League: Sir Owen Glenn enlists John Banks to help run Warriors trust

Sir Owen Glenn, New Zealand businessman and philanthropist. 21 May 2015 New Zealand Herald Photograph by Brett Phibbs

John Banks has been appointed as a board member to head a trust which will hold Sir Owen Glenn's shares in the Warriors on behalf of club members.

Glenn today announced he will transfer his 50 percent stake in the Warriors to the newly established Sir Owen Glenn Warriors Trust aimed at further developing the 13-man game at grassroots and secondary school levels.

Glenn expects the move will bring to an end a bitter dispute and court proceedings with Warriors co-owner Eric Watson, over his half share in the club.

He will also settle an additional $100,000 on the Trust, and lead a process with the Trustee board members and the NZRL to produce a five-year blueprint to advance the sport of rugby league in New Zealand.

Banks, former Minister of Sport and Mayor of Auckland, was appointed to the board along with Bill Birnie - Glenn's representative on the Warriors' board - and St Paul's College principal and a Trustee of Sport Auckland, Mark Rice. Sir Ralph Norris will be the Patron of the trust.

"I will honour the commitment I made earlier in the year to transfer my stake in the NZ Warriors for the benefit of the rugby league community and the development at the grassroots level by enhancing opportunities for kids to participate in primary and secondary schools rugby league for their own growth and development," said Glenn.

"This will hopefully assist with the growth of the game."

New Zealand Rugby League chief executive Phil Holden confirmed that resources for the administration of the Trust would be provided by the national body.

"I am delighted with Sir Owen's decision to establish the Sir Owen Glenn Warriors Trust which in time, I am sure, will assist us in growing the game of league in New Zealand," said Holden.

Should any dividends or proceeds be received by the Trust, if, in the future, the Warriors franchise is sold, then these proceeds could be used by the Trustees to assist with the activities of the Trust.

Glenn was confident the three board members were well suited to their roles and said Birnie's background in sports administration made him the ideal candidate to Chair the Trustee board.

"Bill is ideally suited given his role as a board member of Sport NZ, High Performance Sport NZ and the Warriors, and will work with the national sporting body, New Zealand Rugby League, to foster growth of the game in New Zealand," he said.

Banks has a league background as a senior player and President of both the Mt Albert Rugby League Club and Northland Rugby League, while Rice is also a past Convenor of the NZ Secondary Schools Rugby League Council and recent past member of the Auckland Secondary School Heads Association College Sport board.

Glenn became co-owner of the Warriors early in the 2012 season (investing $6 million) and together with Watson promised to take the club "to the next level".

However, behind the scenes their relationship gradually deteriorated, culminating in a massive bust up over the decision to sack coach Matt Elliott early last season.