League boss to resign in wake of World Cup review
Michael Burgess
Change is coming at the top of New Zealand Rugby League, with chief executive Alex Hayton to resign, the Herald understands.
The moves comes after a review into the Kiwis’ World Cup campaign — where they crashed out at the quarter-final stage after a shock 4-2 defeat to Fiji in Wellington.
That review, undertaken by former Netball New Zealand and Bulldogs chief executive Ralene Castle and sports lawyer Tim Castle, took almost two months to complete. The findings were delivered to the NZRL board last Friday.
Hayton declined to comment when contacted by the Herald.
When asked if Hayton was stepping down, NZRL chairman Reon Edwards said: “As far as I am aware, our CEO isn’t leaving. We are in the process of finalising the panel that will decide on the Kiwis coach going forward, and our CEO has been part of that.”
Hayton was appointed CEO in June 2016, after being in the top job on an interim basis since January of that year, following the resignation of Phil Holden. It was the culmination of a long period of service for Hayton, who joined the NZRL in 2007 as chief financial officer.
“I’m passionate about rugby league,” he said at the time of his appointment. “This is definitely a role that I’ve aspired to and I’m grateful to now have that opportunity.”
However, once Hayton got the top job, he had a tough time.
He inherited an organisation in bad shape and some things were out of his control, particularly the sudden resignation of Kiwis coach Stephen Kearney to take the Warriors role in September 2016.
Kearney’s exit, just a few weeks before a test against the Kangaroos in Perth and just over a month before the Kiwis were due to depart for the northern hemisphere for the Four Nations tournament, was a hammer blow.
There was a paucity of contenders, though Hayton was confident to give assistant coach David Kidwell a contract through to the end of the World Cup.
In hindsight, that was a questionable decision, when, given Kidwell’s inexperience, a deal to the end of the Four Nations may have been more pragmatic.
Hayton had to deal with a review at the end of that campaign — where the Kiwis were smashed in the final by the Kangaroos amid allegations of off-field problems. The results of that review were not made public.
Undoubtedly the low point of Hayton’s tenure was the aftermath of the Anzac test in Canberra last year, when Kiwis captain Jesse Bromwich and Kevin Proctor were caught with cocaine outside a nightclub. It was yet another blow to the image of the NZRL.
Hayton also put his faith in Kidwell for the World Cup — and went along with some of the coaches’ unusual ideas — like the appointment of South South Rabbitohs CEO Shane Richardson as campaign manager.
He also copped flak for failing to make the most of the commercial opportunities around the tournament in New Zealand, although much of that failing fell on the shoulders of former commercial manager Philippa Ivory, who resigned after the tournament.
Hayton — along with Edwards — have also bet big on the upcoming Denver test with England, signing a three-year deal to play in North America.
It’s a move that’s been heavily criticised by NRL coaches, such as Canberra’s Ricky Stuart, who said it was not in the best interests of player welfare.