Updated ,first published
Peter V’landys has left open the possibility of taking over as an all-powerful executive chairman of rugby league in a move that could spell an end to his two-decade long reign in charge of Racing NSW.
The administrator will become interim NRL chief executive in July when Andrew Abdo exits after six years in the post to take up the coveted top job at Tennis Australia.
News of Abdo’s pending departure rocked the sport on Monday, a day before broadcasters including Nine, the owner of this masthead, start presenting to the NRL as part of negotiations for the game’s next broadcast rights deal.
But with attention quickly turning to who will fill his shoes, V’landys refused to rule out becoming executive chairman, a role that would have to be created for him and would need the support of the NSW Rugby League, the Queensland Rugby League and all but one of the 17 NRL clubs.
“It’s not allowable under the [Australian Rugby League Commission] constitution at the moment, so the clubs would have to change the constitution for that to happen,” V’landys said.
“But … today’s about Andrew, it’s not about me. It’s about the great loss that we’re suffering today with Andrew leaving to go to Tennis Australia. The only real good thing is he’s going to Melbourne.”
The ARL Commission constitution states that a director cannot also be an employee and a specific majority is required to change it.
V’landys, the ARL Commission chairman since 2019, said he would take four months’ long-service leave from his full-time position at Racing NSW to cover for the departure of Abdo.
That will effectively make him executive chairman on a temporary basis, but if he was cleared to take on such a position permanently it would allow him a path out of racing, which has been plagued by conflict, while retaining a salary in excess of $1 million a year.
Asked whether he would consider leaving racing altogether, he replied: “I’m not going to go into those details at this stage. I’m just still recovering from the fetal position when Andrew resigned. So until I can get myself out of that corner, out of that fetal position, then I’ll start thinking about what the future is.”
Abdo will begin in August as the successor to fellow South African Craig Tiley at TA but will be involved in talks with broadcasters until then, according to V’landys.
Abdo and V’landys both dismissed the suggestion their relationship had been strained and Abdo was glowing in his praise for his boss when quizzed about whether he should be made executive chairman.
“Well, that’s a decision for the commission and for the board to make,” Abdo said. “But you heard me say earlier how incredibly lucky we are and fortunate we are that the stability and continuity with Peter being able to step into the executive responsibility in the short term.
“What the long-term decision is, well, it’s a matter for Peter, and of course, the board, and it’s important to note that it’s a board, right? And so the strength and the diversity of the board has been really important in getting us to where we are today, and you know that’s a matter for Peter and for the board to decide.”
V’landys and the ARL Commission were at war with the NSWRL and QRL over funding only two years ago, but relations have improved.
Whether they have picked up enough to remove the separation between the board and management and effectively hand him the keys to the code is another matter.
The ARLC constitution was drawn up when News Ltd walked away from its ownership of the sport in 2011 and the bar to rewrite it is deliberately high. A bumper new broadcast deal wouldn’t hurt, though, in persuading clubs and states.
“I could see Peter being executive chairman, I think that’s the perfect role for him,” Storm chairman Matt Tripp told this masthead. “But I still do believe they need a CEO to support Peter. Whilst he’s superhuman, that’s a big ask for him, to take on all the roles that he’s currently doing.”
V’landys said he there was no chance he would step down from the board to be CEO.
Abdo will leave one of Australian sport’s biggest jobs after a tenure in which rugby league has enjoyed record crowds and TV ratings, as well as undertaking landmark expansion projects in Papua New Guinea and Perth and taking games to Las Vegas.
He would be extremely hard to replace, V’landys said.
“There’s no two ways about it. He’s irreplaceable. I mean, his conscientiousness, his professionalism, his loyalty, his mass intelligence … we’re going to need Superman and Jesus added together,” he said.
“So it’s going to be hard to replace him, but there’s a cemetery full of people that thought they couldn’t be replaced, including me, so we’ll take our time. I’m not going to rush it because it’s a crucial time for the game, and we want to make sure we get the right person in that position.”
Abdo, who was promoted from NRL chief commercial officer as an internal replacement for Todd Greenberg in 2020, described leading the NRL as “a privilege and the highlight of my career”.
“Together we have built a strong, innovative and resilient organisation, expanded the reach of the game and positioned it for an exciting future,” he said.
“Rugby league has given me opportunities I could only have dreamed of, experiences that cannot be compared, and I have made friendships for a lifetime. It has been an honour to be part of the rugby league family.”
News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.
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.
Dan Walsh is a sports reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email.
Billie Eder is a sports reporter at The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email.
