Castle’s appointment in December 2017 shocked many at the time, including herself. She admitted a few weeks earlier there was little chance of the so-called “Mosman Mafia” ever accepting a New Zealand woman whose last job was in rugby league. For that reason alone, she wondered if the role was worth taking on. Too political. The day after she was appointed, she told this column: “I don't want people to speak about me being a good female administrator. I want to be known as a good administrator. When they start doing that, you know you've done a good job.” Castle is quickly running out of time to make her mark. She took over from the gibbery Bill Pulver and the general consensus at the time was things couldn’t get any worse for rugby. Somehow, on her watch, they have. At least Pulver was prepared to make some tough calls, like slicing the Western Force from the Super Rugby competition.

Castle should have sacked Wallabies coach Michael Cheika a year ago, as the Australian team’s meek quarter-final performance against England at the Rugby World Cup showed. And she should never have re-signed Folau to a $5 million, four-year deal in October 2018 after he had made a series of anti-gay social media posts earlier that year. Castle's predecessor, Bill Pulver. Credit:Scott Barbour Fearing Folau would leave on her watch, Castle did whatever she could to keep him in the game, even allowing him to question her integrity in a column he wrote for Players Voice. After he was re-signed, making him the highest-paid player in the game, Folau felt bullet-proof. He suddenly became bigger than his team, his teammates, the game.

Spurred on by the likes of broadcaster Alan Jones and emboldened by a chorus of supporters on social media, he started to feel more popular than Jesus and the Beatles — and acted accordingly. After he was sacked following his infamous post on April 10 in which he warned homosexuals they would go to Hell if they didn’t repent, he had the audacity to ask the public to fund his looming legal stoush with RA. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video I’ve been writing stories about Folau since he was a teenager, when he was a spring-heeled centre for the Melbourne Storm. From his move to the Broncos, to the GWS Giants, then to rugby, he and his father have been motivated by one thing: money.

Loading And now here was Folau, the multi-millionaire sporting superstar, asking the unwashed to fund his fight in the name of “freedom of speech” and “religious freedoms”. Much like the same-sex marriage debate, Folau’s case gave every homophobic bigot a licence to take a big stick to every gay in the village, while rattling off the old “freedom of speech” line while hiding behind the Bible. Which is fine. People can be bigots if they want. They can worship whomever they want. But if they are representing a company, or an organisation, or in Folau's case a professional sporting code, that bigotry has consequences. Castle was more than happy to fight the good fight.

Sure, she’d buggered a few things up. She’d sacked Folau before speaking to him. She didn’t insist on a social media clause in his contract. But she had dragged enough assurances — verbally and in writing — from him to ensure they could sack him if he ever took a blowtorch to the Gays again. So why did Castle and RA roll over and settle with Folau on Wednesday afternoon? Why did they apologise? If they were right, if they had come this far, why not take it to the end of the line? According to those familiar with the RA case, it was all there in black and white: documents, detailed notes, subpoenaed emails. As far as RA and its lawyers were concerned, those documents not only proved that Folau had promised he wouldn’t vilify the LGBT community on social media — he was even apologetic for any of the harm he had already caused. And then he did it again. Castle has denied reports RA paid Folau $8 million, which lines up. Why would it settle for that amount and also apologise? The figure is likely to be between $2.5 to $5 million, according to one source familiar with the case.

Loading The settlement was met with bemusement in Folau and Castle’s old game of rugby league. Some club powerbrokers are certainly interested in signing him, despite new chairman Peter V’landys declaring there is no place for Folau in the NRL. Some, though, are angry that RA caved in. The settlement has now made it problematic for other codes and their social media policy for their athletes. Once again, Castle didn’t make the tough call of taking the matter to court. Even if Folau won, she’d have left with her head held high. If you start a fight like this, you have to finish it.

SLAMMIN' SAM BACK ON THE 'GRAM They say that eyes are the windows to the soul. For rugby league players, it’s Instagram. The polishing of Sam Burgess’ image post-footy is well and truly on with the retired South Sydney captain suddenly springing to life on his social media accounts. There have been several posts in the last few days, mostly with his children but also with retired England cricket captain Michael Vaughan.

Meanwhile, his estranged wife Phoebe has been feverishly posting photos of their children on her Instagram page. The modern world is truly a special place… We’re told Burgess is carefully and cautiously working out a PR strategy as he makes his way back into the public eye following his shock retirement and marriage break-up. It remains to be seen just how that will look in terms of a job at South Sydney, who are still waiting on the NRL to tell them if the $3.6 million still owing on his contract will be struck from their salary cap over the next three years. Feud for thought: Erin Molan and Joey Johns. Credit:ninevms JUST FOR CLICKS

In the past six weeks while on annual leave, I couldn’t help but notice News Corp is quite obsessed with the working relationship between Erin Molan and Andrew Johns at Channel Nine (which publishes the Herald). Initially, the never-ending stream of stories about a so-called feud was seen by many as an attempt to drive a wedge between Johns and his network, forcing him to leave and join Fox Sports, which is also owned by News. But several sources inside the Holt Street bunker report it’s much simpler than that: the stories “rate their heads off” online. And apparently Joey v Erin breaks the internet. Go figure. Given News Corp reporters are now judged by how many online subscriptions they can attract, don’t be surprised if the obsession continues in the lead-up to next season. The week

THE QUOTE

“It's always wonderful to catch up with my fellow legends.” — The ever-gracious and humble Margaret Court. THUMBS UP

Even if you’re not an American football fan, you need to be dialling into Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, who is owning the NFL this season. They may as well hand him the MVP trophy now. Big Truss. Woo Woo. THUMBS DOWN

Latrell Mitchell's manager Wayde Rushton has lashed out at the media for all this rampant speculation about his client. Fact: Rushton knocked back a $2.4 million offer from the Roosters — without having a solid offer anywhere else. Even I know that's silly. It’s a big weekend for …

Adam Scott, who is favourite to win this weekend’s Australian Open in Sydney before heading to Royal Melbourne to lead the International team against Tiger Woods and the US at the President’s Cup. His first round on Thursday didn't bode well.