Some of rugby league's most powerful figures have arranged a meeting on Friday to discuss the performance of the NRL leadership and its handling and direction of the game.

A handful of influential officials will meet in Sydney to discuss the performance of head office and gauge the mood in club land. If there is a groundswell of dissatisfaction, a meeting will be called for next week.

The NRL Club Council, comprising representatives from each club, was formed in 2012 to provide a communication pathway with the governing body. There are concerns the body is no longer capable of providing a united front and keeping the NRL accountable because some clubs have become more reliant on central funding or have NRL-appointed directors. Several club bosses feel it necessary to challenge the status quo in the belief the much-vaunted Australian Rugby League Commission hasn't delivered since its establishment in 2012.

One of the biggest issues is the financial performance of the game. While the ARLC trumpeted a surplus of almost $50 million in its annual report, some club officials are sceptical about the figures and how the money is being distributed. An accounting firm has been engaged to go over the figures because of the belief the NRL is not providing a true representation of its financial performance.