If rugby league has to be dragged kicking and screaming into the professional era, it’s clear Dave Smith is the man for the job.
He might’ve made many public gaffes, like not knowing Cameron Smith from an ironing board, or mistakenly calling Ben Barba ‘Benji’ (the horror), but if Smith ensures the code doesn’t take its billion dollar television windfall and throw it down the nearest drain, his tenure will have been a success.
Yesterday, Smith confirmed what every rugby league fan already knew.
He’s not Andrew Demetriou and never will be. He isn’t the living breathing representation of ‘our great game’, but thankfully he doesn’t have to be.
He is, first and foremost, an excellent businessman. The fact he has a growing passion for the game is a bonus.
Smith made it clear the management shake-up at Rugby League Central was his idea and his alone. A crystal clear message he doesn’t want to be seen as the ARL Commission’s puppet.
The move to appoint Bulldogs Chief Executive Todd Greenberg as the Head of Football could be seen as a humbling act.
It could be taken as a glaring sign Smith is struggling with the ‘football’ side of sports administration.
Instead, it should be viewed as a strong act of leadership.
He identified a weakness and, with the best interests of the game at heart, filled it with the best possible candidate.
If Smith was watching his own back, Greenberg would’ve been nowhere near head office.
The man who rebuilt the NRL’s problem child is one of the most talented chief executives in rugby league and was so highly thought of he was being chased by other sports as well.
His ascension to head office shouldn’t be taken as step one in a plan to inwardly assault Smith’s throne.
Instead, it should be seen as the day rugby league took one giant leap towards a responsible and accountable management structure.
Smith was asked whether the CEO’s job was too big for one man. He said no, but under the current structure change was necessary.
The former banker has created seven new business units:
– Football
– Finance
– Operations
– Corporate Affairs and Community
– Marketing and digital content
– Commercial
– Strategy and Investment
Accountability is important in any walk of life, but even more so in a sport where everyone from Smith down to the lady who runs the canteen at the local ground is invested in the wellbeing of the game.
It might’ve taken Smith three months to fire his first meaningful shot but, as he said, the changes represent what he’s about.
Yesterday, we got far more than music and jumping castles.
MG Burbank
Roar Guru
Bravo Luke. Couldn't have put it better myself. Smith has not passed the buck- he has simply installed the very best people to do specific jobs for our game. Had David Gallop, a former lawyer, had someone like Greenberg by his side he would have been a far superior administrator.
clipper
Guest
Old Hand - the AFL accepted less money so that ch7 would show games live in NSW and QLD - why else would they show matches that wouldn't rate in prime time. The NRL did not take tis course of action, going for the big bucks over what the fans would want in AFL states - you can't blame ch9 for delaying or not showing matches that would rate far less than the latest rat catchers show - that's the deal the NRL made for the next 5 years - I'm sure Lacrosse fans would want to see their sport live as well, but unless the networks are forced to do it, it's not economic sense for them.
bbt
Guest
Thanks - and spot on.
Renegade
Guest
Agree with everything on here Luke, future for rugby league is looking rosy!
Renegade
Guest
based on what Johnno?
Australian Rules
Guest
I'm not sure bbt inferred that the Storm game would ever overshadow the AFL game in Melbourne, just that it would get the attention it deserves.
barneybuck
Guest
The HeraldSun/News Ltd OWN the Storm so are of course going to promote them in their rags. There will be 90,000 at the MCG and millions watching on TV so I dont think a measley 20,000 at AAMI will do any harm to the AFL.
bbt
Guest
Storm vs Warriors game is becoming a big fixture on the Melbourne Sporting calendar. Really, difficult thing to achieve in Melbourne. The Herald Sun ran a big pic of Jesse Bromwich on inside back cover. - a real positive. The game will grow into a real blockbuster and thus attract the attention of the Melbourne sporting public, who love a big sporting event.
Meesta Cool
Guest
Thjere are whispers around the traps, that Greenberg and Dezzy are not communicating on the same level, is this a repeat of the mess between Des and the Manly board?. or is it merely the 'lets put the boot into the Doggies brigade' AGAIN.
