The Rugby League Players’ Association is pleased to announce the appointments of Chelsea Lenarduzzi and Stuart Nelson to its Board of Directors as casual vacancies at Wednesday’s Board meeting.
Brisbane Broncos forward Lenarduzzi becomes the second NRLW player appointed to the RLPA Board along with Hannah Southwell.
Along with Southwell, Lenarduzzi joins fellow players Daly Cherry-Evans, Christian Welch, Wade Graham and Josh Hodgson on the RLPA Board.
Stuart Nelson is a veteran corporate advisor with over 30 years experience leading large, complex organisations and providing advisory and management services in the technology, funds management, biotech and sustainability sectors. He has held senior positions at leading financial services multi-nationals HSBC and Allianz.
He also brings to the RLPA over a decade of experience on public and private company boards, including as Independent Chairman of Australian Solar Investments Limited.
Dr. Deidre Anderson, Chair of the RLPA Board of Directors, praised the experience and expertise that Ms. Lenarduzzi and Mr. Nelson bring to the Board:
“On behalf of the RLPA Board, it is with great pleasure that we welcome Chelsea and Stuart as Directors. This is one of the most important years in the history of the Players’ Association, and specifically the women’s game, with the RLPA negotiating the women’s first ever collective bargaining agreement. The NRLW and women’s representative games have been hugely successful commercially and with the fans, and as their game continues to quickly grow, having more female player representation on the board alongside Hannah Southwell is crucial to the RLPA.”
“Stuart is an outstanding appointment for the RLPA Board. His financial markets and governance expertise will elevate the rigour to our process and capabilities to support our members. Stuart will be an invaluable asset as the RLPA negotiates its new and improved CBA for both the men and women’s games, but beyond his input to the CBA negotiations his passion for rugby league, strong corporate governance and fairness make him an outstanding addition.”
“I and the rest of the RLPA Board look forward to working alongside Chelsea and Stuart. We have no doubt they will make outstanding contributions to the RLPA and its members.”
On her appointment to the RLPA Board of Directors, Ms. Lenarduzzi said:
“I’m incredibly proud to be appointed to the RLPA Board of Directors as the second female player alongside Hannah. To be joining the RLPA Board at such an exciting and pivotal time for women’s rugby league is a huge responsibility that I don’t take lightly.”
“I want to help secure the best terms and conditions for female athletes in our region, because this is rugby league’s opportunity to be progressive and make rugby league the sport of choice for girls and women in our region.”
As a member of the RLPA Women’s Player Advisory Group, Ms. Lenarduzzi also recently met with her fellow WPAG members and the RLPA to discuss, prioritise and endorse claim areas ahead of the upcoming CBA negotiations where they hope to secure the first ever CBA for women’s rugby league.
On the WPAG meeting, Ms. Lenarduzzi said:
“The CBA negotiations are new for the female players, but we are completely aligned with the claims the RLPA have built so far for the first ever women’s collective bargaining agreement. We wholeheartedly endorse the claims and the players are excited to get to the negotiating table. As a group we are absolutely united in our desire to secure the best terms and conditions ever for current and future female rugby league players.”
On his appointment to the RLPA Board of Directors, Mr. Nelson said:
“I am absolutely delighted to have been invited to join the RLPA Board at this critical time and look forward to working with Clint and his team to not only advance and promote the interests of the players, but also the game that we love.”
ABOUT CHELSEA LENARDUZZI
Chelsea Lenarduzzi is a prop for the Brisbane Broncos in the elite NRLW competition. She has played in every season of the NRLW for the Broncos, winning three Premierships in 2018, 2019 and 2020.
Ms. Lenarduzzi also has representative experience having played for Queensland in State of Origin and the Jillaroos on the world stage when she debuted for the national team in 2019.
She was also an inaugural member of the RLPA’s Women’s Player Advisory Group when it was formed in 2019.
ABOUT STUART NELSON
Mr. Nelson is currently a corporate adviser on business development, strategy, fundraising, issues management and M&A activities to a variety of public and private companies, both in Australia and overseas.
Mr. Nelson has over 30 years experience as a senior executive at some of Australia’s leading and most well-respected companies and as a local executive with leading financial services multi-nationals, including as:
Executive Manager, Corporate at Magellan Financial Group
Director, Corporate Services at Sims Metal Management
Head of International and Mergers & Acquisitions at Insurance Australia Group Limited
Corporate Solicitor at Consolidated Press Holdings Limited
Head of Strategy & Planning (A&NZ) at HSBC
General Counsel and Head of Corporate Services at Allianz Australia
RLPA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Dr. Deidre Anderson (Chair)
Clint Newton (CEO and Managing Director)
Daly Cherry-Evans (General President)
Wade Graham
Steven Harker
Josh Hodgson
Chelsea Lenarduzzi
Pippa Leary
Stuart Nelson
Hannah Southwell
Christian Welch
