Deposed Canterbury Bulldogs chairman Ray Dib will retain his position on the NSWRL board after Cronulla chairman Dino Mezzatesta withdrew his nomination ahead of Friday’s AGM.
Mezzatesta’s decision means no vote on directors will be required by the 21 members of the NSWRL, which comprise NRL and Intrust Super Premiership clubs, as well as the NSW Referees Association.
As a result, Dib and former Parramatta Eels director Geoff Gerard will retain their positions on the NSWRL board unopposed.
Dib’s position on the NSWRL board was under scrutiny after he and fellow Bulldogs directors were swept from office in a landslide win for the Reform team headed by Lynne Anderson at last Sunday’s club election.
Bulldogs great Steve Mortimer was the only survivor and will join a new Bulldogs board comprising six members of Anderson’s team – premiership-winning coach Chris Anderson, former players Steve Price and Paul Dunn, ex-Canterbury Leagues Club CEO John Ballesty and businessman John Khoury.
Dib is also set to lose his seat on the Canterbury Leagues Club board, as he was one of four football club appointed directors.
The others were Mortimer, Arthur Coorey and Peter McMahon – the latter both losing their seats at the football club AGM.
Canterbury Leagues Club chairman George Peponis was due to meet with Anderson on Tuesday in a bid to mend fences after throwing his support behind Dib on the eve of the football club elections.