Australian Rugby League Commission Chair John Grant "may be in the firing line with disgruntled clubs," but the man himself says he has "no plans to walk away and may even extend his time at the apex of the game" beyond the two years remaining on his current term, according to Brent Read of THE AUSTRALIAN. Grant, whose tenure has come under "increasing scrutiny following a meeting with club chairmen earlier this week over future funding," also denied suggestions he apologized to officials from News Corp. Australia and Telstra "over the handling of broadcast negotiations." Grant is facing his "most turbulent period at the helm of rugby league." Not only has he had to deal with "the fallout from the record-breaking broadcasting deal with the Nine Network," but he continues to "face angst from clubland over how the game's riches should be shared." As for his "involvement in the deal with the Nine Network, which alienated" News Corp. and Telstra, Grant insists all parties "have moved on." Grant: "Supposedly I apologized for securing the best ever free-to-air deal the game has ever seen. I don't think I did that" (THE AUSTRALIAN, 10/30). In Melbourne, Brad Walter reported "disgruntled" National Rugby League club bosses are "expected to begin canvassing support" to challenge Grant if they "remain unsatisfied with their share" of a A$50M ($35.4M) advance from the new broadcast deal. A sub-committee of Melbourne Chair Bart Campbell, his Sydney Roosters counterpart Nick Politis, Melbourne's Ray Dib, Manly's Scott Penn and Warriors CEO Jim Doyle "are due to report back to other club bosses on Friday." Grant is committed to spreading the A$50M across the game but clubs "believe they should receive the majority of that money" after incurring losses of more than A$30M ($21.2M) between them this year. The clubs are seeking an increase of their annual participation grant so they receive A$2.5M ($1.8M) more than the salary cap, which will rise next year to A$6.8M ($4.8M) (THE AGE, 10/29).
