Sport Confidential: Peter V’landys gives Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas his tick of approval
The NRL has taken the next steps in its plan to ‘invade’ America with ARLC Chairman Peter V’landys touring Allegiant stadium in Las Vegas.
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The NRL’s plans to open next season in America are well and truly on track after ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys walked away impressed from a tour of Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
V’landys and Andrew Abdo visited the 65,000-seat stadium on Friday morning (AEST) as part of a fact-finding mission aimed at determining the feasibility of kicking off the 2024 season with a double header in Sin City.
Prior to leaving America, V’landys said that the commission was waiting on further details before a final decision would be reached.
“All is going well,” V’landys said.
“We have had a tour of the stadium and it is extremely impressive. However, we are awaiting further information before a final decision can be made.
“The good news is there have been no hiccups. So far, so good.”
V’landys and Abdo were given the green light to push ahead with the tour of America after a meeting of the full ARL Commission last week endorsed plans to start the 2024 season in Las Vegas.
A handful of clubs have expressed an interest in taking part including Manly, South Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and the Sydney Roosters.
V’landys has also held talks with boxing promoter Matt Rose over holding a Tim Tszyu fight in Las Vegas as part of a week-long celebration of Australia, which could also feature a show from Manly fan Hugh Jackman.
V’landys and the commission want to use the American invasion to tap into the lucrative sports betting market.
The plan is to make a long-term commitment to the US market as the NRL looks to grab a slice of America’s $20 billion gambling market.
CRISIS MEETING CALLED AS WORLD CUP ON BRINK OF COLLAPSE
The 2025 rugby league World Cup in France is on the brink of collapse. Sport Confidential can reveal a crisis meeting between the International Rugby League Federation and French officials will take place on Friday night where it is highly likely moves to host the competition in France will be scrapped.
Cost bloating from next year’s Olympics and political uncertainty in the country has led to rugby league becoming an unlucky casualty.
France was due to host their first stand alone World Cup since 1972. The IRLF have been bracing for this news and have been working on contingency plans. The late timing will make it difficult to receive alternative government funding which could result in a scaled down tournament. The southern hemisphere nations could be leant on to give assists in rescuing the competition.
Sixteen teams competed in the highly successful World Cup in England last year. There are hopes that the USA will host the tournament in 2029.
Regardless, the international calendar is in full swing for next season. Tonga will travel to England to play in a historic three Test series while Australia, Samoa and New Zealand are likely to compete in a tri-nations.
Fiji, Cook Island and PNG may also compete in a separate tournament.
ARTHURS COULD SEVER TIES AT PARRAMTTA
The whispers are growing louder that Parramatta half Jake Arthur may be about to sever ties with his father, Eels coach Brad Arthur.
Arthur has been stuck behind Mitchell Moses at Parramatta but he gets a chance to showcase his talents this week with Moses sidelined following a concussion.
His call-up to first grade comes as his future at Parramatta comes under the spotlight. Sport Con understands that several clubs have been contacted to gauge whether they have any interest in signing Jake Arthur for next season.
There has even been talk that he could be free to go before the August 1 deadline. That’s unlikely to happen given Arthur is a quality insurance policy for Parramatta’s existing halves. Further, neither the Eels nor Brad Arthur want Jake to leave.
However, there is a recognition that if he wants to become a permanent first grader, he may need to look elsewhere. As a result, it would be a surprise if he was still at the Eels next season given his path to first grade is blocked by Moses and five-eighth Dylan Brown.
The club also has Ethan Sanders in its ranks. Sanders is a member of the Junior Blues and smart judges expect him to be a 10-year first grader.
SPY GAME
The Storm were on high alert over Magic Round amid a spying drama at a recent training session in Melbourne.
Sport Con understands that Storm officials became concerned over someone seemingly taking notes at one of their recent training sessions.
As they approached, the person involved turned and ran, leaving the Storm in little doubt that someone had been sent to spy on their training routines by a future opponent.
As a result, Storm officials were keeping a close eye on spectators at their open training session in Brisbane in the lead-up to their game against South Sydney over the Magic Round weekend.
BRONCOS CLOSE IN ON CHOOK
Brisbane have found their Thomas Flegler replacement with the Broncos set to pounce on Roosters rising star Fletcher Baker.
The Broncos were dealt a big blow to their forward stocks when Flegler announced he would be switching to cross-town rivals the Dolphins before a ball was kicked this year.
But the Broncos have wasted little time to try and bolster their middles with Baker expected to join the club on a two year deal from next year.
Baker will be part of an impressive forward pack which already consists of Payne Haas, Pat Carrigan, Kurt Capewell and Jordan Riki.
Baker, 23, attracted a stack of interest from rivals and the Roosters were keen to keep him. However, their salary cap situation made it difficult.
The club have Spencer Leinu arriving next year from Penrith and they are keen for veteran Jared Waerea-Hargreaves to go around for at least one more.
Fellow prop Matt Lodge also faces an uncertain future.
The club also has re-signed Daniel Tupou for a further 12 months despite suggestions he would be squeezed out of the club.
Baker has played 36 games since making his debut for the Roosters in 2021.
The Roosters have a range of stars off-contract including Billy Smith, Connor Watson, Corey Allan, Drew Hutchison, Jake Turpin, Nathan Brown and Jaxson Paulo.
