By Patrick Avenell
SYDNEY: Harvey Norman managing director Katie Page yesterday hit out at miscreant rugby league players and officials, calling from them to be run out of the game.
As reported by News Limited this morning, Page was unequivocal in her criticism of wayward players, calling the recent indecent appalling.
“If he’s [stood down Sharks CEO Tony Zappia] in the wrong, then he’s the wrong fit,” Page was quoted in the Daily Telegraph.
“It’s appalling what has happened — no one disagrees with that.
“I think the purging of the game is a positive — not a negative.
“If there’s parts of the game that are not right, we’ll get them from now on.”
As the NRL’s only female board member, Page is often described as the most powerful woman in rugby league. As managing director of Harvey Norman, she also controls the finances of one the code’s biggest corporate supporters. As witnessed last week, Harvey Norman’s sponsorship of State of Origin is considerable, and the game is more likely to heed her advice than risk losing such support.
Last month, LG decided not to renew its sponsorship of the Cronulla Sharks. Although this was widely reported as a “dumping”, LG was already in the process of renewing this agreement — the sex, violence and drug allegations that hit the club merely sealed the decision.
For more on the Katie Page story, click here.