It means Greenberg is in line to collect a bonus of about $250,000. Other senior executives will receive up to 25 per cent of their salaries – in some cases about $100,000 – in bonuses. What a shame: Elliott Whitehead's reaction says it all after a disastrous end to the season. Credit:Sitthixay Ditthavong A decision on whether to proceed with the bonuses will be one of the first big tests for incoming ARLC chairman Peter V’landys. The bonuses are discretionary and determined by the commission. Each executive has their own targets to meet. No decision has been made yet by the ARLC.

Club and state leaders in the game – and some commissioners – say they will be staggered if the NRL gives away so much money to the game’s bosses after such a disastrous end to the season. They believe the money would be better spent on grassroots football and repairing the damage done to the game. The NRL winds up its financial year on October 30; the same day that V’landys takes over. Sam no longer feeling loved at Bunnies Physically imposing and tough, Sam Burgess oozes charisma and appears to be a tower of strength.

So it’s hard to think of him struggling and being vulnerable in any way. But he is. Burgess is in a tough spot and he is asking himself some serious questions about his career and his life. There is a genuine fear he may not be able to get his body back to the point where he can be a brutal force in the game again. Or, indeed, if he can keep on playing at all.

His shoulder didn’t allow him to be the dominant player Souths needed this year. By the end of the season he was playing with the use of one shoulder, something you may be able to do for one game as a gutsy halfback in a grand final, but not as an enforcer. Chinks in the armour: The rumour mill has been in overdrive about Sam Burgess' state of mind at the Rabbitohs. Credit:AAP But there is another issue worrying him. For the first time in his career at Souths he is not feeling loved by the club. Rival clubs are well aware of this and are talking about it openly. Even though Burgess has always been a favourite of Russell Crowe and now Wayne Bennett, he is feeling as though he hasn’t got the level of support he once had. Burgess may deny this – and Souths may not know it – but I’ve been assured it’s spot-on.

Burgess is thought to be keen on getting stem cell treatment for his shoulder. Souths have been talking about alternative treatments for a couple of weeks. Perhaps this is what they are referring to? It’s a costly exercise: depending on who does it, the treatment can range from $1500 to $10,000 an injection. Loading There was a rumour that Burgess wanted to go to America for the treatment and Souths were not keen. Bennett says he knows nothing about this. So why would Souths be cold on Burgess? I’ve been told Souths have been less than thrilled with elements of his game – principally his discipline. A number of charges and suspensions have caused angst. Then there is the investment Souths have made in Burgess, and the way it may affect their bottom line, roster and salary cap. He’s on $1 million plus until the end of 2023. Burgess has also been struggling in his personal life for some time and some feel that is having an impact on his performances. His marriage has been under the microscope for months and that has taken its toll.

The winner isn't... Jared Waerea-Hargreaves has handled the Clive Churchill Medal mess with class. JWH was told while the players were waiting for the presentation that he had been named man of the match in the grand final, only for Canberra’s Jack Wighton to be announced as the winner. ‘‘I feel a bit for Jack Wighton,’’ Waerea Hargreaves said. ‘‘I really feel like he deserved to win the medal. I’m not angry about it. I don’t play for the individual rewards. I play for the team to do well.’’ Uncomfortably numb: Jack Wighton accepts the Clive Churchill Medal. Credit:NRL Photos

Grand final master of ceremonies James Bracey, who had to deal with the medal debacle on the run, must have feared having his own Sarah Murdoch moment on Sunday night. Murdoch was stitched up by producers on Australia’s Next Top Model in 2010 when she was given the wrong winner of the competition and announced it on air. It also happened at the Oscars when Warren Beatty announced the wrong best picture movie. Loading Bracey almost joined them. He took the grand final stage ready to read out Waerea-Hargreaves as the winner. Vision shows JWH being prepared to get the award and an NRL official talking to him. Bracey had the initials JWH scribbled in his notes as the winner. Channel Nine was on an ad break and the official presentation was to take place after the break. At that stage only two sets of votes had been submitted, from Laurie Daley and Mal Meninga. It is understood Bracey had initially been told by Frank Puletua, who was in charge of the voting process, that it was JWH.

Darren Lockyer had post-match commitments with Channel Nine and was unable to submit his votes. When he was in a position to vote, he could not input the results into the app. As this was happening, and with Channel Nine saying it needed the result, it was communicated that Waerea-Hargreaves was leading after Daley and Meninga’s votes were tallied. It was then communicated to JWH that he should be on standby to receive the award. With Lockyer unable to log his votes online, he gave them to Puletua verbally, which left Wighton as the winner. Puletua communicated this to NRL boss Todd Greenberg. To Victor got the spoils Victor Radley was very nearly the best player on the ground for the Roosters in the grand final but, according to the players, he raised the bar during the celebrations with an impressive display.

Let's get the party started: Victor Radley and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves react to the full-time whistle. Credit:Getty Radley said the key to victory was surviving the 10 minutes when Cooper Cronk was in the sin bin following his early tackle on Josh Papalii. ‘‘When he got binned, I still remember him saying, and patting his chest, it’s time to show some heart boys,’’ Radley said. ‘‘It was all about effort.’’ In the Nick of time The Raiders didn’t appreciate the joke, but there was a funny moment at the Roosters presentation night when trainer Travis Touma was on stage. Touma was being lauded as one of the two men – Craig Fitzgibbon is the other – who Robinson leans on when a question came.

The 14th man: Travis Touma saw the funny side after being hit with the ball in the NRL grand final. Raiders fans didn't. Credit:Channel Nine ‘‘Was that a set play on Sunday?’’ yelled club supremo Nick Politis in reference to the trainer’s now-infamous contribution to the grand final when the ball struck him in the head. ‘‘I’ll do anything for this club, Nick,’’ Touma replied. The Roosters faithful loved it. Not sure Raiders fans would be quite so amused.