The way the figure is being presented is absolutely utter fantasy. It's not "spending per day", it's Kent getting a calculator out and dividing 182m by 365.
The 182m annual expenditure is accurate, but it's all completely reasonable and accounted for in the financials.
It's not reasonable. Having so little in savings AND no hard property asset is a fundamental failing. The AFL owns AFL HQ as well as a world class stadium. There is no reason why the NRL couldn't have invested proportionally.
And it's accounted for? Yes nobody is saying the money is stashed in Todd's basement. Just that much of it was wasted when a significant chunk should have gone into at least one tangible investment.
If the salary cap was 70% of what it is now the game would lose nothing of quality. Would a few Karmichael Hunt type players go off chasing mercenary bucks? Yep. But they'd be replaced by the next talent waiting in line.
Additonally, the club grants do not need to be higher than the cap. The NRL had its pants pulled down by players as well as by clubs every time it sat down at a negotiating table.
Todd Greenberg is a PR guy. He does not have the head to manage a billion dollar organisation.