Last week's resignation of CEO Todd Greenberg has left a hole in the upper management of the NRL. 

Pressure stemming from the effects of COVID-19 highlighted the financial issues plaguing the code which saw Greenberg cop the majority of the backlash.

Richardson had been tipped by Russell Crowe, co-owner of his former club, as the perfect candidate for the now vacant role. 

But Richardson has no intention of becoming Greenberg's successor.

“I’ve got a genuine interest in assisting the game where I can, (but) to run the NRL is not something I particularly want to do,” Richardson told 2GB’s The Continuous Call Team.

“It’s a very difficult job and I’m sure Todd Greenberg’s wife and family are extremely happy that he’s home with them now because of the crap that he was put through.

“It just makes it very difficult to do the role.”

Richardson continued to fire his criticism towards the treatment the former NRL CEO received.

“Completely and utterly (unfair),” said Richardson. “People were going on about the CEO and the buck stops with him, but he took on a very untenable job in the first place.

“He didn’t do the original deal that put the NRL in the position that it’s in. He certainly had a lot of bravery taking it on and at the end of the day it was a very difficult task.

“It came crumbling down with the virus, but a lot of businesses have come crumbling down with the virus."

The former Rabbitohs boss said the $50 million the NRL borrowed from broadcasters as a major reason why Greenberg had a tough battle from the beginning of his tenure.

Richardson added: “It’s a very difficult world to have one person operating those two separate sets of skills. I really do believe (Greenberg) inherited a poisoned chalice.

“You tell me in business, any business in the world, gets $2 billion and then has to borrow $50 million from the people they just got $2 billion off to actually cash flow the next 18 months.

“What sort of deal is that? What sort of business has that as its starting point? You start $50 million dollars behind the eight-ball before you go any further."

As other possible candidates have already shunned away from the position, current interim Andrew Abdo could now be favourite to take on the CEO role on a permanent basis.