How will Peter Beattie handle the entertainment at the NRL grand final?

WITH Peter Beattie taking the blame for the Commonwealth Games’ train wreck of a closing ceremony, NRL fans are questioning just how the game’s new head honcho thinks he can pull off the entertainment at this year’s grand final.

The pressure is mounting for ARLC Chairman Peter Beattie to pull off an amazing grand final display, following the shocking Commonwealth Games closing ceremony organised under his watch. Picture: A Carlile/MEGA

RUGBY league fans could be in for a long night come grand final time if the game’s head honcho Peter Beattie has anything to do with it.

The former Queensland premier has copped it from all corners after ending his tenure as the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games committee chairman by overseeing a train wreck of a closing ceremony in front of a largely empty Carrara Stadium.

Beattie has juggled the two roles since taking up a position with the NRL in February and while the Games themselves have been a bona fide hit, the competition’s supposed grand finale instead enraged viewers and athletes alike after a series of shocking decisions.

For 11 days Australian athletes and their Commonwealth counterparts starred across a wide variety of sports, with nine world records set as a slew of new sporting stars created unforgettable memories in front of adoring home crowds.

All of that goodwill went in an instant after a closing ceremony – void of any redeeming factors – that opted to shine the spotlight on overworked musical numbers by Australian Idol alumni (yawn), some air-DJing from Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt and a convoluted relay to hand over the Games flag.

After his stuff-up of epic proportions on Sunday night, Beattie was on Monday busy apologising for the atrocity on breakfast television and incorrectly claiming a young kid in a Barcelona soccer jersey was a fan of similarly coloured NRL club the Newcastle Knights.

The dust will settle from his Games debacle and I, for one, look forward to seeing what our fist-shaking friend Mr Beattie produces to add to the long and bizarre history of grand final day entertainment.

Meat Loaf performs at the 2011 AFL grand final.

US rock legend Meat Loaf’s wondrously awful performance in front of a sold-out MCG for the 2011 AFL grand final arguably stands alone as the worst showing in history, but the NRL has to be a close second with the infamous Idol-gate of 2002.

British punk rocker Billy Idol oozed charisma as he cruised across Sydney’s Olympic stadium in a hovercraft (peak early 2000s cool) before trotting over to a stage to perform in front of 80,000 screaming league fans in the lead-up to the Roosters/Warriors showdown.

Singer Billy Idol tries to get the crowd going, despite there being no sound during his performance at the 2002 NRL grand final. Picture: Gregg Porteous.

An electrical malfunction led to the deafening sounds of silence and while Idol tried to save face by screaming “I love footy!” the technical difficulties meant those in the stands that day weren’t treated to a rousing performance of White Wedding or Rebel Yell.

While she has since redeemed herself with some great showings on league’s biggest day, Cowboys supporter Jessica Mauboy also enjoyed grand final infamy with her lip- syncing efforts before the 2010 decider.

Depending on what side of 1990 you were born on, American rapper Macklemore’s performance was either excellent or atrocious at last year’s big dance, setting the bar high (or low) for whoever Beattie and his ARLC cronies pluck for this year’s honours.

No pressure Pete.