On December 20, there will be an extraordinary general meeting of the Australian Rugby League Commission, where under-siege chairman John Grant’s future will be decided.
The 16 NRL clubs, two state associations, and eight Commissioners will vote, and on that basis Grant has none and Buckley’s surviving.
A complex man, Grant has won the respect of the business community as an engineering graduate who heads the successful IT company Data3.
But as a former Kangaroo who played for Queensland and as a rugby league administrator, he’s been an accident waiting to happen.
And it has – often.
Grant flicked David Gallop in 2012, who had been a strong and respected CEO for a decade – bad call – then Grant searched the world for a replacement.
After months of failure, Grant came up with Dave Smith, a rugby union-orientated Welsh banker, who had no idea of who was captain of the Kangaroos, and not long later referred to the reigning Dally M Medallist and then-suspended Bulldog as “Benji” Barba.
Grant flicked Smith after three of a five-year contract, and repeated the worldwide search for a replacement, while taking over the CEO job himself.
Five months later, Grant appointed Todd Greenberg the new CEO – who had been right under his nose the entire time.
In between, Grant managed to stuff up a Kangaroos announcement.
“At lock, Paul Gallen from the Cronulla-Sutherland Hawks,” he said, then followed it up two names later with, “on the bench, Daly Cherry-Evans from the Manly Seagulls.”
John Quayle would never make any such elementary and monumental blunders, he’s forgotten more about rugby league than Grant will ever know.
The major Quayle asset is he ticks all the boxes, especially his communication skills.
A former Easts and Parramatta rep who played for NSW and the Kangaroos in the early 1970s, Quayle was NRL and ARL boss from 1983 to 1996.
And he was the very best, although closely pressed by Gallop.
Once Quayle called rugby league halt, he was snapped up by SOCOG to be the manager of venues for the Sydney 2000 Olympics.
He was so outstandingly successful, Athens grabbed him to do the same job at the 2004 Olympics, and that started a chain of identical events with the 2006 Asian Games, and the 2007 Pan Pacific Games.
Two years ago, rugby league again called on Quayle to be on the new Newcastle Knights board once the NRL took over the admin of the club following the exit of Nathan Tinkler.
That’s where John Quayle is today, just a skip down the expressway for the 69-year-old to become the new chairman of the Australian Rugby League Commission.
And rugby league to breathe a huge sigh of relief.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
I have to disagree. Quayle did an excellent job when he was general manager, a post he relinquished in 1996, 20 years ago! He retired from playing in 1976 (after starting his career in 1968), 40 years ago! Let him enjoy his retirement.
oldtimer
Guest
Scott you have almost declared that you are from Qld and that's how you see everything. As most probably know super league started as a result of Murdock trying to take control of the league from Packer with the pay TV rights the major concern, not player payments they became inflated as a result of the bidding war that ensued. If you want to talk peanuts think about what players in QLD were being payed before Quayle and Arko had the vision to expand the then NSW competition to QLD, Cowboys, Bronco's, Gold coast, and just to show good faith in that initiative two of them jumped ship the first chance they got, but let's just keep the I hate Sydney rhetoric going it can only be good for the game.
Casper
Guest
Ah yes, let's go back to the man who openly stated that he wished the Broncos had never joined his Sydney rugby league comp. Sorry David but that's an idiotic suggestion.
Mushi
Guest
Hilarious i wrote another comment about certain factual (and legal) matters they've now deleted. Great ethics guys
Mushi
Guest
David you falsely accused a country of corruption based on not understanding the basic conventions of the sport you were opining on. You make the world a less informed place with every article.
Mushi
Guest
Isn't the basic leftist premise (talking social not economic as i doubt communists have a concensus view on the shoulder charge) supposed to be less intervention from goverment? Or are you one of those people that just use nonsynonymous terms interchangeably?
Magnus M. Østergaard
Roar Guru
I know what you are saying, goo luck with getting anything concrete from the clubs without having a bigname attached to ya.
Midfielder
Guest
Cross The day the FFA took him from the Mariners to head the A_league was a sad day for us ... I understand how you feel... Nobody actually talks about it much aside from us ... these are a couple of vids on the Mariners Centre of Excellence and he got all this off the ground with a penniless club.. When you see this and consider the size of the Mariners its a real nay mega achievement .. Best shows the playing fields https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61LNdQN3_7E Best shows the building and whats to come.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlF9saDG3S8
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Midfielder. Please let us keep Lyall Gorman at the Sharks for another 3 years at least.The club is going gangbusters with him at the helm. Next season all season seating has been sold out,all sponsors' boxes ditto.Membership(2017) already 86% up on this time last year. Agree he would make a great Chairman,he was a rugby league referee at one stage ,in his career.His work at the club is yet to be completed.
Mushi
Guest
You get the best "per capita" timeslots
Midfielder
Guest
BTW the day Smith signed with 9 and said he could see the over seas rights and was talking to youtube ... Fox ensured he was fired... very sad actually as if Smith had stayed the media deal would have been much better and expansion in Brisbane would be happening...
Midfielder
Guest
David consider Lyal Gorman ... set up the Mariners and their Centre of Excellence... when the A-League was heading south they appointed him head of the A-League and he turned it around... he then set up Western Sydney Wanders ... then what he has done at Cronulla in such a short time is beyond amazing...
no one in particular
Roar Guru
David Lord, clueless as usual. A board member must be 3 years removed from any role in any club. It's why it's called the INDEPENDENT Commission But seeing as though you have no clue as what the Chairman does, i'm not surprised you missed this
no one in particular
Roar Guru
Name 3 things Gallop did in a decade that improved the game.
VN
Guest
Thats too simple to do, ha. Boggles the mind...
3_Hats SSTID 2014
Roar Rookie
It is a massive undertaking, I am having trouble getting the correct Juniors figures from the Country RL Groups and the ARLC officials. I always get answering machines and they rarely ring you back. The cost to me in time and money will run into the thousands of dollars on my part. I am just wondering is it all worth while? I am still working on it though.
Magnus M. Østergaard
Roar Guru
Your comments on this thread are reasonable 3 Hats... any luck on the article?
3_Hats SSTID 2014
Roar Rookie
YES, it was really funny when Micael Ennis gave your blokes the CLAP, lol
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
David Reason #1 he is a neighbour and co winemaker like Knights Chairman Brian McGuigan. #2. He is directly linked to Knights and is close to the Roosters. #3. Super League would never have happened under his reign had the game been in good shape.
Mike
Guest
Has anyone asked Quayle if he wants the job?? I believe he is in his late 70's,retired in the Hunter valley and helping the Knights out on a part time basis - why would he want this job??