Gary Hetherington gives latest on NRL interest in Super League and calls for expansion

   08/07/2025

LEEDS RHINOS CEO Gary Hetherington says there is “no offer on the table” from the NRL for UK Rugby League to currently consider, but he has confirmed his support for a strategic partnership with the NRL.

Despite reports earlier this year of the NRL considering a proposal to buy a 33% stake in Super League, after meetings with Wigan and Warrington officials in Las Vegas, and talk of a potential NRL Europe competition, there has been little movement since then.

Hetherington, now the majority owner of London Bronos, would like to see talks with the NRL accelerated.

“The NRL is, in many ways, outside of our control,” he said. 

“I’d be very keen for the NRL to get on board with us to formulate a strategic plan. At present, all the speculation is all very sketchy, there’s no offer on the table to consider. That needs to be the next stage.

“Peter V’landys and Andrew Abdo have both indicated publicly that they’re receptive to opening that relationship and it now needs to go to the next phase. 

“There is a delegation from the English Super League in negotiations with them, and hopefully that can be accelerated and brought together. In my eyes, I think it can and should be.

“We need a strategic partnership with the NRL and with Australia… the game’s only got two major centres. It must include international Rugby League, which includes the World Club Challenge and the growth of the game for the next ten years.”

Reports have suggested that the NRL would possibly want Super League to revert to ten teams, with eight in the UK and two in France, with a reversion to winter.

But Hetherington says Super League should be looking to expand, not reduce in size.

“I’ve never been in favour of reducing the competition from 12,” he admitted.

“That just smacks of contraction. Five games a weekend is not enough to promote a valuable competition. 

“So I’ve always very publicly been against the notion of a 10-team league. I think we need to be looking at how we can get to 14 teams, 16 teams, 18 teams, maybe 20.

“That ultimately has to be the objective to create a national footprint of the game, not just in the north of England but around the country with big, successful clubs. But there’s a place for every club in Rugby League. That might be in the Championship, in League One or in Super League.”