NRL chief executive Dave Smith answers the tough questions on his first year in charge YOU half expect to find Dave Smith hiding under his desk. If not there, then out back, puffing air into those Jumping Castles. Anywhere, but inside the board room of League Central last Friday, with his first season as chief executive of the NRL in the can. Most felt the Welsh banker would not survive past the 6pm news the day he was announced as David Gallop's replacement last November. Smith's influence on the game over the past 255 days at the helm have been dramatic, controversial and eventful. In an effort to increase participation and attract more females, Smith got rid of the shoulder charge and banned the biff halfway through the State of Origin series. Talkback radio went into meltdown. While mums cheered, others were prepared to offer Smith a one-way ticket back to Wales. "There'll always be negatives with this role, but I've never been fazed by that," Smith said. It's been a really progressive year for the game. Dave Smith laughs at a press conference ahead of the Grand Final. Picture: Kristi Miller However, some still haven't swayed in their belief that Smith is out of his depth, largely because he has never previously been involved in sports administration. They point to sagging crowd averages and a rise in grand final ticket prices despite the most embarrassing City-Country crowd in history, just 4635 people turning up to this year's game in Coffs Harbour. But here's the thing. Smith is not done with yet. It's funny how people think that because the season is over, we stop work. I can tell you, this is just the beginning of such exciting times for rugby league," he said. Spurred on by one of the great grand finals and a hugely successful week of celebrations and fanfare, Smith's ambition hasn't changed from his first interview with The Sunday Telegraph last January - it is to position the NRL as the best code in Australia. According to Smith, that was underlined last Friday when Sonny Bill Williams turned his back on rugby union to commit to the NRL and the Sydney Roosters for 2014. Smith deserves kudos for bringing the salary cap into the 21st century. By being more flexible around how players can earn money outside the game, the NRL now has the ability to ensure athletes like Williams can exploit their talents - in and out of the game. He's great for that club, he's great for our game, the fans love him. I couldn't be happier that he's agreed to stay," Smith said. We said all along we wanted Sonny to stay in our game and it was important he knew that. This is one example of a really positive future for us all. What we're trying to do with the salary cap is build flexibility and modernise it. Sonny is one example of many that athletes have choices to perform in other sports and we have to have flexibility within our systems to support it and so that we keep players like Sonny. Our claim is that we're the greatest game of all and we're trying to be the No.1 participation sport in the country and now we're on that journey. I must admit, I've never really focused on other codes, be it soccer or AFL. I'm more focused on the opportunity that we have. Paul Gallen and Nate Myles go toe-to-toe in Origin I. Picture: Gregg Porteous Now I've got a season under my belt I now know there's even more opportunity and upside to grow the game than I ever expected. Smith's mantra is to grow the game from the grassroots to the elite. That's why he is so passionate about returning the NSW Cup to its rightful home in 2014, as a genuine curtain-raiser to every NRL match. Smith confirmed the new model would see the premier NSW Cup team face the best Queensland Cup team on grand final day next year for state bragging rights. The focus on a genuine reserve-grade competition would also ease the pressure and expectation on the Holden Cup under-20s competition to provide first-grade players. "We're working on a proposal that has gained a lot of momentum and a lot of support to significantly strength the tier-two competition," Smith said. Dave Smith at a Men of League function. What we're trying to do is create a pathway from the bottom of our junior ranks right through to the NRL and what we've identified is the NSW Cup is an important pathway. It will allow us to give a lot more significance to the local heroes that play in that competition and support the teams in a different way. It may still be called the NSW Cup, I'm not sure. People have likened it to the old reserve-grade competition, but I think it will be stronger than that. No CEO has experienced a debut season quite like Smith has. The ASADA investigation is the biggest story in sport and, for the first time, he has opened up about how much the investigation has damaged the game's image. "That's the tragedy of these things," Smith said. I'm the CEO of the NRL and fans and players are really what it is all about. It's a real shame that it had to have that impact on people because of the way it initially unfolded. What we've tried to do ever since is grab hold of it in a fair and rational way without cutting corners. Smith gave no indication of when ASADA would hand down its findings. He denied that a deal had been struck with the anti-doping authority to ensure any possible breach notices, penalties or fines wouldn't be handed down until after last week's grand final. I'm not managing for a set date or outcome. It will continue to play out and I'm comfortable with where we're at with ASADA," Smith said. We've demonstrated when we have evidence, we've acted. I wish we didn't have to deal with it, but it is what is and we're dealing with it accordingly. Rugby league has a serious administration issue with some clubs. Parramatta, Wests Tigers and Manly are operating despite dysfunctional boards and management. But like the formation of the NRL Integrity Unit this year, a new-look Club and Services Unit will also be set up by the NRL. It will soon be announced and in operation to assist those clubs who fail to maintain strict governance. Smith said the unit would not have the power to overthrow a board or force change. "The unit will be designed to support clubs because they've got issues with setting up that governance or if they've got financial planning issues for example," Smith said. It will be prepared to help out when things aren't going as well as they could. It will help us set standards, but equally it will help build positive momentum so we have long-term sustainability in our clubs. Smith added a limitation on funding from the NRL would encourage clubs to determine their own fate ahead of possible expansion in the next six years. Smith is ever the optimist. He believes the past eight months have proven there is a greater opportunity for the game to evolve than even he had ever imagined. But ask him to rate his first season out of 10 and he claims that job isn't for him. It's one for the Australian Rugby League Commission to perform later this year. "I'm not saying we're there yet, but I'm comfortable with where we're at in relation to building a foundation," Smith said. Ratings are something the board will decide whether I've achieved the objectives I've set and I think the fans will have a view, too. But, in realty, I'm building a long term future and I think my success will be determined over the next few years, I hope.