RL COMMERCIAL’S Rhodri Jones has launched a staunch defence of Super League in the wake of Luke Keary’s comments about the “horrendous” competition.
Keary, who made the move to the Catalans Dragons ahead of the 2025 Super League season from NRL side Sydney Roosters, lambasted the state of the northern hemisphere competition and called for an NRL takeover.
The NRL has been linked with a 33 percent stake in Super League – and Keary believes that the competition needs it.
“If (the NRL) don’t buy it, they’re in a lot of trouble,” Keary told Wide World of Sports.
“I’ll go on the record saying (the Super League) is in such a bad way, the game is horrendous over here.
“It’s the product, the coverage, the news around the game, there is zero.”
Jones has responded in an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live, claiming that Keary’s comments were “dramatic”.
“Luke is clearly entitled to his own opinion, though I’m not necessarily in agreement with what he’s got to say,” Jones said.
“From our perspective, our figures are showing that we’re having a very positive season. Our attendances are up, our TV audience is up and with Luke being in France, he might be a little bit out of the mainstream in terms of seeing the positivity for the game here in the UK.
“He’ll get a real feel for that this coming weekend with Magic Weekend at St James Park where he’ll play in front of 65,000 people against Leigh Leopards.
“He (Luke) will also be involved in a sell-out next weekend in a Challenge Cup semi-final against Hull KR so maybe over the next week or so, Luke might have a different opinion on Super League.”
“I think they’re honest (comments) from a person who was been involved in the competition for the last eight or nine weeks.
“I recognise Luke has played at the very top of the game in Australia and the game in Australia is akin to the Premier League over here. That Sydney bubble is non-stop media and that’s what he’s used to.
“I come back to the fact that Luke has been in the competition for nine rounds and has been in France, out of the mainstream, and I think we can do a lot of things to convince him that he’s been perhaps a bit over-dramatic in his comments.”