It is one of the toughest jobs in Australian sport and, after 18 years, John Brady has resigned. Most fans would not know his name - and that's the way he has preferred it - but the NRL's long-serving media and communications director has had a massive influence on how the game is governed.

While his title may suggest to many he merely writes press releases and talks to journalists, the cheering by some leading club officials when they learnt the news on Wednesday afternoon shows Brady does a lot more behind the scenes than many will ever know.

On their own: NRL boss Dave Smith will soon have to make do without his media and communications director John Brady following his resignation. Credit:Anthony Johnson

To get an understanding of Brady's role since being recruited by former ARL chief executive John Quayle at the outbreak of the Super League war, think of Tony Blair's former director of communications and strategy Alastair Campbell or the fictional Sir Humphrey Appleby from television's Yes Minister program.

In other words, he knows better than almost anyone else still involved in the game where the bodies are buried, and has been a major contributor in shaping policy under six chief executives - Quayle, Neil Whittaker, David Moffett, David Gallop, Shane Mattiske and Dave Smith.