Irony as NRL set to make huge decision Super League should have done years ago

It might have been a big weekend for the UK with the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III, but it has been a big weekend for rugby league as fans are offered a feast of rugby league fit for a king.

This is because down under it has been their Magic Weekend in the NRL giving fans in Australia a rugby league buffet that UK fans have been able to join in on through Sky Sports.

This morning Wests Tigers have defeated St George Illawarra Dragons as their season finally gets going with two wins on the spin.

This came without star signing from the Wigan Warriors John Bateman who picked up a hamstring injury just before the game and was a late withdrawal.

Then North Queensland and Sydney Roosters collided in a titanic battle after a hailstorm just before kick-off.

This is penultimate game with all eight games played at Brisbane Broncos’ Suncorp Stadium starting on Friday with two games before three games on Saturday and Sunday each.

It has been a huge success yet again with every ticket for the event sold out.

Now the NRL is assessing the prospect of taking the event further afield to New Zealand.

“Why wouldn’t we consider putting more content in New Zealand whether it’s Magic Round or something else,” NRL CEO Andrew Abdo said on 2GB.

“That’s why it was important to take the All Stars there for the first time.

“So Magic Round’s an option but so too is perhaps thinking about Test matches or the end of the season internationals.

“There has been exceptionally strong interest from around the country for all our major events, Magic Round in particular,” Abdo confirmed.

“The commission is aware of this interest and the need to explore all commercial opportunities.

“Tourism Queensland and Brisbane City council have been terrific partners and we will obviously be talking to them as well because it has been such a huge success at Suncorp.”

There has even been talk that the event could be taken to Vegas.

The NRL is keen on taking the sport to America to grow the game with talk of games taking place over there in 2024.

All of this comes in a period when the pioneers of the Magic Weekend concept, Super League, are set to get rid of the concept under IMG.

There is a certain irony to this seeing the NRL do with the concept what Super League should have done with the concept just as it is set to end in Super League.

It was often suggested that the event could be taken abroad to somewhere like France or perhaps taken to untapped areas of England such as London, Coventry and others outside of the North and the infamous M62 corridor.