ARL Commission boss John Grant refuses to step down from role

UNDER-FIRE ARL Commission chairman John Grant has admitted to engineering an embarrassing funding backflip that has led to an all-out NRL war.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 25: Australian Rugby League Commission Chairman John Grant speaks to the media during a NRL press conference at Rugby League Central on November 25, 2016 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

UNDER-FIRE ARL Commission chairman John Grant has admitted to engineering an embarrassing funding backflip that has led to an all-out NRL war.

Despite maintaining he wanted to remain in the game’s top role for another five years, Grant faces the almost impossible challenge of now trying to convince the clubs to return to the negotiating table.

Grant hopes they will accept a deal much less than 130 per cent of the salary cap sold to them less than 12 months ago.

Grant and the commission claim they had to scrap the original deal because of the chance of clubs going broke, the need to maintain the game’s digital arm and falling participation levels.

Facing a media pack outside League Central — the same spot where four chairmen stormed out on him just 48 hours earlier — Grant appeared almost oblivious to the imminent threat to his position. He labelled Wednesday’s walkout by Canterbury’s Ray Dib, Melbourne’s Bart Campbell, Cronulla’s Damian Keogh and North Queensland’s Laurence Lancini as nothing more than a “glitch’’.

John Grant address the media outside League Central.

He added he could have pitched the revised funding model a lot better to the angry chairs.

“We’ve been in this business five years, the game has advanced considerably in five years, and the game is in a financially strong position,’’ Grant said. “But we have to be very careful how we deploy our funds.

“That’s really what the discussion is about; the discussion is about how we prioritise investment.’’

When the new $1.8 billion broadcast deal was trumpeted last year, Grant said an extra $100 million would become available for clubs and $100m for grassroots each year.

“(But) in the intervening time, things have changed,’’ Grant said.

“The digital world is interrupting the normal broadcast. We have participation issues we need addressed. We have to stand up all our websites; we’re taking over from Telstra on February 1, 2018, so we have different priorities that have come to pass.

“The original funding model that was on the table, we’ve told the clubs it can’t be on the table anymore. That specific offer (130 per cent of the salary cap) won’t be coming back.’’

Grant hopes to meet the chairs again next week. Grant knows he must soon reach a compromise.

“We have an intent to move quickly, as they do,” Grant said.

“This is very damaging and I’m conscious of that and I want to get us on the front foot again and get us back to the table and nut this out.’’

John Grant says he still hopes to be in the same role for another five years.

He could not give a deadline on when any funding model would be rubber-stamped, but was bullish about his own position in the game’s top job.

“I love this role. I’m 100 per cent committed to having this game be successful across all its elements,’’ Grant said.

“I’ve worked very hard to do that and I’ll continue to work hard to do it.”

However, a letter from the chairs delivered to League Central at 3.26pm could lead to Grant being overthrown.

The Queenslander has become the clubs’ No.1 target, while NRL boss Todd Greenberg, who stood behind Grant at yesterday’s press conference, has so far escaped much of the chairs’ hostility.

“I’ve been as open and transparent as I possibly can be, and that’s the way we’ll continue to do it,’’ Grant said.

Grant also appointed Australian Olympic Committee president and lawyer John Coates to head an ­independent review of the constitutional reform.

“It is an appropriate time to do a constitutional review and we need appropriate people to lead that and John Coates is second to none,” Grant said.

Grant is scheduled to appear at the launch of the Gold Coast’s new high-performance facility on Tuesday.

He and former NRL CEO Dave Smith rescued the Titans in 2014 when debts led to the club being placed into voluntary administration