14 Mar 2025

RFL BOARD UPDATE

Dr Cherrie Daley and Julia Newton have tendered their resignations and will leave the RFL Board of Directors next Friday, 21 March 2025.

This follows the resignations of RFL Chair Simon Johnson on Wednesday 12 March and Sandy Lindsay MBE on 28 January, and recent steps in the governance of the sport.

Prior to leaving, Cherrie and Julia will continue to work with RFL Chief Executive Tony Sutton and Sport England to set next steps.

Cherrie joined the Board as an Independent Non-Executive Director in November 2022, is Chair of the RFL’s Coaching & Performance sub-committee, and Board lead for UK Anti-Doping. She holds over two decades of experience in high performance sport including work with the English Institute of Sport, supporting Olympic and Paralympic athletes, and City Football Group.

Julia Newton joined the Board as a Non-Executive Director in July 2024 and is chair of the RFL’s Audit and Risk Committee. She is Chair of national sport body GB Taekwondo and Chair of the UK charity Women in Sport. Starting her career with NIKE, Julia co-founded Shine Communications, helping it to grow to a multiple award-winning agency with a team of 80 and turnover in excess of 10ドルm. She has founded three charities and has a portfolio of board roles across the sports and communities sectors.

On their resignations, Cherrie and Julia said:

“Whilst we are sad to leave the RFL Board and the sport, given recent and current events, we feel there is no other option. As Directors, with the responsibilities carried, we have set out why recent moves have been contrary to proper governance and, having outlined potential effects, feel that we must step down.

“We are, of course, also concerned about questions raised openly this week around historic behaviour and culture. Now, having made sure that these could be addressed sensitively and through the right processes, we feel that we can step aside.

“In recent days we have spoken to Sport England and met with people in the game who wanted to share concerns. The best interests of the sport and all of its people are paramount and we will continue to work with these principles and support Tony until the day we depart.”

Dr Cherrie Daley added:

“It has been my privilege to serve on the RFL Board alongside exceptional colleagues. I am pleased to have formed and led the first Coaching and Performance sub-committee - recruiting a highly skilled group who have a lot to offer the sport - and to have seen the implementation of important changes related to brain health. I would like to highlight the incredible commitment and hard work I have witnessed in staff across the RFL. I genuinely hope that the sport can protect the progress already made and work together for the longer term good of Rugby League and all those who enjoy it.’’

Julia Newton added:

“I’m proud of the strong and significant progress that we made across audit and risk and would like to pay particular tribute to Tony Sutton and Rob Graham on that vital work and to the outstanding other board members I’ve worked alongside. I also applaud those who have come forward this week - on issues that are vital for every organisation to understand and address - and am pleased there are processes in place to support those concerns. There are outstanding, committed and talented people everywhere across the RFL and this sport and I wish them every continued success.”

Tony Sutton, Chief Executive of the RFL, said:

“I would like to thank Cherrie and Julia for their work with the RFL, their service to the sport and their support for me.

“They are clear in the reasons for their resignations and it is a mark of their care and diligence that they will work with me over the next week.

“Each has been an exceptional colleague and guide and I am sorry to see them leave. We will explain the next steps for the Board, following further discussions, next week”

After recent Board resignations, Chief Executive Tony Sutton remains with Ed Mallaburn, IMG Vice President, and Jamie Jones-Buchanan MBE, Chair of the RFL Inclusion Board, the current Board observers.