T-Boon
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Its a telegraph story so it is almost certainly who ever was there representing the Broncos.
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http://www.theaustralian.com.au/spo...l/news-story/50d496aa138a3b24758f5ff8483e8492
NRL row: Clubs to allow John Grant to stay under latest deal
Disgruntled clubs have made a counteroffer to the ARL Commission that would result in John Grant remaining as chairman for a further 12 months but then stand down and pave the way for others to take charge of the game.
- The Australian
- 12:00AM December 16, 2016
- Brent Read
Only days before an extraordinary general meeting designed to lop off Grant’s head, it is understood the clubs responded to the commission’s latest offer with a proposition of their own that would allow the chairman to fight off his axing.
However, the agreement would be conditional on Grant stepping down at the end of next year. It would also be reliant on agreement being reached on a handful of key issues, the most significant being the funding of the clubs from 2018 onwards.
The commission is due to meet today to discuss the club’s latest proposal and there is growing confidence that Grant can save his position with a deal that goes some way towards resembling the original memorandum of understanding struck last year and heralded by Grant at the time as a landmark agreement for the game.
That deal went pear-shaped when the commission suddenly decided they could no longer afford to fund their commitments, prompting the clubs to turn their crosshairs on Grant.
However, Grant and clubs spokesman Bart Campbell have been involved in intense negotiations in recent days as the ARLC chairman attempted to reach an agreement with the clubs that would save his position.
Grant, who less than a fortnight ago said he still expected to be in charge of the game in five years, now has genuine hope that he will survive the push to have him removed, although questions would rightly be asked about his power given any agreement would require a significant backdown from the commission.
Importantly, it is believed the clubs have been given indications that their financial requirements will be met — they want the annual grant to be 130 per cent of the salary cap from 2018.
While that concession will ease some of the tension between the clubs and the commission, it is likely to result in the pressure being moved elsewhere, in particular the talks between the NRL and the Rugby League Players Association over the collective bargaining agreement.
The parties are in the process of escalating talks with the salary cap set to be a central component of those discussions as the RLPA seeks to have the players share a fixed percentage of the game’s revenue from 2018.
It is understood clubs have also made it clear in their counter-proposal that they want to fast-track constitutional change that would give them two representatives on the commission itself. The states are also pushing to have one place on the eight-member body, leaving the remaining five positions to be filled by independent directors.
Any decision to fast-track constitutional change would raise question marks over plans to have Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates conduct a review of the constitution, an announcement trumpeted by Grant only weeks ago as he sought to make peace with the clubs.
Moves to change the constitution would also require the support of the Queensland and NSW Rugby Leagues and while the clubs have the support of the latter as one of 15 shareholders to endorse Grant’s removal, it is understood the QRL has taken legal advice in recent days.
Queensland has ruled out giving up its veto powers — it can stop any changes to the constitution — but it has backed the clubs’ push to have representatives on the commission itself.
Today’s meeting of the commission is likely to be decisive and a positive response to the clubs’ counter-proposal could negate the need for next week’s extraordinary general meeting, where Grant was expected to be removed as chairman.
After the emotions that surrounded the original meeting between the clubs and the commission, the stance of several clubs has softened to the point that they are now willing to allow Grant to stay.
While they have the numbers to force his removal, there are clubs who are keen to avoid the situation given concerns over how it would reflect on the code and whether his removal would bring about change.
Grant also has the full backing of the other seven commissioners. Should he be removed, the remaining seven commissioners would be charged with finding a replacement and appointing a new chair, creating the prospect that the status quo would remain.
