ARL Chairman Peter V’Landys has engaged in another war of words with the AFL.
V’Landys is well known for making outspoken comments, and his latest interview has caught the attention of both the rugby league community and AFL powerbrokers.
Speaking with the Courier Mail, V’Landys tipped his hat to his competitor and their Queensland expansion but vowed that he plans to go to “war” in protecting the rugby league heartland.
“I will give due credit to the AFL,” he said.
“They have quietly kept us warm and fuzzy and held our hand while they are invading us.
“Let’s not mince words. The AFL are invading Queensland and that is brilliant management. I’m not bagging the AFL. They have excellent strategy. But I’m up for the fight. I’m not going to sit back and give them our territory.
“It’s like if you are at war - you don’t give the enemy half your land.
“Queensland is our turf and I will protect it. The AFL have been very smart and strategic by moving into the western corridor (of Brisbane), but they can’t sit back and think I will accept that.
“Every corridor of rugby league’s house in Queensland is important. It’s our traditional market, but you cannot be complacent and I won’t allow us to be.
“We will come out fighting.”
With increased presence from the AFL in South East Queensland, V’Landys spoke on why the NRL is set to pursue a second Brisbane club from 2023.
“If you want to dominate a market you need to have a presence there all the time. We want to dominate Queensland. A second Brisbane team gives the NRL a game every weekend at Suncorp Stadium.
“We are analysing it. Expansion is not a fait accompli.
“Cameron Smith, the greatest player ever, was a Logan junior. He went from Brisbane to Melbourne.
“If there was a second Brisbane team, would he have gone there?”
With a second Brisbane team all but certain to join the competition in two years, V’Landys even went as far to say that there could be another Queensland based franchise only some few years later.
“A fifth team in Queensland is not out of the question at all as we continue to grow,” he said.
“If an 18th team was to come in, it might happen in the next broadcast cycle, but if it is going to happen, planning has to start now. It’s part of our long-term plan.
“It’s too early to be absolutely certain where we go. New Zealand was suggested by Andrew (Abdo, NRL CEO) and that is certainly a market that we are after, but it could be anywhere.
“I won’t rule out Perth, but there could be another team in Queensland.”