The NRL Club Council has dismissed it is lobbying against the ARL Commission and is fully behind chairman John Grant and incoming chief executive Dave Smith, who starts his new role on February 1.
The council will meet Grant and interim CEO Shane Mattiske on Monday and Wests Tigers’ chairman Dave Trodden said reports clubs are at odds with the commission are wide of the mark.
“It was largely through the efforts of John Grant and the commission that we established the Club Council as a way for the clubs and the commission to interact,” Trodden said in a statement on Wednesday.
“Far from being dissatisfied with the commission or John Grant, the Club Council is supportive of what they are trying to achieve and the fact they are changing the way business is conducted in rugby league.
“The commission has recognised the importance of funding the clubs, laid out a strategic plan, conducted a long-needed review of funding across the wider game, consolidated development, delivered a record season in terms of crowds, a record television rights deal, made hard decisions around refereeing and established a new way of dealing with clubs through the Club Council.
“There are always going to be points of discussion between the council and the commission and that is a healthy part of any relationship, but there is also unwavering support for what the commission is trying achieve and for the role of the chairman.”