Beattie not after lead NRL role

NEW ARL Commissioner Peter Beattie said he has not been sounded out about becoming chairman next year as he walks into a hothouse environment in which Sydney clubs are incensed that both board vacancies have gone to Queenslanders.

ARL chairman John Grant said the appointments of Beattie, the former Queensland premier, and Burnettraised Professor Megan Davis recognised their skills and “not where they come from’’.

Grant’s successor as chairman next year must come from the ranks of independent commissioners, rather than the commissioners who would represent the NRL clubs, QRL and NSWRL on the mooted 10-person board drafted to take control in February.

Beattie’s claims would be strong to become ARL chairman, but he’d have to overcome reticence from Sydney clubs to the appointment of a second Queenslander, following Grant, who lives in Brisbane.

“It’s a role I haven’t thought about – I want to learn as a commissioner and do the best job I can as a commissioner,’’ Beattie said.

“I will go to games on a regular basis and listen to what the people in the game want.

“Whatever happens is up to commissioners in February.’’

Grant said he could not comment on Beattie as a potential chairman because he would be off the commission before the vote was taken.

“The final revised constitution of the clubs and the two states is yet to come,’’ he said.

Grant sounded out Beattie early last month about the commission position which runs until 2020, after he and Davis had previously been identified as a contender by an outside company.