The NRL's head of football, Todd Greenberg, won't rule out have a run at the vacant chief executive post but says he will wait until the role is formally finalised before deciding on his next move.
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The Australian Rugby League Commission's search for a replacement for outgoing CEO Dave Smith will be handled by a recruitment company and the formal details or the role have yet to be put in writing.
Until that happens, Greenberg, the former chief executive of the Canterbury Bulldogs, won't make public his intention to throw his hat in the ring, telling reporters at the NRL All Stars launch in Brisbane that he was keeping his options open.
"The way I respond is pretty simple. The Commission is yet to formalise a position description. Once they do that, clearly I'll have a look at it. Other than that, I'm not keen to make too many comments," Greenberg said.
Greenberg would be one of the leading internal candidates already working at League Central, while a number of club bosses, including Brisbane's Paul White and New Zealand's Jim Doyle, have also been linked with the high-profile role.
The Commission would love a new CEO in place for the start of next season but White has been among those suggesting that time frame would wipe out a number of quality external candidates, many of whom would have six-month leave clauses in their current contracts.
While Greenberg was open-ended in his answer to questions about the CEO race, he was firm in saying the NRL wouldn't be using its reserve funds to facilitate the buy-back of former South Sydney star Sam Burgess, now playing rugby in the UK.
He said there was the provision for that transaction to take place but categorically ruled it out in a significant blow for the Rabbitohs in their attempt to lure the free-running forward back to Redfern.
"It can be [used for Burgess]. But it won't be. I just don't think that's what it was designed for. I think when it was announced, the CEO said at the time it might be once a decade. This is not the sort of example it might be used for," he said.
Greenberg couldn't confirm the location of the NRL All Stars match beyond 2016, when it will be played at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium. But the NRL has been firm in its support for the concept and he said there were a number of suitors bidding for hosting rights.
I can't [tell you] beyond this year, other than that there are a lot of interested parties that want the game. There's a lot of economic impact it will bring to Queensland, clearly," Greenberg said.
"There are other people that are looking to talk to us but we've made a strong commitment to being here in Queensland."