Calum
Guest
+1
Meesta Cool
Guest
Jaiden, you obviously don't know a lot about Todd, He will be no man's puppet, Smoith has the masterplan and is going to achieve it by putting person's in place that will not be pushed around nor want/Need his permission on every little thing, Greenberg is the Perfect example of this mode of leadership. IOt is so refreshing to see this happening after 10 yrs of static, one disaster to the next , no future planning etc!. type of management. Let the Broom sweep clewan and listen for the screams (and applause).
Von Neumann
Roar Guru
we do not have to win every single battle, oikee, it can be counter productive
B.A Sports
And he can't differentiate between islander players which, apart from being racist when he makes jokes about it, is a rather large problem given the increased number of polynesian players in the game.
oikee
Guest
I am sure Bennett's eyesight is perfect when he looks at his bank account. hehe. Same as Bellyacke. When your team gets 30, 40 , 50 thousand to games, you can be on Friday night to.
oikee
Guest
If anyone came up to you, and said i have Storm Warriors and Dragons Chooks for sale, or, or Suns Lions, ? What about the other game? no just Suns Lions, or the 2 league games. You would laugh, laugh all the way to the bank. Mate 2 games for the price of one. It is not rocket science, this is straight forward simple math i learned at school, with a small green box that had building blocks in it, that was coloured white for 1, and up to Purple i think for ten. Now if i put 2 of those white blocks together, this made yellow, the block for the number 2. Now if you gave me one white block or 2 white blocks, would i prefer or take one white block. ? No, i would take 2 white blocks because i would have twice as many blocks, twice as much chance of having fun. I could build a tower from those 2 white blocks, imagine the skyscrapper i could build with 8 white blocks, instead of only 4. You get the drift. It is common maths, grade 2 stuff. . Rugby league at the moment is being sold 1 yellow block for 4 white blocks. Now if you work that out you know your maths.
turbodewd
Guest
I think Dave Smith needs to take more action on the Friday Night Broncos issue. I have no doubt that when Broncos players reach their 60s they will have horrible eyesight and sue the league for the excessive night games. Playing under strong artificial lights. And the horse that runs around Suncorp when they score a try...whats his eyesight like now?! How is Wayne Bennett's eyesight?!
turbodewd
Guest
The Tonga - Samoa game is a real rivalry with real roots. City-Country is totally artifical. City-Country must be laid to rest for sanity's sake.
oikee
Guest
Then all games are not live. If i choose to watch the Cowboys Manly game at seven o'clock before the Broncos Storm gameat seven o'clack, one is not going to be live, no matter how you spin it. Look, rugby league is in the box seat. Marketing, and my mate above waterboy who thinks most of what i write is a pile of throwaway, yet in 1, 2 or 3 years most of what i say gets used anyhow because it is cutting edge stuff, like i asked for big fire for 3 years, look now, last time i looked their was big fire, and it looks damm good as well, but as i was saying rugby league is lightyears ahaead in Merketing yet we have not used it to our advantage. Here is one simple fact, and any marketer, and every marketer in the world uses this as their main selling point. We can give you 2 games for the price of one. ?? What do you mean i can hear you saying, here it is, our game goes for half the time of a AFL game, so we can sell 2 of our games, 2 sets of sponsers, 2 sets of fans and 2 TV markets for the pricce of one game of AFL,. So 2 , yes two, you get 2 games, not one. Look it is the best used marketing tool in the world, yet not one of our marketing gur's has cottoned onto this yet. We are selling two, games friday night, yes 2, not one, two. same as other days, we can sell 3 games instead of 2. This is why we can have a under20's comp, plus other games as well. our game is perfectly poised for the market. 1 hour and 30 minutes, unless we drag it out a extra half a hour, but still, we can sell 2 games and still have people watching and enjoying, not falling asleep. Anyhow. That is marketing America number one selling tool. 2 for the price of 1.
Robz
Guest
FOOTBALL DEPT: Kangaroos, grassroots, refeees, Origin, Telstra Premiership, Holden Cup, Womens Rugby League, state leagues, judiciary OPERATIONS DEPT: Human resources, integrity unit, slaary cap, player welfare and education, corporate governance
oikee
Guest
The game is on Thursday night, gee whiz Turbo, or are you going to a Friday morning Anzac ceremony. Hehe.