Shane Richardson has launched a fresh stadium gambit, vowing to take Wests Tigers games away from Campbelltown Sports Stadium unless $50 million worth of upgrades are agreed to by June 30. 

Insisting his threat to abandon one of the joint venture’s traditional home bases was not “Trumpian”, Richardson said Campbelltown was not up to standard as an NRL venue.

The Tigers chief executive successfully lobbied Inner West Council for upgrades to Leichhardt Oval last year and received a combined $40 million in guaranteed improvements.

Richardson said the Tigers had shown a commitment the entire Macarthur region, but is open to abandoning the venue if Campbelltown City Council does not stump up the cash.

Sunia Turuva. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

The Tigers want a heads of agreement in place by June 30 this year that would guarantee that the venue has an increased seated capacity of up to 24,000 and improved corporate facilities.

“Unless it improves, it’s a very simple thing – I don’t do Trumpian threats – we won’t play there, it’s as simple as that,” Richardson told the club podcast.

“At the moment, it’s not a standard that’s required to be an NRL ground.

“The opportunity for Campbelltown is that they’ve got a team that wants to play there.

“All they’ve got to do is provide a stadium so to a standard that we can actually make money out of.”

Longer term, Richardson said Campbelltown – which is shared by A-League Men side Macarthur FC – would need close to $100 million in funding commitments. 

The Macarthur area is one of the biggest nurseries of NRL talent but Wests Tigers have struggled to capitalise on the strong junior stocks as the Panthers have so successfully done in Penrith.

The Tigers have deals in place to split their home games between Campbelltown and Leichhardt until the end of 2026, with options for the 2027 season.

They are locked in to having home games at CommBank Stadium in Parramatta and a home fixture at the NRL Magic Round in Brisbane until the end of 2027. 

Richardson said a refurbished Campbelltown would ideally host the majority of the club’s games in Sydney.

This season Campbelltown is slated to host four NRL games as well as two NRLW fixtures.

“We want to lock in between seven to nine games (per season) over a period of the next five to 15 years,” Richardson said.

“But I’m telling you clearly up front that despite the talk and the negotiation, the reality is chalk is cheap.

“We have no idea how much money is going to be spent … but the reality is the stadium must be locked in for an upgrade for us to lock in for any period of time.”

Wigan Warriors’ Bevan French celebrates. (Photo by Martin Rickett/PA Images via Getty Images)

NRL eyes off Super deal

The NRL is making moves to buy into the Super League but only on the condition that it takes over the running of the ailing competition.

NRL officials recently met with Wigan owner Mike Danson and his Warrington counterpart Simon Moran during the Las Vegas season opener which featured teams from both competitions.

They believe the NRL can rescue the financially stricken league and the Australian competition is preparing to buy 33% of the Super League, according to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald.

But the NRL is only keen to play ball with their English counterparts if they can take over the running of the game to help grow the game at the international level.

Rugby league has made great strides over the past decade in the Pacific but the sport in England and France is financially unstable.

Under the NRL’s plan, it would sell back its stake to the Super League once the competition is on an even keel.

South Sydney CEO Blake Solly and Wests Tigers boss Shane Richardson, who each have extensive experience as administrators in the UK, are central to the NRL plans with league chief Andrew Abdo and ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys backing their proposal.

Mahoney reveals family anguish over grub label

Reed Mahoney doesn’t mind if people call him a “grub” – he just hates how it makes his family feel.

The Canterbury hooker claims the perception of him being a dirty niggler who only ever looks to deliver cheap shots, is overblown.

“There’s been a lot of stuff on my discipline on being a grub and stuff, I don’t go into games thinking like that, or to be like that sort of person,” Mahoney said.

The 26-year-old has played a big part in Canterbury’s revival under Cameron Ciraldo, with the Bulldogs building on last year’s drought-ending finals appearance by entering the round-six bye on top of the NRL ladder for the first time since 2014.

Mahoney has played every minute across a 5-0 start, the Dogs’ best opening to a season in over 30 years.

But for all the encouraging signs that Canterbury can contend for a premiership, Mahoney’s on-field wind-up antics continue to divide opinion.

Mahoney was the most penalised player in the NRL in 2023 and 2024 and is in the top 10 to start 2025.

The diminutive hooker made a name for himself by goading forwards such as Newcastle prop Jack Hetherington and Wests Tigers back-rower Alex Seyfarth into losing their tempers.

For the best time in sport and racing, TAB has the best app in sport and racing. Download the TAB app. TAB, We’re On. What are you really gambling with? Set a deposit limit.

So when Mahoney escaped sanction for a flop on Cronulla utility Daniel Atkinson in the Bulldogs’ round-four win over the Sharks, the No.9 came in for a flurry of criticism.

“Sometimes I step over the mark, but I’ve thought this year I’ve been really good,” Mahoney said.

“There was the incident a couple weeks ago, I definitely could have handled it better, but there was no intention to hurt anybody or anything like that, and it’s something I’ve been working on a lot.”

Mahoney can handle whatever criticism comes his way, he just doesn’t like the impact it has on those close to him.

“Without saying it arrogantly, it doesn’t have an effect on me,” Mahoney said.

“But it definitely does affect the people around me – my partner and my mum, especially.

Reed Mahoney. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

“They love reading comments (on social media), and I have to tell them many times to not read those.”

Mahoney’s spirit and will to win have been lauded by Ciraldo as the Dogs look to go 7-0 on Good Friday with a win over South Sydney.

Canterbury are expected to have five-eighth Matt Burton and rampaging back-rower Viliame Kikau available next week after barely missing a beat without their star pair.

“It’s been great, the first five weeks,” Mahoney said.

“It might be a bit of a surprise for other people, but we worked extremely hard over the summer and got a lot of basic things right earlier at the start of the season.

“It says a lot about our system, defensively and attack-wise, our system holds up.

“It doesn’t matter who’s there it works, and when you do it well, good things happen.”

Gosiewski keen to stick around

Jack Gosiewski is holding together the Brisbane back row and has started talks on a new deal after his career was in limbo last year.

The tough 30-year-old forward, known as “Jet-ski”, has been a revelation for the Broncos under coach Michael Maguire.

Injury and form restricted the veteran journeyman to just six NRL games for the Broncos in 2024 after a mid-season transfer from North Queensland.

His former South Sydney coach Maguire backed him in the pre-season trials, and ahead of Friday night’s home clash with the Sydney Roosters he is the only Broncos second-rower to have started all five completed matches.

“We have started the process,” off-contract Gosiewski said when asked about negotiations on a new deal.

“I definitely want to stay here at the club. I am off contract this year and I want to stay.

“I’ve played at (five) different clubs for different reasons but I am happy where I am … and I’m playing pretty consistent footy at the moment.”

Gosiewski has bought a Chargrill Charlie’s chicken franchise in Brisbane that will lock him into business interest in the Queensland capital for years.

He is also being courted by Super League clubs, which provides another playing opportunity.

“Yes, definitely. That is always an option and we have always wanted to look into that,” he said.

“Some other things have happened now so depending on timeline and what we want to do we will make that decision when we have to.”

with AAP