‘Greatest game of all’: Peter V’landys appointed as NRL executive chairman

Peter V’landys is officially the most powerful administrator in rugby league’s 118-year history after being appointed the code’s first executive chairman on Thursday.

The job will make him effectively the chief executive of the NRL as well as the chairman of the Australian Rugby League Commission.

“I am honoured every day to have the opportunity to give something back to rugby league and could not be more excited for the game’s future,” V’landys said in a statement announcing his appointment.

“Rugby league is the greatest game of all, and we are going to take it to the world.”

It has been speculated that V’landys could be paid as much as $3 million a year in the new position.

The post is set to run for just over three years, aligning with his new term on the Commission that will begin when he is up for re-election in February.

Under term limits introduced five years ago, his time on the Commission will then be up in 2030.

However, he could be put forward by a majority of the other commissioners for an additional three-year term, taking him out to 2033, if they consider there are “exceptional circumstances” that justify the re-appointment.

V’landys, as chairman, can make the same determination on individual commissioners if he sees fit.

The NRL said in a statement that V’landys had been endorsed unanimously by the ARL Commission and that it had consulted its members - the clubs and states - and accepted recommendations they made in relation to the appointment.

The statement said V’landys had “overseen the most successful and transformative period in the game’s history” and his naming as executive chairman provided certainty and continuity during an exciting period for the game in which it was expanding locally and internationally.

“Peter has completely reinvigorated rugby league during his tenure and the commission is backing him in to grow the game even further,” said fellow commission member and previous chairman Peter Beattie.

“Peter inherited a game with limited reserves and no significant assets, one that had needed an advance from its broadcasters just to pay the clubs and players. He consistently put the fan first, and the record audiences and the biggest broadcast deal in Australian sport followed.”

V’landys has been chair of the commission since 2019 and has been acting as NRL chief for the past two months, having taken four months of long-service leave from Racing NSW to fill the gap when Andrew Abdo departed for Tennis Australia.

He announced on Thursday that he was resigning from Racing NSW after 22 years in charge.

Chris Barrett is a senior sports reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald. He is a former South-East Asia correspondent for the Herald and The Age.Connect via X or email.