Twelve clubs threatening to withdraw teams from next year's statewide rugby league competition unless veteran Queensland administrators John McDonald and Ross Livermore step down are not bluffing, Wynnum Manly chairman Rick Green stressed on Thursday.

Green delivered an open letter, signed by 21 club chairmen, chief executives and board members, calling on chairman McDonald and managing director Livermore to resign to precipitate a new leadership restructure of the QRL.

One of the clubs' biggest gripes has been the QRL's refusal to update them on their leadership succession plans for McDonald, chairman for the past 19 years and Livermore, who's held his post since 1981.

"The clubs make a significant investment in the game in Queensland but have no say in any decisions and we're not being told anything about the succession plans," said Green.

Unless their demands are met, the clubs will not enter teams in the 2011 Intrust Cup.

Such drastic action would leave hundreds of top flight players without anywhere to play next year and would be a last resort according to Green.

Clubs are fed up not having a say in the running of the game despite being the biggest stakeholder in rugby league in Queensland.

They raise millions to fund their own competition yet do not have one vote on the QRL board which makes major decisions that impact on them financially.

"We tip in $11.5 million of our own money to play in our competition," said Green, heading up the challenge.

"Clubs generate almost double what the QRL receive in (NRL-ARL partnership grants) yet they get zero say while the QRL have 100 per cent say.

"Our clubs want to be able to move forward with confidence and have confidence in the leadership."

Norths chief executive and former Queensland and Australian halfback Mark Murray said clubs were unhappy with the QRL's current leadership for various reasons, including a decision to introduce a national under 20s competition which diluted the talent in the Queensland competition.

He said if things didn't change, Queensland clubs would not apply to play in the 2010 competition.

"What we're saying is under the current structure we're unhappy and we won't be entering teams next year," said Murray.

"Should things change next week, or next month, and we become happier with the situation, then we will apply."

Murray said if a player performed poorly he was dropped and if a coach failed to get results, he was eventually replaced.

"If an administrator administrates badly at our club level or NRL club level, he gets the chop," said Murray.

"Unfortunately, at the QRL, the NSWRL level and the ARL level, they've constructed a cocoon-based system where they're protected by the system they've created."

Livermore told Green he would respond to the letter after consulting the QRL board.

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