Brad Fittler says clubs should be held accountable – not former NRL CEO Todd Greenberg – for the game’s financial plight exposed by the coronavirus crisis.
Brad Fittler believes former NRL CEO Todd Greenberg can walk away with his head held high, saying “incredible” club spending contributed to the game’s financial plight exposed by the coronavirus crisis.
After months of speculation that he was losing support, broadcast partner Channel Nine’s explosive attack, accusing the NRL of mismanagement, appeared to be a catalyst for Greenberg ‘s resignation on Monday.
But NSW coach Fittler said “impatient” clubs should have been held accountable before the finger was pointed at Greenberg over the NRL’s precarious financial position during the pandemic shutdown.
“We manage to eat our own in this game and we just don’t stop,” Fittler told 2GB Radio.
“You’ve got to say, (Greenberg) has been held accountable for the whole finance of the game and what everyone looked back and thought was quite poor running of the game.
“When you look at the clubs and the amount of money wasted on their CEOs and their bosses going in and out of the clubs, it’s incredible.
“The amount of wastage we have in this game. There’s an absolute lack of patience going on at the moment.”
Fittler’s comments come days after a News Corp report revealed NRL clubs had lost a combined $31 million in 2019 despite annual grants from the governing body from the lucrative broadcast agreement.
A report had also claimed there had been 100 different CEOs and chairs in the last five years among the clubs, contributing to excessive spending.
Fittler felt for Greenberg, saying the former NRL boss should be proud of what he achieved during his four-year tenure.
“I think everyone would agree that Todd’s always stood up and he’s answered all the big questions,” he said.
“I think the finances of the game have been what tipped him over the edge, but there’s some things that he’s done (that have been) fantastic.
“The growth of the women’s game has been on his watch and I think that’s probably been the most exciting thing that’s happened in footy in the last couple of years.
“He can walk away with his head held high.”
AR
Guest
“To be fair to the NRL, it did require possibly a once in a lifetime pandemic to expose their finances.“ That’s true. But it’s almost unbelievable that a sporting body can receive $1.8B in broadcast cash and, at a time of crisis, be virtually broke with nothing to show for it. There’s a lot of blame to go around. The NRL head office and the clubs especially. The NRL will definitely look different for the next 10 years, as will every professional sporting competition in Australia. The days of largesse are done. Hopefully the comp and the clubs can find a sustainable way forward.
Big Daddy
Guest
This whole scenario is getting so bizarre. We have this one man band (V'Landys) driving the whole agenda with no written approval . All we have heard is the NRL saying they have approval but nothing to verify it. I'm sure they're try to get some sort of public sympathy but to me it's starting to border on school boy bully tactics. His head is on the chopping block and if one person wether it's player , and ancillary staff contract it they'll hang him from the highest tree. Let's just play it safe.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Doesn’t take an MBA to work out clubs are wasting money given the amount of people paid not to work for clubs across the competition.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Yes. Fox and Nine are doing it to try and push down the price. Fox especially have no business talking about management. They’ve been losing money hand over fist for years.
Officer59
Roar Rookie
Who is this Brad Fittler?
steve b
Roar Guru
Yes 30 seconds to find it 3 hours to read it and even more to understand it the pretty photos are great but Fox and Nine arnt bitching for nothing they have invested millions and their saying it was not managed in a way that they would endorse. But unless some intrepid journo or some leaked documents come out we will never know the full story . To many questions unanswered.
Succhi
Roar Rookie
What really erks me are ex-players with their highest qualification being an average HSC score, giving business and financial management advice. Fittler, Johns, Gould, Anasta, Ennis, Cronk, etc - yes, great football brains but very limited business nous.
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
max You are delusional mate. Who said I read NewsCorp tabloids, and if I did who said I believe it? If you must know, I actually read US tabloids, and I don't believe most of that either.
Nick Maguire
Roar Rookie
Try here; https://www.nrl.com/siteassets/2020/nrl_annualreport_2019_hr.pdf Took 30 seconds to find, comes out every year
Nick
Roar Guru
Interestingly, the pokies rivers of gold may not be a lucrative when they return either. The gamblers are either going cold turkey or redistributing their addiction to online gambling - they may not return to the brickie's laptops when clubs reopen. NRL clubs are going to be innovative and agile with their revenue raising streams in future.
Justin Kearney
Roar Rookie
It’s unpleasant to say the least.
Adam
Roar Guru
Makes one feel very dirty
steve b
Roar Guru
Greenburg was the man at the top and apparently ruled with an iron fist what he said the rest followed. Grass roots footy has declined in every area if what is being said is true where did all the money go . I would love to see a brake down of the finances before covid although we never will . Whoever takes over the rains at the top i hope they can be alot more transparent as to where the dollars are being spent because if all reports are right they had a hell of a lot of dollars in the piggy bank and a lot of people would love to know how it was spent.
peeeko
Roar Guru
why do we always look for someone to blame? sometimes craxy things just happen that cant be planned for and are outside of our control. the rugby fans blame their admin. channel 9 blame greenberg. freddy blames the clubs. foxtel balme everyone.
max power
Guest
and yours is limited by the fact you read and believe the newscorp tabloids, scott
max power
Guest
reading James hooper and believing that they spend 500k a day is delusional
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
Freddie was a genius at counting numbers of the opposition on each side of the field, he rarely got it wrong but when it comes to spreadsheets he should take note of the great man Clint Eastwood: “a man’s gotta know his limitations”.
Noosa Duck
Roar Rookie
Sorry Freddy, they are all culpable in this fiasco of financial emptiness and it can be traced all the way back to John Grant. The Commission, the NRL and the Clubs. They all thought there was this endless money pit. Most were getting huge grants from Leagues Clubs on top of the NRL and most have little to show for it. Some have some solid real estate investments but most have nothing and the NRL had to get a loan from England. On the other hand the AFL clubs never ever had a Leagues club money pit and the AFL have and own a massive stadium right in the middle of Melbourne.
Big Daddy
Guest
Looks like COVID19 has claimed victim number 2 . Raelene Castle gone.
Nick
Roar Guru
It was his recommendation to the board. Yes the board made the decision to do so, but he recommended it to begin with. He must take accountability for that. Virgin is exactly like NRL clubs. I agree. Shockingly managed for decades...why it's allowed to continue you ask? Capitalism. That's why. The difference is that Virgin goes into admin, while NRL clubs just put the hands out even more.