‘Opportunity from the gods’: V’landys to attend White House as guest of Albanese

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Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V’landys has flown to the United States to attend a state dinner at the White House as a guest of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

Albanese landed in the United States on Sunday night for an official visit at the invitation of US President Joe Biden, including a function to be held on the White House lawns on Wednesday (Thursday ADST).

Albanese, an avid South Sydney Rabbitohs supporter and a lover of rugby league, has formed a close alliance with V’landys and the NRL in recent years. The prime minister is in the United States as part of a four-day plan to discuss the AUKUS deal as well as the ongoing troubles in the Middle East.

Albanese last month extended the invitation for the ARLC boss to attend a state dinner alongside some of America’s most powerful and influential people ahead of the NRL’s push into the United States for next year’s season launch in Las Vegas in March.

State dinners have honoured visiting heads of government or reigning monarchs since the nineteenth century. The Herald has reached out to V’landys for comment.

Anthony Albanese and Peter V’landys inside the NRL chairman’s suite at the first State of Origin game last year..

Fellow ARL commissioner and former Queensland premier Peter Beattie, who once attended a state dinner during his career in politics, said the board fully endorsed V’landys’ trip to Washington, DC. He confirmed the chairman’s trip when asked about V’landys’ whereabouts.

“This is a very rare opportunity that he has been afforded and it’s great for rugby league,” Beattie said.

“This is a networking opportunity from the gods. Anyone who is anyone will be there. There’s no doubt Peter has the personality that gets him through the door, but it will open up even more doors for the game.

“As a sport we’ve tried to break into the US before and failed. But we’ve never tapped on the door of the biggest power players in the country that you need to be successful in the US market. Peter V’landys is doing that.”

The NRL plans to launch next year’s Las Vegas double-header in the United States in a fortnight, finalising plans to send players from South Sydney, Sydney Roosters, Manly and Brisbane to help promote the games to be played at Allegiant Stadium on March 2.

Allegiant Stadium, where the game will be played in Las Vegas.Credit: AP

V’landys is with NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo as part of a series of meetings to build the game in the United States. The code is planning to hold a launch in Las Vegas from November 7-10, with clubs contacted to send their star players abroad to promote the game.

“Peter will go over there and help build the game, not only in Vegas, but in the United States,” Beattie said.

“Opening this door is an enormous opportunity for rugby league. He will get the opportunity to spend time with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to discuss the potential of an 18th team in Papua New Guinea.”

The Albanese government has reportedly offered up to $25 million annually to put a team into Papua New Guinea as a means of dealing with the continual geopolitical threat of China influencing the region.

V’landys and the commission are expected to move ahead with plans to introduce an 18th team into the competition as early as 2026.

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