ARL close to revealing identity of new CEO
Dean Ritchie
The Daily Telegraph
November 12, 2012 12:00AM
RUGBY league could know the identity of its long-awaited new chief executive as early as this week.
ARL Commission chairman John Grant last night said: "We are down to the final stages and the last pages of reaching an agreement.
"We have been at this stage before and things can happen so we're not quite there yet but nothing is emerging that would prevent us from concluding the current discussions."
Asked was the successful candidate from Australia's business sector, Grant said: "I can't comment."
The news comes on the same day as former NRL boss David Gallop begins his new role at Football Federation Australia.
Some 160 days ago, Gallop was marched out of rugby league and since then Grant and acting CEO Shane Mattiske have appeared to share the responsibility of running the sport.
It is understood the successful candidate is from outside the sporting world and has agreed to terms with the NRL. He will start in early January.
Sources within the NRL claim an announcement is "imminent" although his identity remains a mystery.
The NRL has not had a CEO since Gallop's sacking back on June 5.
"The deal is just about done," the source said. "He has agreed. An announcement is imminent.
"None of the candidates mentioned publicly so far have been contacted lately so they have done their dealings very privately and quietly.
"I think you'll find he is from the business world and doesn't have a prominent sporting background."
Mattiske hasn't been mentioned as a long-term choice for months although no one is discarding his chances.
Mattiske denies applying for the job and said yesterday: "The process has been run by the commission and is something they have kept confidential. I am not aware of where the commission is at at the moment but their focus is to find the right person."
The chase for a new CEO has been long and tedious. The list of potential candidates has included Bulldogs CEO Todd Greenberg, Panthers group CEO Warren Wilson, former NZRL chief executive Jim Doyle, ANZ Stadium CEO Daryl Kerry, ex-V8's boss Tony Cochrane, Essendon chief executive Ian Robson and former federal sports minister Mark Arbib.
There have been suggestions former Cricket Australia and ICC official Brendan McClements is a leading candidate. He has worked in Australia and abroad.
McClements, chief executive officer for Victorian Major Events Company, has spoken with Grant.
The NRL came close to poaching Gillon McLachlan from the AFL, before being embarrassingly outmanouvred by Andrew Demetriou with McLachlan opting to reject the rugby league offer.
Grant last night refused to comment on fresh criticism in The Sunday Telegraph of just how long it has taken the ARLC to find a new boss.
Gallop officially starts his new job in football today, fronting the media at a noon press conference at FFA headquarters.
