Interim Wests Tigers CEO Shane Richardson has backed rookie coach Benji Marshall to succeed in 2024 as the two-time premiership winning chief executive outlined his plan to turn the joint venture's fortunes around.
Speaking for the first time since taking on the six-month role as part of sweeping off-field changes that led to the dissolution of the club's previous board and chair Lee Hagipantelis – as well as the resignation of chief executive Justin Pascoe – Richardson pointed to his success in previously challenging situations as the model he would follow to turn the tide for Wests Tigers moving forward.
“Souths was a bigger challenge than this is,” Richardson said.
"[Here] you've got a roster, a quality young coach who is steeped in the history of the club and you've got financial backing that's fantastic.
“Everybody who I respect [at Souths] – Wayne Bennett, Blake Solly and Mark Ellison – everybody says he’s a great human being,” he said. He's enthusiastic, he wants to win and he wants to be a successful coach.
"My job is to put everything around him to be successful. He's the head coach and the guy that has to front up every Sunday and my role is to support him in any way i can. Benji's got nothing but my support."
One of the immediate concerns for Richardson is the status of ongoing negotiations with high-profile stars Addin Fonua-Blake and Jarome Luai, with the interim boss effusive in his praise of the representative duo.
"I've made my feelings well known on Luai for a long time," Richardson said.
"In my opinion, he was the best young half coming through. He's proven at the highest level that he's the best young half coming through.
"Not only that, he's a great team leader – that Penrith side revolves around Luai. He is a great person off the field, despite what many people like to try and make out.
"You couldn't meet a better person than him or ask for a better person than him at the club.
"And Addin Fonua-Blake is obviously one of the top three front-rowers in the game.
"All those things are added up... and all I want to do is work with Benji to put together the best roster possible."
Luai's got that swagger
Richardson and returning chairman Barry O'Farrell both join Wests Tigers on interim roles, with the premiership-winning CEO not ruling out staying on long-term as the club searches for stability following another season without finals football.
Richardson has more than 30 years of experience in management and has a proven track record in rebuilding clubs at Cronulla, Hull FC, Penrith and South Sydney, while also working for the NRL.
Under his leadership, the Sharks qualified for the 1997 Super League grand final, the Panthers won the 2003 premiership and the Rabbitohs ended a 43-year title drought in 2014.
"You don't win premierships without stability," he said.
"You may have to change things along the way but the reality is you have to have stability to win a premiership, stability in coaching staff, playing staff and board.
You don't linger in the past, you look to the future.
Interim Wests Tigers CEO Shane Richardson
"You can't dwell on the past, you can't react to statements or what people say. What you've got to do is do the job. The Wests Tigers members and fans are out there thinking 'we just want to win games'. You don't win games by looking back.
"We haven't got a lot to work on by looking back."
Marshall, who officially replaces Tim Sheens as coach in 2024, is the club's ninth coach since the premiership-winning coach's first stint ended in 2012.
That year marked the first season without finals football for Wests Tigers – a run which has now stretched to a 12-year drought and culminated in back-to-back wooden spoons in each of the last two years.
And while Richardson wouldn't make any assessment of his side's chances in 2024 until he officially got his feet under the desk in January next year, there was a quiet confidence about what was already within the walls of the Concord training facility.
"I like the roster and I like the coach," he quipped.
"So that's a good start."
