DARREN Lockyer warned a potential NRL takeover of British rugby league is likely to face stiff resistance from a number of clubs.
ARLC chairman Peter V’landys and NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo recently outlined their plan for reshaping the British game from professional to schools level to Rugbyleaguehub.com Long Reads, should the Australasian competition end up buying a stake in the Northern Hemisphere.
But while Australia international great Lockyer – now co-owner of London Broncos along with mining magnate Grant Wechsel – believes NRL involvement would be beneficial, he cautioned a full takeover would be met with pushback.
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“I would think most of the clubs here wouldn’t particularly entertain that idea,” Lockyer told The Bye Round podcast. “It’s a conundrum at the moment, I think there’d be a lot of politics involved in that.
“There’s a lot to learn from the NRL – obviously the game couldn’t be in a better position back in Australia and you’ve got to give a lot of credit to the people who are running the game.
“They’ve done a wonderful job and they’ve got money to invest, and they want to invest it to get a return for their owners and their shareholders.
“But equally, I think they know a strong Super League and a strong English game can only benefit the game with its global aspirations.”
Lockyer and Wechsel spoke to V’landys during the process of acquiring the Broncos, with the 63-year-old supportive of their efforts in alignment with his own ambitions to globalise rugby league.
V’landys has won praise for his stewardship of the sport down under, with the NRL set to expand to 19 teams by 2028 and aiming for a bumper A$3billion-plus – just shy of £1.5billion at current exchange rates – payday for the competition’s post-2027 broadcast rights.
By contrast, the Betfred Super League has seen its broadcast deal with Sky Sports plummet 46 percent in value since the 2017-21 cycle, down from £40million per season to £21.5million per season for the 2024-26 deal.
Lockyer and Wechsel have taken a back seat on domestic matters since coming into the British game, although the former Brisbane Broncos stand-off is in no doubt there are lessons which can be heeded on these shores.
“If that means [the NRL] come over, have control, put some money into the game and set it up for the future, and potentially take less of a position later down the track, that’s probably an option,” Lockyer said.
“We’re the new kids on the block, so we haven’t spoken to many of the other owners or clubs. There’s a process which needs to happen, clubs have to take their votes.
“But I think the expertise in what Peter and his commission and Andrew have done in Australia, you need to, I reckon, open your arms and understand how they’ve done that so you potentially replicate it here.”