A series of meetings will determine Todd Greenberg’s future as NRL chief executive
With the kick off to the new NRL season just days away, a battle has emerged at the highest level of the game’s administration that could cost Todd Greenberg his job.
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A series of rolling meetings this week will determine Todd Greenberg’s future as NRL chief executive.
With the kick off to the new season just days away, a power struggle has emerged at the very top level of the game’s administration between Greenberg and chairman Peter V’landys.
There is a growing belief that Greenberg will struggle to see out the remainder of his current contract that expires in October, although the next week will determine that.
But many within the game have serious concerns that Greenberg’s working relationship with V’landys is now unsustainable.
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Making Greenberg’s position even more vulnerable, there is a growing consensus that he has also lost the majority of support with club powerbrokers, while Greenberg’s popularity among the fans is also overwhelming on the nose.
But there is no disputing this power struggle is still a long way from over, and it will ultimately come down to how much support Greenberg can maintain among ARL Commissioners.
Greenberg has been lobbying hard for support in recent days but it appears his popularity is shot to pieces at almost every level, while V’landys seems to have increasing support.
While Greenberg is pushing for a contract extension, that will be determined by a series of subcommittee meetings this week involving V’landys and ARL commissioners Wayne Pearce and Gary Weiss.
Their recommendation will then go to a full Commission meeting scheduled for March 19, unless a decision to pull the trigger has been made prior.
A Daily Telegraph fan poll on the weekend showed that 79 per cent of more than 3000 voters wanted Greenberg axed.
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This was followed by another media poll that showed Greenberg was also overwhelmingly out of favour with NRL club bosses.
In that poll only 5.6 per cent of NRL club bosses who took part in the anonymous survey said they had complete faith in Greenberg.
If Greenberg is moved on early, it is likely an interim chief executive such as current chief commercial officer Andrew Abdo would be appointed while the Commission search for a new boss.
That could be finalised within a matter of weeks if the right candidate can be secured.
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V’landys has indicated he has no desire to take on an executive chairman type role, but the name that keeps popping up in conversation is Simon McGrath, the boss of Accor hotels.
McGrath missed out to Greenberg back in 2016 but maintains plenty of support in rugby league.
There are plenty of other people within the game who could do the job but the question would be whether the Commissioners again wanted to appoint a chief executive who has previously held the top job at an NRL club.
There is a feeling that the game needs to go outside so the new boss doesn’t carry baggage into the job, as some perceive was the case with Greenberg following his time at Canterbury.
Originally published as A series of meetings will determine Todd Greenberg’s future as NRL chief executive