Keith Price doesn't doubt coach Paul Henare's credentials as the best in the country but says due diligence suggests employing him in the interim as Hawks mentor is unsustainable.
"We're talking about someone here who has passion for the Hawks and wants to be involved and help them but wants to have options for costs," says Price, the franchise board chairman.
"I don't think that's the way you do it if your passion was there for Hawks. The money shouldn't be in there," says the Napier city councillor of a deal which also included a vehicle, accommodation and some travel.
"I wasn't going to sink the Hawks for that reason. We had Ben [Hill] as a board member so he was prepared to do it for nothing as caretaker coach," he says, adding Hill had, with help of his assistants, Clifton Bush II and Kaine Hokianga, mustered a team in half a day to hit the highway the next day.
Price says someone, who isn't on the board and he didn't wish to name, had approached Henare.