The Wests Tigers have been at the forefront of media criticisms, after reports emerged of conflict amongst the playing group.
Tigers CEO, Shane Richardson, has kept his ears to the news in recent weeks, and hasn't liked what he's heard
"The articles written earlier in the week, I understand journalism, clickbait and all the rest of it but agenda-driven journalism is not true," Richardson said on NRL 360.
"The lies that were written in that article were very difficult for Benji to take."
Reports indicated that Benji Marshall had blocked a move to bring in former St George-Illawarra coach, Paul McGregor, as his assistant.
Other rumours referenced a dispute between Marshall and star utility Adam Doueihi; however, Richardson denied both reports.
"The players particularly knew it wasn't true, Adam Doueihi knew it wasn't true. I've never even met Paul McGregor so how I was even going to get him as a coach I don't know," Richardson argued.
The club snapped a six-game losing streak on the weekend, a feat that the Tigers CEO described as a "statement."
"I just think the players stood up and said to the world that this crap about Benji is crap. You don't play like that with all the players we had out yesterday without having a real commitment to the coach," he proclaimed.
"At the end of the day, it was a statement by the players and how they feel about Benji."
The Tigers have struggled to create a winning environment in recent years; however, it seems Richardson has faith that Marshall is still the man to lead them to their first premiership since 2005, which evidently also featured Benji.
With reports that the club is now at risk of losing both Jarome Luai and Jahream Bula, Marshall will want to string together a few more wins if he hopes to avoid the brunt of the media's wrath.
