Hull KR owner Neil Hudgell weighs in on Super-League NRL deal as ‘self interest’ criticised

Hull KR owner Neil Hudgell insists a partnership between Super League and the NRL ‘needs to happen for the game’, with no space for the ‘self interest’ of clubs in the UK.

Following months of speculation and talks between the pair, the Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) finally tabled an offer to Super League earlier this month, asking for 10% equity in return for an investment of £7 million per year.

Rugby League Commercial (RLC) have since rejected and sent back a counter offer, wanting both more money and to retain more of their equity, meaning more control.

There are still no guarantees an agreement will be reached, but for the good of the game, the owner of Super League’s reigning champions insists that needs to happen.

‘Quite simply for me, we need to try and make this deal happen… it needs to happen for the game’

A number of British clubs have apprehensions around what a deal between Super League and the NRL may mean for them.

Wakefield Trinity owner Matt Ellis exclusively told LoveRugbyLeague last week that some of the main concerns are a return to winter rugby and mergers between clubs.

But Rovers owner Hudgell is in no doubt about where he – and his club – stand on the negotiations, as he explained on the latest episode of Sky Sports’ ‘The Bench‘ podcast alongside Jenna Brooks, Jon Wilkin and Sam Tomkins.

Hudgell said: “Quite simply for me, we need to try and make this deal happen. The principle of it is that it needs to happen for the game.

“I used to sit round the Super League table and I stopped doing that five years ago because I didn’t like the dynamics of it.

“You’ve got a series of clubs that vote for self interest and end up cutting each other’s throats, that’s not in the best interests of the game.

“We need to parachute somebody in independently that’s probably going to upset everybody from time to time for the betterment of the game, because the game has got so many fabulous qualities but just can’t run itself.

“As I understand it, there might be a bit of a mix of investment from two or three places. If the package is right, then they’ve clearly got the skillset to do it and it clearly needs to happen.”

Hudgell – who took on the role of chairman when he first arrived – has enjoyed a stint of more than 20 years at Craven Park, becoming the sole owner of the club after Rob Crossland’s departure in April 2019.

He added: “The big clubs are all losing two or three million quid a year and it’s losses that we can manage because we make the decision to do it, but we don’t particularly want to do it.

“The money is important, but equally where that money is spent.

“Some of the things that are happening in the game at the minute are very amateurish and we’ve got to elevate that product, we’ve got to start thinking differently.

“We’ve got to start thinking about how we’re going to change it so it becomes attractive, because people buy bitesize now, the product is a bit old and a bit tired.”

‘Clubs need to work out if it’s for them. If it’s not for them, there needs to be a very compelling reason why not’

In and around the negotiations with the NRL, there’s still plenty to be decided about how Super League will look come 2027.

The competition expanded to 14 clubs ahead of 2026, but London Broncos are banging on the door to be let in having swept aside everything in their path in the Championship this season while growing exponentially off the field.

There’s also broadcasting rights to be taken by one – or numerous operators. Sky Sports will almost certainly remain involved, but may not show every single Super League game as they have for the last two seasons.

Hudgell said: “We’ve got to look strategically about where the game is and what the game is. You’ve got the corridor – Hull, Leeds and the North West.

“London, for me, has to be in at some point. It needs to be right because it’s never been in the right place (before), but Thursday night in London in the right spot has got to be an attractive proposition.

“You’ve got two French clubs as well, so there’s something to build on there, but we need to work out strategically how we pull all that together.

“If the clubs are left to their own devices, what’ll happen is determined on self interest, (and that’s been a problem for) a long, long time.

“We need to let the executives of the game get on and get to a position. They need to get the best deal on the table and then the clubs need to work out if it’s for them. If it’s not for them, there needs to be a very compelling reason why not.”