http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...b/news-story/192f2c544916bd92c5f0fec94ed3f811
NRL chairmen and chairwomen plot John Grant’s downfall at the pub
Christian Nicolussi & Paul Crawley, The Daily Telegraph
an hour ago
UNDER-siege ARL Commission chairman John Grant looked a broken man last night as his 16 NRL club counterparts sat in a pub a few hundred metres away, plotting his downfall.
In sensational scenes at League Central, four chairmen — Canterbury’s Ray Dib, Melbourne’s Bart Campbell, Cronulla’s Damian Keogh and North Queensland’s Laurence Lancini — stormed out on Grant just 35 minutes into a meeting involving licensing agreements.
The remaining chairmen and chairwomen hung around another two hours to thrash out their concerns with Grant before they scattered through a back exit in the rain.
They were spotted afterwards sharing a beer with Dib, Campbell, Keogh and Lancini at the Olympic Hotel.
The Daily Telegraph approached Grant in the foyer of League Central about talk of a vote of no-confidence from the chairmen.
“I think we might be getting ahead of ourselves,’’ Grant said.
When pressed further on his thoughts about the four chairmen walking out, NRL CEO Todd Greenberg intervened.
“I’ll give you a quote for John if you want,’’ Greenberg told The Daily Telegraph.
“We understand the clubs are disappointed, but we must have a whole-game focus and ensure every aspect of the game, from clubs to grassroots to digital and participation, receive adequate funds.’’
The NRL last night put out a statement, which read: “The ARL Commissioners and NRL CEO Todd Greenberg met today with club and state chairs to provide an update on club licence discussions.
“No agreement was reached but the parties have agreed to reconvene next week to discuss further.’’
It was 39 words. It was roughly 39 hours earlier Grant and Greenberg were on the other side of the world, celebrating the Kangaroos’ Four Nations victory.
Clubs had expected to be paid 130 per cent of the total player payments from 2018, only for Grant to pull that off the table not long after 2pm. The NRL wanted to make the collective bargaining agreement a priority.
The four chairmen who departed early did not wish to comment when approached at the Olympic Hotel. Dib pointed to Campbell to speak on behalf of the chairmen, only for Campbell to remain tight-lipped.
Newcastle’s Brian McGuigan told The Daily Telegraph he was surprised by the walkout, but stressed the need to get a salary cap set for 2018 and beyond.
“I think some of the fellas just didn’t like what was said at the outset, so they left the meeting, which was a pity,’’ McGuigan said.
“They didn’t like what he (Grant) had to say (about talks being suspended until next year), so that’s why they left.
“We continued to talk after they left and we have committed to get together with the commission within the next week or 10 days.
“No date has been set. Hopefully those blokes will be there.’’
McGuigan, easily the best-dressed official in attendance, revealed his frustrations at trying to operate a club without knowing what the salary cap was going to be.
“Well you can’t, can you? Because you cannot offer people money unless you know what your own budget is,” McGuigan said.
“So that is something we need to get finalised because we are heading headlong into the new season and we have to get it right.
“For those of us particularly who are doing it tough.”
Despite Grant’s assertions, McGuigan didn’t believe talks would be delayed until next year.
“Look, I don’t think that is going to actually occur. I think we will get to a discussion before then,” he said.
“He said that but I think that might be watered down a little. But I can’t say anything much more because it is in the middle.”
