Bickering NRL greats Cam Smith and Cooper Cronk back Todd Greenberg for ACA’s top job
There’s no love lost between Cam Smith and Cooper Cronk, but the NRL greats put differences aside to help former league boss Todd Greenberg.
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Feuding NRL legends Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk have combined to help Todd Greenberg land his breakthrough comeback to sports administration.
Compelling character references from the two greats as well as members of the Jillaroos national women’s rugby league team shaped the confidence of the Australian Cricketers’ Association that Greenberg was the ultimate ‘players’ CEO’.
It’s understood Smith, along with Cronk and Jillaroos captain Ali Brigginshaw were among those who endorsed Greenberg’s credentials to the ACA, with the association’s board on Monday ratifying the former NRL boss as their new chief executive: making the 50-year-old the best-connected leader the organisation has had.
The ACA will allow Greenberg to continue living in Sydney away from their Melbourne base, and the veteran administrator’s first big task will be to begin laying the groundwork for next year’s new MOU – something which he started yesterday, making contact with Cricket Australia’s big bosses.
Greenberg was always renowned in league circles for having a close relationship with players during his five years running the sport.
He was criticised back in 2019 when the NRL gifted Smith’s wife Barbara a diamond ring to recognise the important support role she played in the Melbourne Storm star creating history by becoming the first to play 400 NRL games.
Smith wasn’t offended by the gesture, and thought it was a nice touch, and revealed in his book that the backlash he, his wife and Greenberg copped made him consider quitting the game.
The genuineness of Greenberg’s dedication to respecting his players cannot be questioned according to one Australian women’s rugby league star, who told the Cricketers’ Association how the simple act of always referring to her partner by name showed that Greenberg cared about relationships.
Smith and Cronk have not seen eye-to-eye since their well-publicised fallout, but the former Storm teammates agree on Greenberg’s credentials for influencing cricket’s playing group.
“Todd is an astute operator, having navigated the complexities of running the NRL and leading a club. His ability to manage relationships with all key stakeholders, in particular the players, was a key part of his leadership,” said Cronk.
“The ACA has appointed a well-credentialed leader who will lead from the front and have great rapport with its members.”
Jillaroos skipper Ali Brigginshaw said Greenberg was a leader that players’ could respect.
“One of Todd’s strengths was his relationships with the players. It was always more than just business, and we always felt free to express our opinions with him,” said Brigginshaw.
“Todd’s support of, and belief in the women’s game was crucial in it being able to prosper, and I couldn’t be doing what I’m doing now without that.”
ACA President Shane Watson said the feedback from NRL players was a powerful factor during the interview process.
“Todd is very much a players’ leader. Talking to a few of the rugby league players who have been involved and surrounded by him from the men’s and women’s game have spoken incredibly highly of Todd,” said Watson.
“Everyone on the interview process was very excited to have someone of Todd’s caliber from a commercial point of view but also his relationships.”
Greenberg served as Canterbury Bulldogs chief executive before he took over the top job running the NRL – one of the most heavily scrutinised positions in Australian sport.
Replacing outgoing ACA chief Alistair Nicholson, Greenberg believes he can bring great perspective to a players’ association role.
“It’s something I’ve thought deeply about during this process about whether this role was the right fit for me and my skill set but also what I’m passionate about,” said Greenberg.
“When I reflect on my experiences both at a club and at the NRL, some of the things I enjoyed the most were that really close interaction with people, with players particularly.
“Running a club it’s not just about the players, it’s about their families. And to get the best out of players’ performances they need to be very considered and well-balanced off the field as well as on the field. I think I can bring some real perspective to some of that in dealing with the players.”
Greenberg thanked cricket’s playing group for putting faith in him, which he plans to return.
“What you’re going to get from me is someone who is honest, hardworking, incredibly loyal to the players and we’ll roll our sleeves up and we’ll get the job done,” he said.
HOW EX-NRL BOSSES ALMOST HAD EPIC SHOWDOWN
Former NRL boss David Gallop would have been in a photo finish with Todd Greenberg to be Australian cricket’s new players’ boss before all bets were off and he chose to withdraw.
A showdown between rugby league’s two highest profile ex-chief executives was averted because Gallop was unwilling to agree to an ACA requirement that he give up his position on the board of the TAB.
Greenberg was appointed as the Cricketers’ Association’s chief executive yesterday and interestingly has been given permission to continue on as a board member for the newly formed Venues NSW agency which is looking after Stadiums in NSW after the amalgamation involving the SCG Trust.
It’s felt there is no conflict of interest between Greenberg running a players’ union and holding a board position at another body.
However, cricket chiefs were uncomfortable with the prospect of having Gallop as a CEO if he maintained his position on the TAB board, given it’s a gambling company.
Gallop never progressed to the interview stage after deciding to pull out of the race, but it’s understood the two heavy duty operators would have been difficult to split had their applications gone down to the wire.
Greenberg’s appointment – and the quality of the field he has beaten to the role – brings an instant profile to the Australian Cricketers’ Association that it hasn’t had before, with ACA Chairman Greg Dyer making no secret that the NRL’s commercial acumen brings tremendous appeal.
The ACA board believes Greenberg is a solutions man who can help deliver the organisation’s public messages and it’s an indication the organisation wants to become more prominent in the cricketing landscape.
The union’s previous chief Alistair Nicholson was well regarded at the ACA for his ability to stand up to Cricket Australia during the ugly 2017 pay dispute, but with relations between both parties better now than they have been for some time, it was felt Greenberg possessed the attributes to drive the organisation forward in more peaceful times.
Greenberg spent 13 years in the viper’s nest that is rugby league in Sydney, and therefore shouldn’t be intimidated by life in cricket.
“I think cricket and rugby league are clearly very different sports with different demographics and different people involved,” said Dyer.
“We have different challenges … and we have our complexities, but we’re a very different sport.
“The experience we were looking for with Todd and the reason we have brought him in, is commercial experience.
“We didn’t bring him in because we’re expecting a whole bunch of issues and problems akin to those that he’s rather adeptly handled throughout his years of rugby league.
“We sought him and had chosen him for different reasons from that.”
Greenberg has already spoken to his CA counterparts and is not spoiling for a fight when the MOU comes around next year – pushing a message yesterday of wanting a constructive relationship with head office.
“Clearly, the MOU will be an important piece of work for the players and for Cricket Australia. But to be fair before you even start to get to the nitty gritty of an MOU we have to start to build those relationships and build a bit of trust between each other,” said Greenberg.
“ … That’s going to take a bit of time.
“What you’ll get from me is someone who is very relationship focused. With a seat at the table with the guys at CA and all the States and we’ll talk openly and honestly about the issues and that will translate into an MOU.
“I’m not silly enough not to know the disagreements that happened last time, but one thing I do know is if the players and the governing body are aligned you’re going to get some great outcomes and that’s ultimately the goal for all of us.”
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Originally published as Bickering NRL greats Cam Smith and Cooper Cronk back Todd Greenberg for ACA’s top job
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