Chairman of the ARLC Peter V’Landys has said that if the NRL are to invest in Super League, club owners need to give up control because it is “not working”.
There has been talk of potential NRL investment in Super League for a long time now, with many fans hoping and calling for the Australian league to involve themselves in the British game.
The NRL are a billion-dollar business, with a salary cap three times that of Super League. That does not mean the Super League cannot compete though, with Hull KR becoming the third Super League team in a row to win the World Club Challenge – theirs coming against 2025 Premiers Brisbane Broncos.
For V’Landys, if the Australian competition are to buy into Super League, it is about making the owners’ investment “better” but with that, the running of the sport should be independent and therefore, control would have to be handed over.
Currently, the Super League club owners have significant control in the sport and the decision making of the governing body. Instead, they would become more akin to “shareholders” that do not “operate” the company.
“What I’d say to them is, I can stop you putting money in and I can make your investment a lot better, but you’re going to have to give up control because it’s not working,” V’Landys told Sky Sports.
“At the end of the day, look at the model and tell me if it’s working. Look at the NRL in comparison, which is completely independent, and it’s chalk and cheese.
“What I want to do to those Super League club owners is that they don’t have to put their money in their pocket – I want to give them return on their investment rather than them continuing to bleed losses.
“In order for them to do that, they’re going to have to faith in us and faith in an independent model. That can put a time period or a sunset clause in there, but I can tell you I’m very confident that they’ll be much better financially than they are now.
“What they [club owners] have to understand is that if we are to invest in it, we’re not investing to make money – we’re probably going to lose money.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Paul Wellens, who is now assistant coach of the North Queensland Cowboys, is relishing the chance for his side to perform in Las Vegas as they take on the Newcastle Knights at the Allegiant Stadium in the NRL.
“If we put the investment in, then we need to control it independently. They’ll certainly be consulted but the model will never work if it’s a self-interest model and some of those clubs will have to relinquish control.
“It’s like shareholders in a company. If you’re a shareholder, you don’t operate the company – you trust a board of directors to run a company, to maximise the revenues and then maximise the dividends back to you.
“That’s the model we want – we want to be able to run the company and maximise their returns.”
Why do they want to invest?
So, why is it that the NRL want to bring this potential investment in? It is all about their global model.
Currently, the NRL have four clubs in Las Vegas, along with Super League’s Leeds Rhinos and Hull KR, and have plans to keep taking games around the world.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Hull KR’s flying wingers Tom Davies and Noah Booth travelled down the SlotZilla Zipline on Fremont Street, Las Vegas.
In order for that to be successful, they need thriving leagues outside of Australia.
“The NRL clubs are very supportive because they can see the need to have rugby league as a global game, and the need to have Super League being very vibrant,” he added.
“They can see the big picture. We’ve come back, we’ve done some modelling, we’ve done some analytical work to see how we can help and what we need to do.
“So, we’re in a better position now than we were when we met with the Super League clubs and Nigel Wood last year. We’ll have more discussions in the next few weeks.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Leeds Rhinos’ Jarrod O’Connor, Danny Levy and Cam Smith ride the El Loco and Canyon Blaster rollercoasters in Las Vegas.
“There’s a few little variables which we need to get right, which I can’t go into because they’re commercially sensitive, but if we get those right, I think we could be in a position that Super League would be happy with.
“It’s a priority. Super League investment has been on the table and has continued to be on the table. We want to see a vibrant, healthy game in England and for us it’s also a good investment.
“Where you have the premier competition, you get other jurisdictions looking at it. If you use soccer as the best example, all Australians watch the Premier League first and foremost because it’s the premier competition.
“They might watch the A-League in Australia, but it’s not the premier competition The NRL is the premier competition and we want the Super League fans to watch both.”
A ‘brother and sister’ relationship
There is a fear from some that if the NRL were to be involved in Super League, there would be a talent drain of the country’s best players being taken over to the NRL.
V’Landys does not believe that Super League would become “feeder clubs” but rather “mentors” in a partnership.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Highlights of the World Club Challenge between Hull KR and Brisbane Broncos.
“I don’t think they’re a feeder club, that’s far from what we’re looking at. We’re looking at it as like brother and sister and actually feeding their Super League,” V’Landys said.
“We’re bringing some of our junior talent over here and taking some of the junior talent there – it’s never going to be a one-way street. It’s a two-way street, it’s a partnership and, in a good partnership, you look after each other.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Hull KR defeated the Brisbane Broncos to win the World Club Challenge.
“We want some of these clubs in Australia who are very successful to be mentors to clubs in Super League in England and vice-versa – there’s a few good clubs in England that can assist us.
“We don’t need feeder clubs – the NRL is doing significantly well on its own. We don’t need to tap into players. We would like to assist in giving some of our juniors to assist the skill level and ability.”
So, if the investment takes places can we expect to see NRL and State of Origin games in London?
“Absolutely,” he said. “That’s on the plan. If we make an investment into the Super League, we’ll be bringing NRL competition games to London. Absolutely.”
2026 Super League – key dates and what to look out for
- Rugby League in Las Vegas: Sat Feb 28: Hull KR vs Leeds Rhinos, 11pm (Sky Sports)
- Super League’s 30th birthday: Thu Mar 26: Castleford Tigers vs Bradford Bulls, 8pm (Sky Sports)
- Rivals Round: April 3-April 5
- Super League in Paris: Sat Jun 6: Catalans Dragons vs Wigan Warriors (Paris), 6:30 UK (Sky Sports)
- Magic Weekend: July 4-July 5
- Rivals Round reversed: July 23-July 26
- Elimination Play-offs: September 19-September 20
- Play-off semi-finals: September 26-September 27
- Grand Final: October 3, Old Trafford.
Sky Sports will again show every game of the Super League live this season – including two matches in each round exclusively live, with the remaining five matches each week shown on Sky Sports+
