Leeds Rhinos moved to the top of Super League with a 66-16 win at York on Sunday, ending Wigan's 48-hour stay at the summit. The Rhinos and Wigan are level on points with three rounds to go before the playoffs, and both face tough fixtures this week—against St Helens and Hull KR respectively—while Warrington could still challenge for a top-two finish.
NRL investment talks intensify
The possibility of the NRL investing in Super League has been the sporting summer's longest-running saga, and clubs decided to reject an initial offer from the NRL on Thursday. That offer would have brought in £7m for each of the next five years in return for equity in Super League.
Some clubs are keen to do a deal and land the NRL's expertise and money, believing Super League will struggle to have a prosperous medium to long-term future without it. Others insist Super League should hold out for transformative sums. The reported £7m per year is unlikely to change anything other than buffer the losses of club owners somewhat, and Super League needs real sea change, not pocket-money level handouts.
Broadcasting future at stake
Super League is also entering the final months of being exclusively shown on Sky Sports, with the broadcaster opting to take only three games per round next year. The location of the other four depends on the NRL deal; if it falls through, Premier Sports—which will show the World Cup this autumn—are interested. With the NRL's backing, a deal with Dazn becomes the favourite, yielding little in the immediate term but perhaps more further down the track.
Clubs will meet again this week, and the NRL's supremo, Peter V'Landys, is heading for the UK in the next fortnight to thrash out a deal. It is now or never; if the NRL walk away this time, they will not return.
York's debut season shows potential
Sunday's match in York proved there is a product worth investing in. York were only promoted this season at short notice and given half the central funding—£650,000—of the other sides due to Super League expanding to 14 teams, something whoever is in charge next year must correct. But York's first season as a top-flight club has shown there is potential for elite rugby league in North Yorkshire.
Leeds' attacking triumvirate of Lachie Miller, Brodie Croft and Jake Connor dismantled York, with the visitors leading 30-0 after 25 minutes. Riley Lumb scored a hat-trick, and Leeds' coach, Brad Arthur, said: "We didn't come here expecting to score 66 points so I'm happy with that. I think the mentality of the team drifted a bit in the second half but it does become hard when you're ahead by so many points. But the spine players like Jake and Lachie did a great job."
By the time the serious challenges arrive next month, starting with Wigan, Super League's future looks likely to have changed for ever. Do the NRL deal, and there is a new journey ahead. Walk away? That in itself prompts a fascinating discussion about where the game goes next.
