The Tigers will increase the number of games played at Campbelltown next year to five.

The Tigers will increase the number of games played at Campbelltown next year to five.Credit:Getty

Asked about the importance of Campbelltown,incoming interim chief executive Shane Richardson said:“If you look at where the growth is of this club,it’s massive.

“We’ve got to not only be doing things in that area,we’ve got to be seen to be doing things as well. I don’t think we’ve pushed our own barrow about how much we’re doing out there and what staff we’ve got to do it. At the end of the day,it’s crucial to the growth of this club.

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“People talk about Penrith,which is a magnificent area,8500 juniors,Parramatta[has] 6000 … we’ve got more. If you take in Camden right through that area,we’ve got a massive junior network we need to pick up. It’s a major focus.

“I’ve always loved a Reschs and a hot dog at Leichhardt,but at the end of the day the growth of the club is in that[Campbelltown and Macarthur] area. It’s as simple as that.”

The Tigers have long been under siege in south-west Sydney.

Richardson’s former club,South Sydney,announced a historic partnership with A-League side Macarthur two years ago to “promote their respective codes in south-western Sydney”.

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Crawford is no stranger to the Tigers’ Campbelltown problem in his previous role with the NRL,and it will be one of Richardson’s first points of business after addressing the media for the first time on Wednesday.

He will join forces with former NSW premier Barry O’Farrell at the new leadership apex of the club,with Hagipentelis and Pascoe standing aside after the review recommended the club’s former board be abolished.

“It’s a matter of us saying,‘If you do these little things right,the little things like work harder,then everything else falls in place’,” Richardson said.

“You can’t let the media blow you off the track,you can’t let politics blow you off the track,you can’t let a loss on the weekend blow you off the track. You’ve got to keep to the plan you decide as a team to do – and that team is administration and all the coaching staff.”

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