THERE were many talking points to come out of rugby league’s latest transatlantic trip to Las Vegas – not least Maika Sivo’s simply phenomenal performance against reigning champions Hull KR.

But while my many Rhino-supporting friends were revelling in their 58-6 win at Allegiant Stadium, I couldn’t help but feel thoroughly deflated by it.

We’ve been taking matches to Sin City as a way to try and open the competition, and the game of rugby league, to a wider audience, with the hope that more exposure can reap big rewards for all.

But any new fans tuning in expecting to see, as billed, a game between two of our country’s best sides will surely have been left underwhelmed by the one-sided encounter that they witnessed.

If any of them were then asked which of the two sides were the newly-crowned World Champions, I’d hazard a guess that very few would have selected the team in red and white. 

By complete contrast, the following two games, between the NRL sides, were much closer affairs and offered much more excitement and jeopardy for those watching.

If anybody within that new audience were likely to go on and become regular rugby league supporters, which competition are they likely to have been attracted to most? It’s not a hard question.

One positive to come out of the sojourn to the states though, was that it gave RFL Chairman-elect Nigel Wood the chance to meet with NRL supremo Peter V’landys and discuss the ongoing suggestion that the Australian governing body is ready to invest in our game.

What level that investment will be at is yet to be decided, but a readers’ poll conducted by our sister publication Rugby League Express saw 44.65 percent of respondents want the NRL to take over completely when it comes to the administration of our game.

But for me, that option should be avoided at all costs. If the NRL are to come on board in the northern hemisphere, it should be as a partner, not as outright leaders.

Any deal should instead see partnerships created between clubs and governing bodies, where administration staff could spend time at clubs in both countries, taking bits from everywhere to help align how the different competitions are run and help us become one giant sporting entity, while also investing time into the leaders to align ideas so both parties are working to the same tune.

It is also imperative that the NRL come into this with one very important fact in mind – rugby league in the UK is very different to rugby league in Australia. Yes, it’s played the same, and the rules are largely identical, but the challenges it faces are very different.

Nothing is ever going to overtake football as the number one game in the UK, in terms of both viewership and the sheer amount of money involved, whereas rugby league already holds that status down under, where soccer holds a similar status to that of rugby league over here.

The NRL need to come into this partnership aware of that fact, and with the goal in mind of making our game better, not making it the biggest in the country.

But, having said this, if any additional investment is done correctly, it may prevent something we have already seen happen three times recently from happening again.

We’re already without three-time Challenge Cup winners Featherstone Rovers after they went into administration on the eve of the new season. When the sole group interested in setting up a new operation was rejected by the RFL, their membership was denied, and they were no longer part of the Championship.

That blow to Featherstone came just weeks after a new ownership group revived Salford, after the previous entity had been liquidated, and just weeks before the same fate befell Halifax Panthers.

Thankfully, for the good of the game, local businessman Martyn Buchan led a revival that saw the Panthers return to the scene just over three weeks later.

The new ownership group was approved by the RFL, so the Panthers were allowed to return to the Championship – albeit with a 12 point deduction.

Many players had already moved on when their contracts became null and void through the liquidation, but coach Kyle Eastmond still had 11 players who had not yet found other clubs he could call on for their fixture against London Broncos at the Shay.

The squad was added to with the re-signing of Wales forward Curtis Davies, as well as short-term loan signings from across the rest of the professional game, but despite this disruption and limited preparation time, the West Yorkshire side gave a credible performance before being defeated 42-4.

It was great to see this famous old club come back from the brink, but how many more times can we allow this situation to happen?

Already this year, both Barrow and Whitehaven have expressed their concerns over cashflow, and they won’t be the last to do so should the game remain in its current state.

I think we can all agree that something needs doing to help these great, historic clubs not just to survive, but to thrive, move forward and help make our sport bigger than it’s ever been.

Yes, that will take investment, but the investment needs to be done in the right way, and that is why the NRL involvement cannot be rushed.

For all those wanting to see a complete takeover by the Aussie giant, all I will say is be careful what you wish for.

Just imagine a world in five or ten years’ time if the NRL decide, after failing to overtake football, that Super League isn’t for them after all, and they go from being all in to all out. With all investments pulled, our premier competitions could go too, and we could all be left with nothing.

First published in Rugby League World magazine, Issue 519 (April 2026)