As incoming Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg assessed the global headwinds facing the sport, he declared his time in rugby league could hold him in good stead to embrace the challenges.

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The 53-year-old, who spoke for the first time since being appointed a role he will officially begin next March in Adelaide on Thursday, headed the NRL from 2016 until the onset of the pandemic in 2020.

He bore criticism surrounding the financial modelling associated with a billion dollar broadcast deal at the NRL and questions were raised about his working relationship with Australian Rugby League Commission chair Peter V’landys.

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A grade cricketer with the Randwick Petersham club, Greenberg had previously taken over the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs at a time the club was in the midst of a crisis in 2008 and helped change the club’s fortunes.

Greenberg, who has been the chief executive of the Australian Cricketers’ Association in recent years, was a strong supporter of David Warner in his bid to overturn a leadership ban.

He has worked in senior management at Stadium Australia and said he is looking forward to discussing developments associated with stadia in Brisbane leading into the 2032 Olympics in Queensland.

“I loved my time in rugby league. People often say Rugby League is a tough, collision sport, and that’s off the field. And I learned plenty,” he said.

“I learned an enormous amount (about) the importance of bringing stakeholders together, and the importance of not running one hour and thinking that you have all the answers, because, quite simply, you could ask me a myriad of questions today, and I won’t have all the answers, and I’m comfortable with that, because what we’ll do is we’ll surround ourselves with really smart people.

“Cricket Australia has got a very talented executive team who are going to do some really good work. We’re going to grow together as well, so probably stakeholders and the occasional crisis will probably hold me in good stead as well.”

Greenberg, who will move to Melbourne with his family and be based at Cricket Australia’s Jolimont headquarters, said his sport faced significant challenges greater than those of rival domestic codes including the NRL.

The rapid expansion in franchise leagues around the world is just one issue facing cricket, but the new CEO also said the global nature of the game meant there were great opportunities for growth as well.

“There is going to be plenty of them, so I am a realist, but I would say this to you and I said exactly the same thing to the board — in my view, in Australian sport, cricket has the biggest challenges coming to it of all the domestic sports, but it also has the greatest opportunity and vision and to marry those two things together will be the definition of success” he said.

“There are a lot of challenges. We won’t go into them today, but there are plenty coming.”

But Greenberg, who quipped that he told Cricket Australia chairman Mike Baird “you had me at hello” when asked if he wanted the job last weekend, acknowledged the ripple effects caused by the expansion of franchise cricket is chief among the issues the sport faces.

“I think it’s pretty clear that the global system of cricket is changing,” he said.

“Franchise cricket is putting pressure on bilateral cricket, and the way we have known cricket for such a long time in this country is changing in front of our very eyes. That change can be really good and positive and commercial. We have to get our heads around that.

“Cricket is not a sport that has traditionally loved change, so we have to embrace that, and that takes leadership. As Mike said, it takes courage. But it will also take us working together.

“What you won’t hear from me is running one out. You won’t hear a lot of ‘me’ and ‘I’. You’ll hear a lot of ‘us’, because it takes a village, and it’s going to take an entire cricket village if we are going to turn the ship.”

Baird, who described the new appointment as a “unicorn” among what was a global search given his resume and love of the sport, is impressed by Greenberg’s endeavour and also his previous experience in the sports’ industry.

“This is a challenging time, but also an exciting time, and for the season that cricket is about to go through, we need a seasoned CEO. We have a season of challenge, but also opportunities, and we think that Todd is perfectly positioned to take days out and to lead the game,” Baird said.

“What stood out was his courage, how many times he has made difficult, tough decisions. He’s led on those. He’s shown care. There’s care for individuals, team members (and) players. He is someone that has deep compassion for what he does daily, professionally and personally. And he also brings great values.”