The ARLC has met for the first time since Peter V’landys replaced Peter Beattie as chairman, discussing the big ticket items such as expansion.
New ARLC chairman Peter V’landys has promised every NRL club in Sydney and Queensland is safe and none will be relocated as the board considers possible expansion.
However, after his first ARLC meeting since replacing Peter Beattie in the role, V’landys said adding another team into Brisbane was “very important” to continue dominating the market.
He said it was too early to say whether the NRL competition would be expanded but a careful study will be made of the game’s footprint ahead of the next broadcast rights deal in 2023.
“There will be no team in Sydney or in Queensland that will be relocated,” he said.
“If we pursue with the expansion it will be a new franchise and I can tell you that every brand in Sydney and Queensland is secure. We are not looking to relocate anyone and we’ll stress that.
“Queensland to us is a very important state and from my perspective, the two big states for rugby league are Queensland and New South Wales. We dominate those markets.
“If you’re looking at it as a business, which we do in some regards as well as a game, if you dominate a market and you want to maintain that market, you don’t give anyone else an opportunity to take that market.”
While adding another team in Queensland is important, V’landys said the ARLC needs to ensure that the game can afford it, and there is enough talent to maintain a close competition.
Over the two-day ARLC meeting in Penrith, the commission discussed expansion at length and will meet again in December when it will be back on the table.
It was one of seven issues in rugby league V’landys has highlighted to tackle, with securing revenue from the next broadcast deal the biggest ticket item.
The other issues he identified for the ARLC to concentrate on are strengthening country rugby league, participation, concussion, venues and making the game “less predictable”.
The Racing NSW boss also admitted the biggest issue facing rugby league at the moment is refereeing, and confirmed he is a “traditionalist” who likes the idea of having one official in the middle, opposed to two.
However, he is currently outnumbered by the ARLC board who are in favour of two referees.
V’landys also confirmed upgrading Manly’s dilapidated Brookvale Oval is a high priority and will be the first suburban stadium the ARLC will focus on using his contacts in government, ideally, “tomorrow”.
“Brookvale Oval needs urgent attention,” he said.
“I will use my relationships with government in looking at the suburban grounds. That’s of high priority for me because I believe tribalism is an important element in our game, and in order to have tribalism you need to give people venues and facilities.
“We need to drive that tribalism with fans and make them more parochial, and make them want to follow a team, but there’s no good doing it with a bad experience at a bad ground with rotten toilets and no food and beverage, the ground’s not safe. All of that needs to be fixed.”
BeastieBoy
Roar Rookie
There are population growth areas in Australia that are crying out for a sporting team to support. If League don't take up the challenge then other codes will. This statement is very short sighted. Supporter numbers are going down.
Zavjalova
Roar Rookie
2 new teams it is. SE QLD and Perth.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
I think the point is ,and not needed for qualification,if a club is in deep you know what, and has no chance of getting out of the mess, the NRL will not bail the club out. The rider noted by Beattie ,with the grant in place all Sydney clubs should be able to operate successfully.They would also have a more than fair idea of the clubs financials now and their future prospects. He's been on the job for 5 minutes, and because he spoke with optimism and the need for improvement, he is already a failure. Hell if he can get half his ambitions up and running, he'll far surpass any of his predecessors. We're a bleeding lot of hard markers LOL.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
What V'Landys has stated ,that the decision re no relocations, is also the view of the ARLC.So if there is a back down, it's the whole commission doing so. He was after all a commissioner for some time, prior to getting the big gig. The study into the footprint/expansion has been ongoing since mid year.The study supposedly to be completed early next year. Nothing new ,nothing outrageous in what stated.He was asked a question on his plans, and opened up.
Big Daddy
Guest
If Sydney clubs are safe and one falls over does that mean the NRL will bail them out. I don't think so. Commissioners appear to be all smoke and mirrors and did he check with Annesely about the refereeing.
