Brian McDermott urges Super League to accept NRL investment as talks continue

England head coach Brian McDermott has urged Super League to accept investment from Australia's NRL, with negotiations continuing after a second deadline passed without an agreement. BBC Sport reported that clubs had rejected a £35m package from the Australian Rugby League Commission and that the latest deadline, 15 October, had not produced a deal. McDermott, also an assistant coach at Gold Coast Titans, said investment could benefit the English game.

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His comments focused on the commercial presentation of Super League rather than the standard of its players or coaching. McDermott argued that the competition already offered a strong product but needed improvements in marketing and the way it reached audiences. He said an NRL investment would represent an endorsement of Super League, while highlighting positive developments in attendances and Wakefield's Grand Final victory.

The discussions come with several major arrangements for the 2027 season still unresolved. According to the BBC, Super League has yet to agree a new title sponsor, complete broadcast negotiations or finalise its fixtures. London Broncos' place in the competition also remains uncertain. The club finished 16th in the annual grading list, below fellow Championship side Barrow Raiders, despite winning the second-tier Grand Final and the 1895 Cup.

London had also topped the regular-season standings but was overlooked when Bradford Bulls, York Knights and Toulouse Olympique entered an expanded 14-team Super League a year earlier. Backed by Australian businessman Grant Wechsel and former Brisbane Broncos player Darren Lockyer, the club still hopes to feature in the top flight in 2027. The BBC reported its understanding that an investment agreement would involve an Australian requirement for London's inclusion in the near future; no completed agreement was reported.

McDermott also linked additional funding to the development of future England players. He contrasted the age-group structures supporting NRL clubs with the resources available in Britain, arguing that English clubs lacked comparable depth in key playmaking positions across multiple development teams. In his assessment, the difference reflected the scale and domestic standing of the competitions, not a shortage of dedication among players and coaches.

The financial backdrop is substantial: the BBC reported that the NRL secured a seven-year television agreement worth £3.97bn in July, while Super League's Sky Sports contract was worth around £21.5m annually. McDermott's intervention adds England's head coach to the debate, but the investment terms and the outstanding commercial arrangements remain matters for negotiation.