England head coach Brian McDermott has urged Super League to accept investment from Australia’s NRL, insisting it could transform the English game. Talks are ongoing after Super League clubs rejected a £35m package from the Australian Rugby League Commission, with a second deadline of October 15 passing without an agreement.
Brian McDermott (Credits: BBC Sport)
“I think the NRL’s investment in Super League could be very, very positive,” said McDermott, who also serves as assistant coach of the Gold Coast Titans. He was quick to stress that the on-field product was never the problem: “The product’s brilliant. It has always been brilliant. The product’s never been the problem. The players have never been the problem. The coaches have never been the problem. It’s just how it’s marketed and how it’s presented to people.”
Brian McDermott on NRL Investment in Super League
The financial gulf between the hemispheres could hardly be starker. The NRL struck a record $5.3bn (£3.97bn) television deal over seven years in July, while Super League’s TV deal with Sky Sports — which expired at the end of 2026 — was worth around £21.5m per year. Formalising a partnership between the sport’s two leading competitions is seen as a key step toward growing the European competition’s revenue.
Super League is still without a new title sponsorship deal, broadcast agreement, or even its fixtures for the 2027 campaign, with London Broncos’ position still unresolved. The Broncos finished 16th on the yearly grading list — below fellow Championship side Barrow Raiders — despite winning the second tier’s Grand Final, the 1895 Cup, and the regular-season title. They still hope to play in Super League in 2027 with the backing of Australian businessman Grant Wechsel and former Brisbane Broncos star Darren Lockyer, and it is understood any NRL deal would involve pressure for the Broncos to feature in the top flight.
Why McDermott Says Super League Needs NRL Money
McDermott argued an injection of finance would widen the talent pool for future England coaches. NRL clubs oversee players across several age groups up to first-grade level, while he doubts Super League clubs could field three teams underneath them with a genuine spine of a six, seven, nine and one. “Is there a big divide between the competitions? Yeah, there is. It’s nothing to do with commitment, nothing to do with good-quality coaching. It’s just the size of the competitions and the standing in their country.”
He added that Super League has momentum worth protecting: “I know there’s some positive notes around Super League at the moment, especially with crowds. Wakefield winning the Grand Final puts a brilliant marker down that all the teams can win it. It would be a real positive validation of Super League if the NRL were to invest.”
Also Read: NRL Gap to Blame for France’s 78-4 World Cup Thrashing by Samoa, Says Boss
Source: BBC Sport — read the full story there.
