Peter V’landys faces equally difficult job ridding the NRL of greed
Just like Eliot Ness led a famous law enforcement team to bring down Al Capone, Peter V’landys has an equally difficult job ridding the NRL of greed writes PAUL CRAWLEY.
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Peter V’landys is rugby league’s modern day Eliot Ness — now he needs to build his own team of Untouchables.
Just like Ness led a famous law enforcement team to bring down Al Capone, V’landys has an equally difficult job ridding the NRL of greed.
V’landys not only needs a new chief executive who is capable of leading like V’landys has in recent weeks, equally important is the appointment of a new head of football.
If V’landys just goes and finds a replacement for Todd Greenberg from outside the game and doesn’t give him a strong and wise football head riding shotgun, then the new chief executive will get eaten alive.
As Matty Johns wrote in his Daily Telegraph column this week, if rugby league was a country it would be Afghanistan. It is important that V’landys handpicks someone streetwise and tough, revered for his expertise and judgment.
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Don’t make the mistake of thinking this is a popularity contest, and the other thing V’landys doesn’t need is a yes man.
He needs someone who will tell him straight: “Hey Peter, your idea for the captain’s challenge stinks. The last thing we need is to waste more time on the video ref.”
And this is also about finding someone who will stand up to the coaches, football bosses and chairmen, who will always pitch what is best for their clubs.
The head of football needs to know when to listen, but most importantly when to call their bluff.
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He also needs the knowledge of what is right for rugby league — from NRL to grassroots, referees to judiciary. They need to see clearly where rugby league should be in 30 years, then set in motion a plan to get us there.
The perfect candidates? There are none. But the best would be either Wayne Bennett or Phil Gould.
While Bennett is adamant he will continue coaching beyond his current South Sydney contract, he would be perfect to set up a structure to develop the game at every level, even if it was only for a couple of years.
Gould has also done it all and his knowledge and vision for rugby league is rivalled only by Bennett.
People will point out Gould lost his way at Penrith but for the first few years he was brilliant. So make this a three-year plan, not a five-year plan.
Regardless of what you think personally about Gould or Bennett, no one can dispute their knowledge or passion. And this is not about them taking charge of finances, this is about making use of their footy IQ.
Other options could be former coaches Anthony Griffin and Neil Henry. Both are strong men with good communication skills. Melbourne football boss Frank Ponissi has been around a long time and carries clout, as does Shane Richardson who is now a gun for hire.
Most of the current senior coaches wouldn’t be out of their depth either, but it’s hard to see Trent Robinson, Craig Bellamy, Ricky Stuart or Des Hasler putting their hand up for this. But Bennett and Gould are at different stages of their careers and perhaps could be tempted.
What’s most clear after what we have been through in recent weeks is that the time for weak administration is over. V’landys’ strong leadership has embarrassed the current crop.
The man everyone is tipping to take over from Greenberg as next chief executive is Accor hotels boss Simon McGrath, while NSW Rugby League chief Dave Trodden is the other street corner tip.
The good thing about McGrath is that he would carry no baggage into the job. He is apparently a footy fan who knows enough about the game not to goose himself like a Dave Smith. But most importantly McGrath knows business.
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Perceived or otherwise, every current club chief executive would be compromised in some way before they even sat in the seat. You only have to think back to Greenberg’s days at Canterbury to remember the difficulty in wiping the past clean.
What can’t be disputed is this current administration has overseen the greatest waste of money and opportunity in our game’s history.
If V’landys has exposed one thing throughout the coronavirus pandemic it is that his direct and determined leadership is exactly what the NRL has lacked for too long.
V’landys says he won’t contemplate the role as an executive chairman because of his position with Racing NSW, so he needs to surround himself with the right team.