John Grant’s days as the high power of rugby league are all but over, regardless of whether he holds on to a crucial vote at the next ARL Commission meeting, after he lost the faith of the clubs as well as the NSW Rugby League.
All clubs bar the NRL-owned Newcastle and Gold Coast (who have abstained) and the NSWRL have united in a motion of no confidence against the chairman, who has overseen the game since the formation of the ARLC five years ago. The beleaguered boss retains the support of his seven fellow independent commissioners while the QRL has not publicly stated its position.
A meeting scheduled for 20 December will decide if Grant retains the reins of power but unless the clubs splinter – which seems highly unlikely given their very public attempt to force Grant’s removal – he will not see Christmas in the role.
A vote of no-confidence would require 14 of 26 votes from the ARLC, made up of the 16 clubs, two state boards and eight independent commissioners. As it stands the motion has the support of 15 with the Knights and Titans also seemingly supportive in-principle but unwilling to vote because “you can’t bite the hand that feeds you”, in the words of Newcastle chairman Brian McGuigan.
The flashpoint for the clubs has been the NRL reneging on an in-principle agreement to provide clubs funding to 130% of the salary cap for the 2018 season and beyond. That salary cap has yet to be decided with the NRL and the RLPA moving at glacial pace on the next collective bargaining agreement.
The inability to reach a deal with either the clubs or the players has seen the machinations of the game grind to a standstill at a time when the code should be cranking up its efforts to win the hearts, minds and dollars of the Australian sporting public.
The clubs have had to put future plans on the backburner. The player transfer market has been put on hold. Whole-of-game strategies cannot progress without the support of key stakeholders.
And the man who must shoulder near total responsibility is John Grant. Clubs now refuse to negotiate with Grant. They walked out on their most recent meeting with the ARLC chairman with Canterbury chairman Ray Dib telling Grant he would no longer attend any ARLC meeting because he had “lost faith and confidence” in the chairman.
Grant has dug his heels in, ensuring the clubs will not force his removal without blood on their hands. It is an entirely selfish position.
There was tremendous excitement in the game when News Limited handed over power to an independent commission. To suggest that Grant and the commission have failed to meet the expectations of the majority of stakeholders in the game would be an understatement.
Dave Smith was a left-field and ultimately unsuccessful choice as Grant’s first-choice CEO after forcing out David Gallop. The last television deal was an unmitigated mess that while netting a pretty sum for the game hardly seemed to maximise the true value of the game. Nothing has been done on the issue of expansion. Grassroots and bush football have been low on the priority list. On-field issues such as the laws of the game and officiating have been inadequately addressed. In five years there has been little offered in the way of long-term planning.
Given that, much rests on the shoulders of Grant and his fellow independent commissioners, who have achieved little and rarely been held accountable for such limited advancement in the game’s position.
Grant said on Tuesday that he does not believe his position to be untenable, but many in the game believe it is, given the clubs will not return to the negotiating table while he remains in charge.
The last thing rugby league needs now is a bloody showdown to resolve this political crisis but it is hard to see it being avoided while Grant remains at the helm.
