BY JOHN DAVIDSON
Exclusive: Another senior leader of the RFL has departed, with the governing body today confirming the departure of Rob Hicks.Â
Hicks served as the RFL’s company secretary, as Director of Operations & Legal, and also on its board of directors. The former Super League match official was suspended since the end of September, along with the organisation’s safeguarding manager Kerry Simmons, pending an investigation.
Simmons left the RFL in February and now the governing body has confirmed to rugbyleaguehub.com Long Reads that Hicks has also exited last month.
“The RFL and Robert Hicks have mutually agreed his departure from the RFL to enable him to pursue new opportunities away from the governing body,” an RFL spokesperson said.
The spokesperson did not respond to questions about the outcome of the six-month investigation into Hicks and Simmons.
Hicks is a former international referee who officiated at three Rugby League World Cups and in Challenge Cup finals, Super League grand finals and World Club Challenges.
He was appointed company secretary of the RFL two years ago and became the governing body’s director of operations and legal in October 2021.
Hicks was widely seen as a confidant of the Super League clubs and as crucial in the RFL’s handling of its concussion lawsuit.
The RFL leadership has been decimated in recent times with the resignation of director Sandy Lindsay on Friday and reports today that RFL chairman Simon Johnson is also set to quit.
A group of clubs across the three divisions, led by Derek Beaumont, Gary Hetherington and Eamonn McManus, has been planning to force Johnson and Lindsay out and replace them with Bradford’s Nigel Wood as interim chair.
RL Commercial chair Frank Slevin has already announced his intention to step down this year, with independent directors Anna Chanduvi and Jonathan Murphy already departing.
Hicks has also served on the board of RL Commercial.
The RFL has been hit by crisis after crisis of late with the Salford saga rolling  on and yet to concluded, a civil war brewing off the field over the governance of the sport, RFL vice-president Danika Prim stepping down from her role after being charged with sexual assault, and widespread criticism growing over its leadership.
