It read like all of McManus's rants to me; a childish tantrum. Good article by Aaron Bower (who I don't always love) puts things into perspective:

For the third time in less than a decade, there will a review of the professional game. In 2017, the clubs decided it was time for change and they paid the governing body’s CEO, Nigel Wood, more than £300,000 to leave early. They brought in Robert Elstone and went through a review of the game. By 2021, he had gone.


The following year, the clubs unanimously approved a 12-year strategic partnership with IMG, which included, naturally, a review of how rugby league was operating. IMG, which is paid about £400,000, may now be pushed out after the clubs – yes, them again – decided they wanted more change at the RFL.


Their plan? Oust the chair, Simon Johnson, and bring back Wood – now in control at Bradford – on an interim basis to lead … a strategic review.
Can you spot a theme? After eight years and seemingly endless reviews, the clubs, who now hold the power after giving themselves the right to bring back Wood, seem to be throwing the cards up in the air and seeing how they land.


The optics surrounding Wood’s return are terrible enough. You do not have to delve far to find a quote from an owner demanding it was time for change when he was on his way out, only to be lauding his return now as gamechanging. The St Helens owner, Eamonn McManus, said in 2018: “No one can credibly say that Super League and the game of rugby league in this country has in any way strengthened or improved over the last decade; quite the contrary I’m afraid.”


Now he says: “There could be no better qualified or motivated person than Nigel Wood to grab the game by the scruff of the neck.” It feels a move of pure regression. But the problems run much deeper than one man.


https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/mar/22/from-one-crisis-to-another-

It read like all of McManus's rants to me; a childish tantrum. Good article by Aaron Bower (who I don't always love) puts things into perspective:

For the third time in less than a decade, there will a review of the professional game. In 2017, the clubs decided it was time for change and they paid the governing body’s CEO, Nigel Wood, more than £300,000 to leave early. They brought in Robert Elstone and went through a review of the game. By 2021, he had gone.


The following year, the clubs unanimously approved a 12-year strategic partnership with IMG, which included, naturally, a review of how rugby league was operating. IMG, which is paid about £400,000, may now be pushed out after the clubs – yes, them again – decided they wanted more change at the RFL.


Their plan? Oust the chair, Simon Johnson, and bring back Wood – now in control at Bradford – on an interim basis to lead … a strategic review.
Can you spot a theme? After eight years and seemingly endless reviews, the clubs, who now hold the power after giving themselves the right to bring back Wood, seem to be throwing the cards up in the air and seeing how they land.


The optics surrounding Wood’s return are terrible enough. You do not have to delve far to find a quote from an owner demanding it was time for change when he was on his way out, only to be lauding his return now as gamechanging. The St Helens owner, Eamonn McManus, said in 2018: “No one can credibly say that Super League and the game of rugby league in this country has in any way strengthened or improved over the last decade; quite the contrary I’m afraid.”


Now he says: “There could be no better qualified or motivated person than Nigel Wood to grab the game by the scruff of the neck.” It feels a move of pure regression. But the problems run much deeper than one man.


https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/mar/22/from-one-crisis-to-another-

Good post. The really annoying thing is everyone can see it but the clubs. Me me me me. Yes I get owners invest a lot of money but it’s them that are killing the sport by running it in their own self interests.

Before our game kicked off Carney, Sculthorpe and Wilkin agreed Wood is a step backwards. It was said Wire, Wigan and Huddersfield did vote for Wood and Steve Mascord tweeted that the NRL don’t want anything to do with us while he is involved. Also speculation that the clubs who wanted Wood involved are doing it because they don’t want the NRL to take over. Us fans will not know the truth in any of this but we need one body in charge and stop the clubs having the power.

Good post. The really annoying thing is everyone can see it but the clubs. Me me me me. Yes I get owners invest a lot of money but it’s them that are killing the sport by running it in their own self interests.

Before our game kicked off Carney, Sculthorpe and Wilkin agreed Wood is a step backwards. It was said Wire, Wigan and Huddersfield did vote for Wood and Steve Mascord tweeted that the NRL don’t want anything to do with us while he is involved. Also speculation that the clubs who wanted Wood involved are doing it because they don’t want the NRL to take over. Us fans will not know the truth in any of this but we need one body in charge and stop the clubs having the power.