Murdoch did seek a head on a plate. He could not sack one of his own because that would be conceding Fox Sports had not kept its eye on the secret negotiations over TV rights taking place with Nine at a Sydney eastern suburbs hotel. He's gone: Dave Smith has retired as CEO of the NRL. Credit:Photo: Nick Moir Rupert's response was to pay at least $300m more for AFL rights, believing the NRL could never get close to the $2.5b over six year deal he secured for his latest sporting love. The fury of News' top executives was compounded when Smith and ARL Commission chair John Grant accepted a prior invitation to attend a lunch at Catalinas restaurant, hosted by Murdoch. Rupert's lieutenants suggested Smith and Grant be seated "near the shit house", appalled that Smith would inform Fox of the Nine deal only hours before the Stock Exchange was notified.

But Smith was merely acting on the commands of key commissioners to separate the free-to-air and pay TV deals, rather than continue the Nine/Fox Sports alliance. OK, anyone who had lived through the Super League war, which Smith had not, knows you don't piss off a man who, as former News boss John Hartigan once said, buys ink by the thousand litre barrel. Nor did Smith have to execute the Nine deal more than two years ahead of the current contract expiring. But he has allowed ample time for the Fox Sports and NRL executives to return to the negotiating table. It just won't be with him. His resignation acts as what media rights consultant, Colin Smith, calls "a circuit breaker" for the stalled negotiations on the four NRL games per week yet to be sold to either pay TV or the big internet providers, such as Netflix.

The NRL club bosses circling the administration will want at least another billion dollars and Dave Smith is confident this is achievable. He told a friend recently that the total package will be commensurate with the AFL's, even allowing for Rupert paying overs in "jilted love affair money." So what is Smith's legacy? Significant growth in the value of broadcast rights. Billions secured in investment for Rugby League stadiums. Record club membership. New football pathways for recreational, female and elite players along with partnership with Touch football. Massive growth in digital profile and reach. Higher funding for clubs, states and grassroots than ever before. Improved response to poor player behaviour. Safer sport (shoulder charge, spear tackle, no punching.). Four clubs saved from administration and restructured. His handling of the Cronulla supplements saga was also far superior to the AFL's approach to Essendon, with 34 AFL players yet to have their futures determined. When Smith debated AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan at a business breakfast in Melbourne in March, it was clear to neutral observers that the NRL guy won.

He was assured, confident, measured, yet passionate about a game he was yet to learn never loves you back with same ardour you give it. Smith can't be accorded the code's highest honour, which is a survivor, in the sense that Wayne Bennett, Phil Gould and Roosters boss Nick Politis are survivors. Sure, there are others at the coal face who have made rugby league their life-long career but these "have clip board, will travel" assistant coaches are spared the inexorable and incessant spotlight of the critics. Nor are they exposed to the merciless carping on the fan's new platform, social media. Smith appeared impervious to criticism, telling colleagues under siege "don't let them get you down" but the workload took its leaden toll.

Those who recall he did not know the name of the Australian captain when he took the job should remember it was players like Cameron Smith he cared for when he upset Fox Sports by taking the unpopular Monday night games out of the next TV rights deal. He may have gone to the Rugby World Cup to watch Wales play but when he vacates his office at NRL Central, it will be as a leaguie.