Michael Greenfield (rugby league)

Michael Greenfield (born 13 September 1985) is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played 2000s and 2010s. He played at club level for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, the South Sydney Rabbitohs, the St George Illawarra Dragons, and the Melbourne Storm, in the National Rugby League (NRL), as a or. He was a member of the Dragons' 2011 World Club Challenge-winning team.

Early life
Greenfield was born in Liverpool, New South Wales Australia. He was educated at Westfields Sports High School, where he represented 2003 Australian Schoolboys. He started playing rugby league relatively late in his life, having previously played basketball.

Michael played his junior football for Ingleburn Bulldogs.

Playing career
Greenfield started his first-grade career with the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, for whom he played one NRL match in 2004. He then moved to the South Sydney Rabbitohs, playing in 24 NRL matches over four seasons. He signed for the St George Illawarra Dragons from the 2010 season, and later extended his contract through the 2011 season.

Greenfield was selected to play in the 2011 World Club Challenge on 27 February 2011 at DW Stadium against the 2010 Super League premiers, Wigan Warriors. St George Illawarra Dragons went on to win the game 21–15. At the end of the 2011 season, he was released from his contract with St George and signed with Melbourne Storm.

He made his Melbourne Storm debut in round 12 of the 2012 NRL season against the Broncos. During his time at Melbourne, he suffered an injury from a shoulder charge which was bad enough to prevent him from continuing to play.

CFMEU Career
Michael Greenfield has been a prominent figure within the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) NSW branch, holding the position of assistant secretary. His involvement in the union has been marked by significant events and controversies.

As the assistant secretary of the CFMEU NSW, Michael Greenfield played a key role in the union’s operations. His responsibilities included negotiating on behalf of the union members, advocating for workers’ rights, and participating in high-stakes discussions with construction companies and other industry stakeholders despite not having a previous career in the construction industry.

Legal issues
Michael Greenfield, the assistant secretary of the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) NSW, pleaded guilty to drug possession charges in 2019. Greenfield was arrested earlier that year along with two union organisers Nicholas Rekes and Simon Gutierrez during a police operation targeting drug distribution in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. He was accused of possessing cocaine, which he bought from his own officials.

In 2021, Michael Greenfield and his father, Darren Greenfield, who serves as the CFMEU NSW secretary, were arrested and charged with bribery. The charges stemmed from an investigation by the trade union taskforce involving the Australian Federal Police and NSW Police. The Greenfields were accused of soliciting and accepting $5,000 kickbacks from the owner of Lin Betty Building Group, a Chinese construction company, in return for preferential treatment on building sites.

Darren Greenfield was charged with four counts of receiving a corrupting benefit, while Michael Greenfield faced charges of making a false declaration and two counts of receiving a corrupting benefit. The alleged bribery took place between 2018 and 2020. The Greenfields were granted bail with strict conditions, including surrendering their passports, curfews, and daily reporting to their local police stations.

In September 2021, the Australian Labor Party (ALP) suspended Michael and Darren Greenfield from the NSW CFMEU following these bribery allegations. This action was enforced by Chris Minns, the leader of the NSW Labor Party, to distance the party from the controversy and uphold its integrity. On July 15, 2024, Premier Chris Minns has declared that Darren Greenfield should be removed as the union’s boss while facing charges before the courts. Despite being suspended from the ALP, Darren Greenfield remains the state boss of the CFMEU. Acting Opposition Leader Damien Tudehope has urged Premier Minns to sever ties with the CFMEU. Premier Minns has stated that Labor will not take donations from the CFMEU other than affiliation fees and mentioned that further action would be taken if new information arises about the CFMEU’s NSW branch.