Super League must ‘protect what’s good to us’ in upcoming talks with the NRL, Wigan Warriors CEO Kris Radlinski has claimed when offering an update on discussions.
Radlinski has confirmed what has previously been reported, that RFL representatives will be in Australia this coming week for the NRL Magic Weekend, where further discussions will be held.
No deal is on the table despite Andrew Abdo holding talks in England recently but Radlinski retained optimism as he spoke on the BBC after watching his side progress to the Challenge Cup final.
“Not much been said. I think conversations are taking place,” he confirmed when asking for an update.
“Obviously, there’s a big weekend in Brisbane next week with the Magic weekend. I do believe some RFL representatives are going over there to continue talks, which is good.
“You know where I sit on it. I’m very, very optimistic. We need to see the detail but I want us to be in a position where we’re having these conversations because it could be transformative for the sport.”
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Super League would ‘absolutely not’ become a feeder competition, claims Wigan Warriors CEO
One thing that Radlinski was keen to discuss was what Super League must be able to retain and what the competition in England has that simply doesn’t exist in Australia.
The Wigan Warriors and St Helens derby was the first example he used, describing it as the ‘jewel in the crown’ of the sport in England, before going on to talk about other stories in Super League that need to be protected, but that could also be promoted further with the NRL investment.
He said: “A Wigan Saints game is a real jewel in the crown of our sport with the intensity. Saints battered us really first half in field position point of view and we took some chances.
“The crowd, I’ve never known them as loud for a very, very long time on both sides.”
Pushed by pundit Kevin Brown if Super League would become a feeder competition, Radlinski hit back: “Absolutely not. I don’t think this is a case for us rolling over and just saying, yes, have whatever you want.
“We need to protect what’s good to us. There have been some brilliant success stories in Super League. What Leigh has done has been fantastic, what Matt Ellis has done at Wakefield, we need to protect that, but we also need to use the expertise of what’s working for them to take us to a different place.
“I was here a couple of weeks ago and Warrington beat us and this place was absolutely rocking. It’s not like that in Australia. We do some things well, but let’s get a bit of that, protect what’s important to us and see where we can go.”
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