Todd Greenberg steps down as NRL CEO

True, Greenberg was probably the victim of the small minded, self interest but powerful club administrators. I personal thought he gave the clubs too much and allowed over the top spending in the head office. I firmly believe the game has sold its self over many decades. The competition was fantastic in the early 2000 when players were on 1/2 the salary and we didn't have bunkers or 2 ref's signalling 6 to go and play on at the same time. The AFL are in a better financial position to the NRL and that is why they can actual get that sort of credit. He really did get himself in a pickle with the standing down of players. It opened a can of worms that no one could agree on eg Matt Lodge.

Yes and no. If Greenberg felt strongly about the $13m a year not going to clubs, then as CEO he needed to speak out. As far as we know, he didn't do that. The AFL has not borrowed $500m. They have secured a line of credit up to that point. It is a vital difference. They also had much more in cash reserves. The real footy podcast said it best. The AFL have lost a limb or two during this crisis, the NRL got decapitated. Your last sentences are spot on. Clubs need to stay well away.

Bring your own salary cap.

It was Grant that agreed to the 13 million a year for the clubs. The NRLs financial situation is a lot better than channel 9 would have you believe. Funny how the afl has had to borrow 600 million to survive and nobody blinks an eye. Greenberg wasn’t perfect but he did many good things in an environment chocker block fool of fools and charlatans. My biggest worry now is that V’landys will do the bidding of 9 and the clubs. The game desperately needs to look outwards to survive. Greenberg did his best in an environment of blatant self interest driven by small minded clubs. Let’s see what happens next.

The AFL have had to borrow $500 million.

The Vonn Trapp children said it best with…. So Long, Farewell, auf Wiedersehen, goodbye…. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxjwb5cXTI0

What's rubbish? The league signed a $1.8billion dollar deal in 2015. The money was a 70% increase on the Leagues previous deal. The new deal started in 2018. The NRL has had more than $600million over the last 2 years and given clubs $450million. The NRL clubs received $7.2million dollars in 2017 and the minute Todd took over in 2018 they granted the clubs $13million a season. He gave everyone a 37% pay rise because hey every good business gives every employee a 37% pay rise when they have a good day. Greenberg had a financial revenue stream greater than any administrator before him to work with and they are now looking to borrow money. The AFL put a portion of their TV deal away just in case? What happened to the fines handed out to clubs, players and coaches in recent years? When Todd was CEO of the Dogs he signed Hasler for big dollars and gave him plenty of cash to throw around in the market. Canterbury worked on an endless salary cap upgrade theory and where did that get them?

His only legacy is a inconsistent and confusing decisions, a budget severely mishandled and a massive payroll to fund a bloated inefficient head office. Well done Toddy

Incompetent club CEOs forced him out. Dave Smith funnily enough tried to secure the financial side of the code, but club morons were too blinkered to see it. Btw, listening to Phil Gould lie to James Bracey about that was hilarious. Gould was just as bad as the rest of them and went straight for the cash grab

.... but wasn't it the Welsh Banker that negotiated for us those rivers of gold ? If you are growing the top line you can afford a little opulence. The problem was that Todd didn't know how to keep us growing. Does anyone doubt that we would have had a more robust balance sheet if he had stayed instead of Todd ?

They tried to pick a competent business man before, someone who wasn’t from a league background. What happened to him again?

Nicki, I take your point. The recent Westpac disaster was a case in point. The CEO went plus a couple of directors . If the current crop of NRL commissioner's were aware of CEO shortcomings and did nothing they have to share some of the responsibility. I can remember when this commission was first elected it was going to be the answer to all the NRL s ongoing success.

But is it possible to "stand up to the clubs and the Commission? Isn't that like standing up to the board of directors? I don't think you get to do that as the CEO.

Give Paul Kent the job. Seems to know everything that is wrong with the game. Then he fixes all the problems & hey presto we're back on track again. Brad Fittler could have an advisory role after hearing him (or his script writer) unload on the Queensland Premier regarding the isolation situation & accusing her of "political suicide". Perhaps Anastasia could give Brad a role in helping her gain reelection as Fittler obviously has a great knowledge of politics. Legend of the game, successful SOO coach & political expert. What versatility.

I think the Chairman's salary might also get tripled....coincidentally.

The SMH is already banding about a few club CEO's as the replacement. Insanity.

It's a pity Toddy was standing by and watching the NRL spend money like it was of little concern while bringing in the no fault thing to apparently keep the rivers of gold flowing.

I think V'landys will be an executive chairperson, the next CEO will have a more limited role. The next CEO will be focused on managing the organisation, whereas V'landys will be the NRL presence and the person who will be talking to governments, the media etc.

Paul White to get the job and the Clubs to snub the Dally Ms next year for a BBQ at Bennett’s.

Quite simply only one person could take the limelight... and Todd wasn't it.