The QRL does not want Mal Meninga stepping on the toes of other employees NEW Queensland Rugby League boss Robert Moore has made extending Mal Meninga's contract one of his top priorities. However, the sticking point is not money but how much control Meninga will be allowed over the game in Queensland.
Moore is only two days into his new job, having succeeded the long-serving Ross Livermore.
Meninga began holidays yesterday after sitting down with the NRL match review committee in Sydney on Monday -- part of a compromise deal to halt legal action threatened by the committee after accusing Meninga of questioning their integrity in a newspaper column.
Meninga has plans to broaden his reach as Queensland Origin coach when he returns from a European holiday.
However, Moore doesn't want Meninga duplicating the activities QRL staff already perform, such as talent identification and development programs.
The QRL board has already approved in principle a new four-year contract for Meninga.
The items to be settled remain how much Meninga will be paid and what his roles will be beyond coaching Queensland to a possible seventh straight series win.
Moore maintained money had not been discussed and would not be an issue.
"Obviously with someone with Mal's profile, you want to maximise the potential you can get out of that," Moore said.
"But you don't want to overload Mal as well. Part of my role is what is acceptable to both parties.
"Primarily, Origin results are his main key performance indicator.
"But we think there are things he can do to enhance Origin into the future as well," Moore said, without Meninga stepping on the toes of current QRL employees.
"He could attract sponsors to the game as well as progressing some talented players.
"There's a whole raft of things to do but some we (QRL) are already involved with so my discussions with Mal are about setting the boundaries of what is (for him) and what isn't."
Moore and Meninga are old friends. They played together for Valleys and Souths in the Brisbane competition before Meninga joined the Canberra Raiders in 1986. The pair were also both Queensland police officers.
Moore spent three years as chief executive of the London Broncos before returning to work for the QRL and then as deputy director-general of the Queensland government's sport and recreation services department.
As the new QRL boss, he plans to maintain the rage with the NSWRL over a range of issues, including State of Origin.
Moore is happy to see one of the three games next year played in Melbourne, unlike Blues coach Ricky Stuart.
"I'm comfortable with the game in Melbourne. My view is the game is national and it needs to expand. If it does, then you need to take it to the frontiers," Moore said.
Source: theaustralian.com.au
Topic: The QRL does not want Mal Meninga stepping on the toes of other employees
