'landys with a copy to Greenberg and request a meeting as a concerned member of SSRLFC, mindful that Souths may also have issues. BTW, did you know that Newscorp, through HT&E*(Company) are a major shareholder in the ROAR.
AngryEagle47
Roar Rookie
I revealed 3 weeks before any media with extreme accuracy what was about to occur, I will never reveal my sources and you don’t have to believe me. Please don’t be so arrogantly ignorant
souvalis
Roar Rookie
You haven’t got an iota of a clue..appallingly ignorant..
Reg Reagan
Roar Rookie
@ elvis THERE was a woman quite heinous Who liked to water THEIR pandanus But what she could do With a telescope or two THEY'RE focusing on Uranus. How's that champ?
AngryEagle47
Roar Rookie
Use capitals for proper nouns. In other words capitalise the names of people, spacific places and things FOR GODS SAKE
Reg Reagan
Roar Rookie
Which club do you support Forty Twenty?
AngryEagle47
Roar Rookie
is that it ? You can’t debate the issue just the grammar ? How about critiquing the rest of the posts on all articles, Pricilla
AngryEagle47
Roar Rookie
They have a clear advantage with Shuey on there side