IT’S the management style that has polarised a sporting code — and cost players and clubs more than $2.3 million in fines.

NRL chief executive Dave Smith’s approach to cleaning up rugby league has been described by fans and commentators as everything from lacking consistency, a dictatorship, ruthless and out of touch.

Others believe Smith is spot on; urgently required and absolutely necessary to take the game forward as the number one football code in the country.

What is certain, is that the former banker’s leadership is reaping millions.

The Sunday Telegraph can reveal that Smith has dealt out a whopping $2.3 million in fines, breach notices and penalties since his appointment as CEO of the NRL on February 1, 2013.

It is the most amount of money the NRL has generated from fines within a two-year period in more than a decade.

Such is the frequency of the fines that since his appointment 20-months ago, Smith has metered out the equivalent of $26,489 a week.

In David Gallop’s final year at the helm of the NRL in 2012, he dished out a total of $237,569 in fines. Gallop’s tenure was highlighted by a $1.7 million total in 2010 due to the Melbourne Storm salary cap scandal.

Smith has metered out $697,671 in penalties in 2014 — and neither the year or Smith is finished with yet.

That figure will rise to over $700,000, if NSW and Cronulla captain Paul Gallen is unable to reduce the $50,000 infringement he’s been hit with following an offensive tweet.

He has until tomorrow to appeal the breach notice.

media_camera Cronulla Sharks NRL player Paul Gallen was most recently fined $50,000.

media_camera Reni Maitua was fined $10,000.

New concussion laws, introduced under Smith in the 2014 season, has contributed $100,000 to this year’s total.

The Gold Coast Titans were also hit with a significant $300,000 fine for salary cap breaches last month.

Last year’s total figure of $1.6 million in penalties signed-off on by Smith was impacted by a $1 million fine imposed on the Cronulla Sharks for governance issues related to the 2011 supplements scandal.

media_camera George Burgess has been fined in the past for $10,000.

Smith declined to speak with The Sunday Telegraph for the purpose of this article.

However, an NRL spokesperson said the Smith’s management style was a by-product of the code’s ambition to protect the image of the game.

“The rules have been in place for many years and they dictate the level of fines, not the management style,” the spokesperson said.

“If there are breaches of the rules then the fines are applied.

“The only new area of penalties has been in relation to breaches of the concussion laws and we make no apology for taking player welfare seriously.

“We are also determined to protect the image of the game.

“The community expects us to take a strong stance against breaches of the salary cap or behaviour which brings the game into disrepute – and that is exactly what we are doing.

“It is not about management, it is about doing the right thing.”

The spokesperson added that any money generated by rugby league’s bad boys remained in the game — not in the back pockets of management at NRL HQ.

“All revenue generated from fines is put back into the game,’’ the spokesperson said.

“This includes grassroots support, game development, clubs and player welfare.’’

Dave Smith began as NRL CEO on February, 1 2013. And after 90 weeks (or 1 year and 8 months), more than $2.3m in fines have been handed out.

2014

OCTOBER 27 — Paul Gallen fined $50,000

OCTOBER 23 — $30,000 — Samoa trio Reni Maitua, Tautau Moga and Sauaso Sue are fined $10,000 by the NRL Integrity Unit for their involvement in a drunken pub brawl.

OCTOBER 16 — The Gold Coast Titans are docked four NRL competition points and fined $300,000 for salary cap breaches, with the loss of points and a quarter of the fine suspended. Manly ($6,000), Newcastle ($35,519), Roosters ($40,000), Tigers ($9,326).

OCTOBER 11 — Canterbury fined $20,000 for their late arrival on to the field for the grand final.

SEPTEMBER 28 — Canterbury fined $5000 by the NRL for the misbehaviour of one of their sideline officials

SEPTEMBER 18 — Penrith fined $20,000 for breaching the game’s concussion guidelines

SEPTEMBER 16 — Cowboys coach Paul Green fined $10,000 by the NRL after claiming the club lacked faith in the judiciary process

AUGUST 29 — Cowboys fined $20,000 for breaching NRL concussion rules during a round-20 game against the Bulldogs.

MAY 18 — Ricky Stuart fined $10,000 for using the word ‘s**t” to describe the refereeing performance in his post-match press conference

media_camera Ricky Stuart was fined $10,000.

MAY 14 — Roosters half-back Mitchell Pearce fined $20,000 and dumped from the Roosters team after a boozy night out in Kings Cross. Team-mate Boyd Cordner is fined $5,000

MAY 7 — Wests Tigers fined $20,000 for breaking the game’s new concussion laws.

APRIL 24 — Canterbury fined $10,00 for breaching the game’s concussion laws

($610,000)

2013

DECEMBER 17 — Cronulla Sharks fined $1 million ($400,000 suspended) by the NRL for breaches relating to the ASADA supplement scandal

($1.62M)

AUGUST 19 — Manly coach Geoff Toovey fined $10,000 for comments made at a post-match press conference

JULY 5 — Seven clubs are fined for salary cap breaches totalling more than $500,000. Cronulla ($150,000), Canberra ($144,393), Newcastle ($88,749), Manly ($85,000), Gold Coast ($16,217), Roosters ($14,348) and Parramatta ($4700).

JULY 2 — Stuart hit with a $10,000 penalty after he questioned the impartiality of referees following Parramatta’s loss to Gold Coast in round six.

JULY 2 — Cowboys prop James Tamou fined $20,000, banned from Origin II and one NRL match after being charged with drink-driving. His blood alcohol reading was 0.197, nearly four times the legal limit.

media_camera James Tamou was hit with a $20,000 fine.

JUNE 24 — Eels coach Ricky Stuart is fined $15,000 with NRL claiming Stuart broke the guidelines in regards to ``a coach attacking the integrity of the match officials’’.

JUNE 18 — South Sydney’s George Burgess fined $10,000 and suspended for two matches after he allegedly smashed a car windscreen with a street sign after attending a Cairns night spot.

JUNE 3 — Warriors prop Russell Packer fined $15,000 after relieving himself moments before kick-off at Suncorp Stadium.

APRIL 14 — Parramatta are issued with a $10,000 fine after Ricky Stuart brutal criticism of the referees following a loss to the Gold Coast.