Code wars: How NRL can cash in on Wallabies’ failed World Cup campaign

Rugby league is perfectly placed to cash in on the Wallabies’ World Cup disaster with rugby league in its best position ever and rugby union on its knees.

The NRL is set to cash in on the Wallabies’ failed World Cup.

ARL Commissioner Peter Beattie has warned that rugby league is perfectly placed to cash in on rugby union’s World Cup failures after declaring that chair Peter V’landys is the “bulldog” the game needs to take it to the next level.

Beattie, V’landys’ predecessor as chair of the ARL Commission, has no desire to kick rugby union while it is down given the national team’s embarrassing performances in France.

However, he did want to shine a light on what the game has achieved under the stewardship of V’landys and NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo in lieu of the sniping from Rugby Australia chair Hamish McLennan in recent months.

McLennan, in particular, took great delight out of ridiculing rugby league after Rugby Australia poached Sydney Roosters star Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii on a $5.4 million mega-deal starting from 2025.

You can only imagine what Suaalii – and any other player contemplating a code switch – was thinking as he watched the Wallabies suffer an embarrassing loss to Wales which, barring a miracle, consigned Australia to an inglorious World Cup exit at the pool stage.

The Wallabies all but bowed out of the World Cup in embarrassing fashion. Picture: Alex Livesey/Getty Images

“What has happened is there has been a significant transition in the game,” Beattie said.

“The NRL instead of being previously the citadel where everything happened in some people’s minds, the NRL has become fan central.

“Peter V’landys has in particularly driven this thing that you have to put the fans first. We have needed a bulldog to grab the game and take it in a particular direction.

“Peter V’landys has been the bulldog that has actually done that. So the game is in the best position it has ever been in.

“Rugby union is struggling. The performance in France is just embarrassing frankly for the nation, not just rugby union.

“Frankly, based on the (NRL’s) recent deal with players, there are going to be more people coming from rugby union than the other way.

“I don’t want to bag rugby union, but the truth is they are not in a good position. I know Hamish is out there saying whatever.

“At the end of the day, words are cheap, results are what matters. V’landys has got results. Hamish can explain himself.

Roosters star Joseph Suaalii is heading to rugby. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

“I can tell you this, it is like chalk and cheese. Anyone who wants a big future in football will play rugby league and that will be across the whole southern hemisphere.

“I have to say, I don’t think I have seen rugby union in the state it is now and I have never seen rugby league in the state it is now. This is a watershed moment for the game. Luckily we have V’landys. They can have Hamish.

“If you have to choose between who you want to run the game, give me V’landys any day.”

Beattie’s bullishness has been fuelled by the performance of the Warriors this season and a push to further embrace the Pacific region, with the potential introduction of a side to represent the island nations.

Plans are well underway for Papua New Guinea to be part of an expanded NRL competition, their cause only strengthened at the weekend by the passionate support at the Prime Minister’s XIII game.

“The performance of the Warriors has strengthened our game in New Zealand and the Pacific,” Beattie said.

“The PNG game on the weekend with the Prime Minister’s XIII – you saw the fans, the stadium was packed, the game …. was still pretty close.

“The best thing I ever did was stand down for him (V’landys). Think about this – the game is in the best financial position it has ever been in, players are paid more than they have ever been paid before, the Dolphins have been an incredible success, the game now owns two hotels …. there will be additional expansion, you have more people going to games.

“He has the ability to talk to Prime Ministers, premiers. He is as honest as the day is long. He is probably he best sports administrator in Australia, probably in the last 25 years.

“He certainly is now.”

That’s not to say V’landys is everyone’s cup of tea. He and the commission are currently locked in a long-running stoush with the states over funding and the matter is destined to come to a head at some point next month.

“He is a bulldozer,” Beattie said. “He will from time to time butt heads. His view is everybody has to perform. The commissioners have to perform. Yes, there will be head butts with the state because he is reforming the game.

“Change is never easy. We’re lucky to have V’landys. That is why the commission is very loyal to him.”

Originally published as Code wars: How NRL can cash in on Wallabies’ failed World Cup campaign