The NRL is exploring a sensational move to acquire a 33 percent stake in the struggling Super League, but only if it gains full administrative control from 2028.
The plan is part of a long-term strategy to cement rugby league's global footprint.
The proposal, which has remained tightly under wraps until reported by SMH, was discussed during a clandestine meeting in Las Vegas involving NRL powerbrokers and key Super League figures, including Wigan owner Mike Danson and Warrington's Simon Moran.
While the NRL has no intention of initiating a deal, it has made it clear: if the Super League clubs want help, it comes with strings attached - namely, control.
Far from a cash grab, the NRL's interest is rooted in international ambition rather than financial return.
The idea is to stabilise the Super League, steer it toward commercial viability, then eventually sell back the stake.
All roads lead to 2028, when current broadcast rights across the NRL, Super League and international rugby league simultaneously expire.
That timing offers a unique opportunity to bundle a global rights package and break into fresh markets.
Wests Tigers boss Shane Richardson and South Sydney CEO Blake Solly are spearheading the discussions on the NRL side, with full support from chief executive Andrew Abdo and ARLC chairman Peter V'landys.
The potential prize? A restructured 10-team Super League featuring eight English clubs and two French sides, designed not just to rescue the northern competition but to lay the groundwork for further expansion into North America and beyond.
Six clubs (St Helens, Warrington, Wigan, Leeds, Hull KR and Hull FC) are understood to be on board. They'd be joined by Catalans Dragons and a possible Toulouse franchise, while the final two spots would be contested among the remaining English clubs based on strict criteria.
But the NRL isn't putting all its eggs in one Super League basket. A breakaway European competition remains on the table as a fallback option, should consensus prove elusive.
Either way, the appetite for growth is real and it's attracting interest from NRL clubs keen to establish overseas affiliates or even full-fledged ownership.
South Sydney is among at least two clubs weighing up a tilt at owning a European team should the NRL end up at the helm of a continental competition.
The direction is bold, the timing precise, and the message unmistakable. If rugby league is going to thrive on the world stage, it's going to need a central command, and the NRL wants the keys.
