The Sydney Morning Herald
· collected 2026-09-17 · by Adrian Proszenko
Peter V’landys is poised to become the NRL’s first executive chairman, giving him unprecedented control over rugby league.
asserted
V’landys → poise → league
While the game is in strong financial health, we look at the challenges he will have to navigate.
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he → look → challenges
Collective bargaining agreement with the players
The NRL has set itself up financially by striking a $5.3 billion broadcasting deal, the largest in Australian sporting history.
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NRL → set → history
Now everyone wants their share, and the players are the first in the queue.
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players → want → queue
The last CBA negotiation between the NRL and the Rugby League Players’ Association was an ugly and protracted battle that damaged the game.
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that → damage → game
This is a chance to change the narrative by ensuring head office brings the players on the journey with them.
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office → change → them
The current CBA expires at the end of 2027, leaving limited time to thrash out a new deal.
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CBA → expire → deal
Which is why many people were surprised that further rule tweaks were introduced for this season.
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tweaks → introduce → season
James Tedesco and Harry Grant have been among a host of big names raising concerns about an increase in the number of set restarts, as well as their inconsistent application.
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Tedesco → raise → restarts
V’landys walked back comments questioning their integrity and welcomed all constructive feedback.
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V’landys → walk → feedback
“PVL” has made no apologies for introducing rule changes such as the six again, claiming they have made the game more entertaining and resulted in increased broadcast revenue.
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game → make → revenue
To his credit, V’landys put the brakes on plans to change the kick-off rule in 2026 after a backlash from clubs.
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V’landys → put → clubs
The issue will again be on the agenda in the off-season after a brief trial in matches late in the season proved inconclusive.
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issue → prove → season
3. Keeping clubs onside as Chiefs raid their talent
All 17 NRL clubs happily accepted a $4 million licence fee in exchange for agreeing to let PNG join the competition in 2028.
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PNG → keep → 2028
They did so in the belief the Chiefs would struggle to attract players to Port Moresby, a city with one of the highest crime rates in the world.
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Chiefs → do → world
But after the fledgling franchise lured the likes of Jarome Luai, Zac Lomax, Joey Manu, Brian To’o, Connor Watson and Alex Johnston before they were even on the open market, clubs are up in arms about the tax-free salaries the Chiefs used to land them.
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Chiefs → lure → them
In a bid to keep the clubs onside, V’landys has vowed the Chiefs will be required to pay “market value” for their recruits, preventing them from stretching their salary cap even further.
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Chiefs → keep → cap
However, the issue is certain to create headaches when a player is prepared to take less money to leave their current club, or other teams lodge phantom bids to manipulate what a player is worth on the open market.
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player → create → market
Choosing the 20th team
V’landys has said a 20th NRL licence will be awarded by Christmas.
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licence → choose → Christmas
There is a strong financial imperative for that to happen: there is a clause in the $5.3 billion broadcast deal that results in up to $120 million being subtracted from the figure if the game doesn’t expand to 20 teams.
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game → be → teams
Several prospective franchises are lobbying for the licence, with the most likely outcome a new side in either Queensland or New Zealand.
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outcome → lobby → Queensland
V’landys’ insistence that the newbies stump up a $100 million entry fee could narrow the options.
uncertain
newbies → stump → options
Regardless, a major challenge for the game will be ensuring there are enough quality players to spread across the new teams.
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challenge → ensure → teams
Sydney will again host the NRL grand this year, but the location of the marquee match remains uncertain after that.
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location → host → that
The ARLC and the NSW Government have been content to lock in the decider on a year-to-year basis, with V’landys floating the prospect of auctioning the game off via an NFL-style bidding war.
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V’landys → lock → war
There are some logistical challenges with keeping the game in the harbour city in 2028; a scheduling clash with Pope Leo XIV’s Sydney visit could force the venue or date to be changed.
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venue → be → visit
Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne and Auckland have each stated a desire to host the day.
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Perth → state → day
Referees are forever on the end of criticism from fans and pundits, but there is even less tolerance for bunker errors.
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Referees → be → errors
Wayne Bennett called for the bunker to be abolished after Souths were eliminated from the finals, even though the NRL backed the calls of the video referee.
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NRL → call → referee
The fact is, the bunker is here to stay.
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bunker → stay → ?
However, coaches, players and fans are livid when mistakes are still made despite the use of technology.
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mistakes → make → technology
V’landys identified officiating standards as one of his key priorities upon becoming ARLC chairman in 2019, but the game will never eliminate human error.
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game → identify → error
Another contentious issue is how involved the bunker should be in matches, with some calling for less intervention.
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some → call → intervention
After being exposed financially during COVID, the NRL has attempted to future-proof the game by building an asset base.
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NRL → expose → base
That has happened predominantly through hotel purchases, but the latest target is the UK Super League competition.
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target → happen → purchases
Cash-strapped English clubs are close to deciding whether to accept the deal.
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clubs → strap → deal
The NRL wants the game to flourish in England, which is no small task given the majority of clubs are in the red.
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majority → want → red
If the acquisition goes ahead, there’s a chance Australian clubs could purchase a stake in, or partner with, an English franchise.
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clubs → go → stake
The opening week of the finals raised several issues about the way Sydney fans consume their football.
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fans → raise → football
The NRL shifted Cronulla’s clash with North Queensland from Ocean Protect Stadium to Allianz Stadium, which resulted in only about an additional 2500 fans passing through the turnstiles.
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fans → shift → turnstiles
…and 12 more, not listed.
The Aporia
