Peter V’landys secured Kate Jones amid interest from the AFL

ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys had to act fast to secure Kate Jones amid interest from the AFL

Kate Jones is a rare ARL Commission member who lives in Queensland Picture: Nigel Hallett

Kate Jones has only just been appointed to a place on the ARL Commission but she is set to play a crucial role in some big decisions for the game.

Jones’s appointment was a shock. It had nothing to do with her qualifications – she was one of Queensland’s most respected politicians during her time in government, forging strong alliances in rugby league because she fought so hard for the sport.

The little controversy around her appointment had more to do with the way the process played out – chair Peter V’landys and fellow commissioner Megan Davis were also handed fresh three-year tenures on Tuesday night, all three moves taking the vast majority of clubs by surprise.

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V’landys took it upon himself to piece together a nominations committee to carry out the process of appointing Jones, putting a few noses out of joint along the way. However, Weekend Read can reveal there was a method behind the madness.

The AFL was also sniffing around Jones, having no doubt been impressed with the way she helped their code get through its season. We were told she had even fielded a call from Collingwood chair Eddie McGuire inquiring about her availability to join them in some capacity.

Given a choice between league and the AFL, Jones was only ever going one way. She is from rugby league stock and has spent much of her time in parliament pushing the code. Look no further than Magic Round.

Even so, V’landys needed to act fast or she could have been lost. He included Penrith chair Dave O’Neill and Canberra’s Allan Hawke on a hastily formed nominations committee and went to work.

The state leagues were informed on Tuesday morning that the committee was gathering, an interview with Jones was carried out at 5.45pm and her appointment was ratified within hours.

The Queensland Rugby League had three potential candidates primed and ready to be nominated for the two vacancies on the commission.

The surprise extended to clubland. The morning after Jones’ appointment was communicated to the clubs, South Sydney chair Nick Pappas sent an email to O’Neill and Hawke, the remaining chairs were also included, at 7am asking them why Jones’ appointment and the fresh terms for V’landys and Davis weren’t discussed with their fellow clubs.

He also asked when the appointments were communicated to them. Pappas was on the original nominations committee when the commission was formed eight years ago and most, including himself, believed he was still part of the process.

However, he was cut out and wanted answers. The only thing that saved the game from another ugly spat was the quality of Jones and the recognition that V’landys and Davis have done a good job. The mutiny having been quelled, her next move will be to help the commission make a decision on expansion. The fact Jones resides in Queensland and knows the state better than most made her an important appointment.

Peter Beattie and Davis are Queenslanders, but both live in Sydney. The commission needed someone on the ground as they prepare to decide whether to introduce a 17th team in coming years, most likely 2023.

V’landys and the commission will sit down with prospective bidders next month and in January. They will also carry out their own analysis on the impact of a 17th team, particularly on the Gold Coast Titans and Broncos.

They will then make an informed decision on whether to press the go button.

“One of the reasons we were also attracted to Kate was the commission lacked somebody who lives in Queensland,” V’landys said. “It’s not all about NSW. Queensland is just as important. We need someone who lives and breathes Queensland and lives in Queensland.”

Smith book launch to decide future

Cameron Smith will launch his biography next week and the whisper doing the rounds has been that it might also double as D-Day for his future.

Smith is yet to announce his plans for next season. As it stands, he is unemployed for the first time in his long career. He has options aplenty mind you, meaning he won’t be forced to sing for his supper any time soon.

He could easily slip into the commentary box alongside the other members of the big three – Cooper Cronk and Billy Slater. He could also join them as consultants on the Storm’s coaching staff.

Or he could join the Melbourne board, with chair Matt Tripp saying he could see Smith becoming a director at the club.

For the time being, he appears to be enjoying the quiet life. Few people have heard from Smith since grand final day. His book is set to lift the lid on all manner of controversies – the salary cap scandal, the fallout of the Alex McKinnon incident, his relationship with Cronk and the ring fiasco.

It will also no doubt provide an insight into the toughness that made him the most durable player in the game. Remarkably, he carried a broken rib and AC joint problem through the latter stages of the 2020 season and required injections to train.

He was have further injections pre-game and at halftime over the closing weeks of the season. Three years ago, he played State of Origin with a fractured sternum.

Piakura latest symbol of Broncos-Titans way

Brendan Piakura is the teenager at the centre of the latest tug of war between Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Fresh from poaching David Fifita – he will be unveiled along with Tino Fa’asuamaleaui next week – the Titans are among a host of clubs who have set their sights on Piakura, who has entered the final year of his deal with the Broncos.

The teenager is a Gold Coast junior who found his way into the Broncos system and was part of their first grade bubble this season. He was a star for the Queensland under-18s and represented the Australian Schoolboys.

Melbourne are also keeping an eye on proceedings, along with a handful of other clubs. The Titans’ interest is the most intriguing given the way they feasted on the Broncos by grabbing Fifita on a big-money deal this season, a move that signalled they were a serious player for southeast Queensland’s best talent.

Piakura has been earmarked as a long-term player in Brisbane’s second row, but the Titans may have a say about that. Warning shots have been fired.

NRL eyeing off
Super League 

The rumour has been doing the rounds for a while now that there are people within the NRL and ARL Commission who would be interested in buying a stake, or the entirety, of England’s Super League if the opportunity arose.

Weekend Read was told that the commission had asked an investment firm to look into it for them, the idea that they would take control of the two major rugby league competitions in the world and use their expertise to help Super League shake off the financial shackles that have hampered the code in England.

The commission could then ensure the game continues to grow globally and have a say in the make-up of Super League in terms of the nation’s represented.

Money – whether the NRL can afford it and whether it would be worthwhile – will eventually dictate whether it is realistic.