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
Relocation may have worked decades ago, but I don't think it would work today. You can't expect a new market to adopt a team as their own, imagine if the Sharks relocated to Perth. They've been based in Cronulla since 1967 no one would accept them in Perth as their team
Cadfael
Roar Guru
I wish him well. He has aid that no NSW or Qld clubs will be relocated (no mention of mergers or takeovers), refereeing to be fixed up, that will be interesting and the new tv deal when it comes around. I would like to see clubs protected, get rid of back ended contracts and cut down TPA payments. I would like to see a return of the old Lions and Kangaroo tours but with league being a summer sport in the old dart this isn't going to happen.
Paul
Roar Guru
hi Marco, Australian Super Rugby players seen to be on a lot of money, so making them an offer to switch codes would be a challenge for NRL Clubs that salary cap restricted. I'm also wondering about the skillsets and stamina differences between the two codes, which appear to getting more pronounced as each code becomes more professional. Rugby forwards are becoming very specialized, so would find it hard to cross over, while League would only want quality wingers and spine players and these are not easy to find. That said, I don't doubt each Club's talent scouts would be looking at anyone they thought a) might be value in the NRL and b) could come into NRL first grade and be a relatively quick success.
mushi
Roar Guru
Spoke with a few clients with ties to Horse racing. High regard wasn't the real feeling but they did say he was a deal maker which we probably need after Beattie's stewardship
mushi
Roar Guru
Talent
mushi
Roar Guru
He did say though "every brand in Sydney and Queensland is secure. " But he also is a central bank governor.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
Great to see some possible action on upgrading Brookie. It's been ludicrous to see billions pumped in to other stadiums all over the place and just watch Brookie deteriorate. Beattie and Greenburg seemed to be fairly happy with the situation and great to see one of them gone. Good to see he hasn't got his head in the sand on ref and co issues either and hopefully the Captains challenge will be given a go.
Big Daddy
Guest
I know V'Landys comes with high credentials but if he wants to make outlandish statements first day in that's also fine but we have had now 3 head commissioner s and a myriad of CEO s who have all said the same thing and nothing's happened. Saying the refereeing is driving fans away is the most important agenda isn't the most important thing. He's talked upgrading suburban grounds, expansion, refereeing in his first press conference but no mention of getting crowds back. Previous commissioner s have mentioned this so all he is doing is echoing what they have said although I think both Beattie and Greenberg said no club is safe. He also wants to move Melbourne cup but every knows that won't happen.
Dogs Boddy
Roar Rookie
Good pickup mate, totally missed that one. We could end up with the Sydney Dragon-Bear-Tiger-Bulldog-Sharks after all. Would be a hell of a Mascot.
Gray-Hand
Roar Rookie
It does happen. Izaia Perese switched from the Reds to the Broncos this year. In general though, the answer is that outside the wallabies, at this moment in history, in Australia, rugby league already has the better athletes. Easily. Pretty much any regular first grade rugby league player would walk into any super rugby franchise, although it might take them a season or two to develop certain technical skills required to nail down a starting spot.
Andrew
Guest
Peter V’landys comes to the game very highly regarded and hence with a lot of high hopes. So it is very disappointing when he talks about the need to complete a study into the game before committing to growth, but he already puts a line through one of the obvious, all be it unpopular options which would be to relocate a club out of Sydney. He can't backdown from that position now for fear of being called out, even if it did present as the best option in the future. So for me, this is a pretty underwhelming start from the new commissioner.
Andrew
Guest
Sydney Rugby is basically played by people who have never played league and people who didn't make it in league. In my opinion, you would be lucky to get 5 average NRL first graders out of Sydney Rugby.
Andrew
Guest
Well if you are reading into his specific words, he said no Sydney team would be relocated, but he didn't say no Sydney team will be merged or cut...
Timmypig
Roar Rookie
Enemy?
Bernie Vinson
Guest
Does V'Landys speak for the whole board or are these just his views? Its unclear - what is clear is this is the most unfortunate quote by a New Chairman ever " if it wasn't for Rugby League I would probably be in Gaol" as he stated in his press conference yesterday