Stephen Cartwright, one of the state's best connected business leaders, revealed he had already discussed with NRL boss David Smith about how he could serve Wests Tigers as the league prepares to appoint three independent directors to the club's board.
Cartwright is the chief executive of the NSW Business Chamber, and in his position he has access to 15,000 businesses throughout the state.
On Friday, he attended the launch of the chamber's sports business consultancy service - which will be run in conjunction with the Horton Ella Group and Australian Business Solutions Group.
As he sat on a table flanked by the likes of 1960 Olympic Games gold medallist Herb Elliott, NSW Rugby League boss David Trodden and Western Sydney Wanderers chairman Lyall Gorman, rumours were flying that he would be one of the NRL's three appointments.
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Cartwright, whose grandfather Patrick Tyler, a Balmain wharfie who played some first grade matches for the Tigers in the 1920s, admitted he had spoken to Smith but insisted it was to simply offer his support in any capacity to Wests Tigers.
''I've said to Dave Smith from the NRL, and to some of the people from the Tigers, that whatever I can do to help them be successful I will do and if that included being a part of their governance structure, I would love to do it,'' Cartwright said. ''But, equally, if I could do anything else for the club I would do it. I'm just a passionate fan, so, whatever they need, I am there.''
Cartwright said he could provide unique business acumen to the board and also offer suggestions as to how the club could replicate his efforts to significantly boost the chamber's membership numbers to help the Tigers.
''My understanding of how the business world works and how it can interface with sport, I think that's where the NRL clubs need to do more work,'' he said.
''You look at the Wests Tigers, they have this fantastic catchment area in western Sydney and how do we get that increased relationship with the corporate world but, also, how do we do what I've done at the chamber - and that is triple the membership numbers? You look at the AFL clubs, their member numbers are way bigger than the NRL clubs. How do we do that?''
Cartwright said it was essential Wests Tigers be put ahead of anything else at a club that was formed when NSW Rugby League foundation teams Balmain and Western Suburbs merged to form the franchise in 1999 but were often seen to be at loggerheads over issues.
''I said to someone the other day that I have a 16-year-old son who had never heard of the Wests Magpies or the Balmain Tigers, he has only heard of the Wests Tigers,'' Cartwright said.
''I think after a given period of time, you have to accept that is the club now. It is something that has to be done and I think the change in governance structure will do that.''
