Elstone likely to be in charge of Super League by June

Everton chief executive Robert Elstone could be in charge of Super League by the summer.

A deal to lure the former Castleford board member out of the Premier League football club and back into Rugby League is close to being finalised, League Express understands.

Sources have revealed to League Express that the only thing that remains to be agreed is his release date from Everton, with the football club anxious that his departure from Goodison Park should not take place before the end of the season.

That means that his start date with Super League would probably be the beginning of June.

Elstone’s appointment would lead to him being the appointed director for all 12 Super League clubs as they lobby for greater power in the game.

Super League currently pays an annual sum to the RFL for the provision of services, including marketing and administration, that the RFL carries out on behalf of the elite competition.

But League Express understands that that system could be reversed, with Elstone requiring a team of support staff that could see several RFL staff members becoming employed directly by Super League (Europe) Limited.

Elstone will be expected to manage that transition, and he would likely be front and centre of any key talks in regards to the league structure, which is likely to remain as it is into 2019 at the very least.