Possibly pessimistic? Lewis has been ok in my book but getting someone as good or better's not out of the question.

This is a great move for Richard Lewis, and a potential disaster for the RFL and Superleague.

A voice of calm and reason is leaving and I've got a nagging feeling that he's returning the keys to the asylum back to the lunatics.

Hopefully the game will use its common sense and bring in another independent Chief Executive who will treat the game as a business that needs to survive, and not a plaything that can be tinkered with at every opportunity.

I hope that I am wrong but only time will tell.

Richard Lewis is the Chairman of RFL, not the Chief Executive who is Nigel Wood.

I agree that this could be a potential disaster for the RFL and Superleague.

Good spot.

I think he's been good for the game and has worked hard to take the game forward and raise the profile. I haven't agreed with everything but on the whole I'm pleased. Let's hope we fill the position with someone who can continue his work.

My only gripe and i guess it's not just his role alone is the Crusaders fiasco then failing to give Wakey the same support in terms of "not ring-fencing their squad when the Giants picked it off".
I also don't think as an organisation they have the nadgers to hit cheats hard ala Gallop in the NRL and it happened on his watch i.e the SC breaches.
the Stobart deal was/is confusing and i still disagree with the "tragic weekend" ,CC moving to August and the hiring of one of the worst and most inconsistant officials to over-see that side of the game.
I would also mlike a complete over-haul of the disciplinary system where the punishments fit the crime but i don't think the last 2 points are solely down to Lewis.

Didn't realise he'd been at Wigan so long.

It's correct to say that Lewis is now the Chairman of the RFL but my recollection is that he was originally appointed as CEO.
When he was appointed the Chair of Sport England (part-time) 3 years ago I think he then became Chairman & Nigel Wood was appointed CEO.
I wonder if Sir Clive Woodward fancies the job?



I'm not well enough connected to know if there are any strong candiates within the RL world but with all the parochialism & self-interest I think another external appointment might well be the best for our game.

Just out of interest, did he appoint McNamara? That's a black mark against him.

Nobody will believe me because I still hardly believe it...

BUT...

About couple of years ago I spotted him kitted out in requisite gear jogging around the lake at Roundhay Park!

I agree with G1 - be very very careful wishing for a change. Lewis has overseen a very difficult period for RL in England. There have been mistakes, but financially things are miles better than when he took over. Ian Laybourn's column on sporting-life is a pretty good summary of his record.

I'd like to know how much of the RFL's financial improvement during Lewis's tenure is down to insisting on playing sundry international fixtures almost exclusively on home territory? It's not as if the national side have toured down under that often. In fact they are reluctant to do so without financial guarantees, hence why they turned down the opportunity to face the Kiwis in a test series in NZ at the end of this season and then p[ii[/issed and moaned (Nigel Wood did anyway) because the Aussies and Kiwis wouldn't come to the UK in 2012. Of course it doesn't help that the national side aren't a huge draw card down under due to their lack of competitiveness on the international stage, hence the financial implications of touring.

A big thank you to Australia and NZ is perhaps in order for their willingness to bail out the RFL by touring here so frequently over the past decade and throughout the SL era?