The clubs have for decades relied on leagues club grants (result of poker machine profits) to pay players and support juniors.They can't anymore,regardless of which govt being in power.
With the huge sums they were making in the early years,why did not more of them invest in their own home ground with decent facilites,instead of council owned grounds.
Because they naively thought the pot of gold would continue ad infinitum.They had little opposition from other codes,so they thought the game would just sell itself.
Admittedly the SL war didn't help,as the ARL had conservatively $15-20m in the bank prior to the wham bam.
Each club in order to not only survive but thrive, is to get of its backside and promote,sell memberships and get involved if need be property developments,or privatise itself such as Manly and Sth Sydney.The alternative is death,relocation or amalgamation neither a pleasant thought.