NOT FORWARD THINKING
The NRL has put its plans to introduce forward pass technology on the backburner. Sport Confidential understands that as it stands, there is a view that the last thing the game needs right now is to introduce further technology.
Head office had been in talks with at least two companies over developing technology capable of clearing up one of the more contentious areas of the game.
However, it is understood the NRL harboured concerns over the expense and the impact it would have on the flow of matches.
As a result, plans to continue developing the technology have been halted and the final call for forward passes will remain in the hands of referees and touch judges.
The NRL had been in advanced discussions for more than a year over the potential use of technology, even trialling a system developed by UK-based company Sportable which implanted technology in the ball itself.
The ball was used in NRLW games last year and earlier this year, head of football Graham Annesley confirmed the technology was still a fair way off after Manly were on the receiving end of a dud call in round four.
FIJI FLYER SWITCHES
North Queensland have swooped on Canberra flyer Semi Valemei on an immediate deal. Valemei will link up with the Cowboys this season and will offer some much needed depth to North Queensland’s backline.
The Fijian international has not been seen in the top grade this year having played 29 matches since making his debut in 2020. The 24-year-old – who has scored nine tries – was part of Canberra’s preliminary finals side who lost to Melbourne in his first season.
He will provide some cover during the Origin period where the Cowboys will lose backline players including Valentine Holmes and Murray Taulagi.
NEW JERSEY LIMIT
The NRL discussed the prospect of limiting teams to just five jerseys each season. The topic was raised at the chief executive’s meeting in Brisbane ahead of Magic Round last week.
Sport Confidential has looked at each club to break down how many jerseys they have planned for this year. Manly and the Sharks have six while a majority of other clubs will wear five different on-field jerseys. The likes of St George Illawarra, Canberra, Roosters, Warriors and the Tigers have four outfits.
Each club has their basic home and away jerseys while most also have an Indigenous and Anzac commemorative jersey too. Some clubs also have a heritage and alternate strip.
On a lighter note, Wests Tigers boss Justin Pascoe joked with his peers that he would happily not have an Anzac commemorative jersey after their calamity earlier this year.
THIRD BRISBANE TEAM?
Expansion is ready to become a hot topic again as Brisbane Easts prepare to announce a renewed bid for the 18th licence next week.
It is understood that Easts will use the opening of a new grandstand on May 17 to confirm they are bidding to be awarded a new licence when the NRL expands the competition to 18 teams at some point in the next 12 months.
Brisbane Easts - bidding as the Firehawks - lost out to the Dolphins 18 months ago when the NRL announced the game was expanding to 17 teams.
However, they refuse to give up hope and have been beavering away in the background on a fresh bid, either as single entity or as a joint bid with one of the Pasifika proposals.
It is understood they also plan to tap into the western corridor, which was another of the stand-alone bidders 18 months ago when the Dolphins prevailed.
Brisbane Easts already have the financial artillery and facilities in place to join the NRL - the Melbourne Storm and Sydney Roosters both based themselves out of the club’s Langlands Park base when they were in Brisbane last week for Magic Round.
HUNT’S GREATEST IN 300
Four years ago, Ben Hunt slotted in at hooker for Queensland and played the entire 80 minutes in the trenches. When you ask his father Geoff what makes him most proud of his son as Ben prepares to make his 300th appearance in first grade on Saturday night, he harks back to that game and that 80 minutes.
“I went and saw him in the dressing sheds afterwards and he couldn’t breathe,” Geoff told Sport Con.
“I was just so proud that he didn’t stop. He just kept going. I didn’t think he could play 80 minutes at that level. That one was one day I took my hat off to him.”
Hunt has been in the wars this year as part of a St George Illawarra side that has struggled to find its rhythm. As always, he has held his gloves up in a side that has underperformed.
“He has copped plenty of flak from you guys but that is part and parcel of being a halfback, and his job,” Geoff said.
“I said when you are down and out you are going to cop it. You get enough praise when you do the good things. He has always been like that - he doesn’t put his head in the sand.
“There is only one way to fix it - play your way out of it. He doesn’t hide. He has put himself on the front line plenty of times.”
There have been difficult times as well. Hard to avoid them when your career stretches beyond 300 games, which places Hunt in rarefied company.
He will become only the 47th player in history to reach that milestone on Saturday night.
“In his early days he had a few dark moments,” Geoff said.
“We’re pretty close him and I. There are a lot of things he and I talk about that mum doesn’t hear because she worries.
“I worry but not as much as her. He has had his moments but most of them have been all good. He sets an example for the rest of his boys - he will have a dig no matter what the score is.”
CANBERRA BANTZ
In-Form Canberra big man Corey Horsburgh is looking forward to getting his hands on former teammate Josh Hodgson when they cross paths for the first time.
Hodgson will line-up against his long-term club the Raiders when Parramatta travel to Canberra on Saturday night.
“He is a good mate of a lot of the boys,” Horsburgh said. “It will be funny. He is a funny fella. I’m excited to play him. Hopefully I can tackle him … I might have to pull his ear.”
FLASHBACK
Newcastle were filthy with the Queensland selectors on this day 25 years ago. Star fullback Robbie O’Davis was controversially dumped from the Maroons side which prompted his club side Newcastle to consider making an official protest. Darren Lockyer was named at fullback.
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