Suspicions that the campaign to oust John Grant as ARLC chair is motivated by a clandestine plan to install a puppet replacement, as well as a chief executive who can be manipulated by powerful Sydney NRL clubs, will force some club chairmen to withdraw their support for a planned vote against him.

The ARLC constitution has been deliberately constructed to make it extremely difficult for clubs to overthrow an independent commission, meaning any leakage of votes away from the 14 required to oust Grant will make it fail.

Under pressure: John Grant. Credit:Louise Kennerley

A select committee of NRL club chairmen, led by the Storm's Bart Campbell, has reached an impasse with Grant over funding, which, unresolved, will come to a head on December 2 when all 16 clubs next meet.

But fears that a vote against Grant is not so much a negotiating ploy to extract more money from him but a plot to install puppets on the commission, with a compliant chief executive, has led one club chairman to consider contacting Campbell to withdraw his planned vote against Grant.