Eels Blogs

The long-awaited Australian Rugby League Commission has been launched by chairman John Grant who hailed it as a fresh start for the game.

The independent commission, almost four years in the making, takes over immediately with the former ARL board dissolved at a meeting on Friday morning.

The new set-up also brings to a close media group News Limited's 17-year involvement in the running of the National Rugby League competition.

John Grant signed off on the historic change at a launch function at Rugby League Central, the newly-opened $20 million headquarters at Sydney's Moore Park.

"We finally have the result we wanted," said Grant. "Rugby league has today achieved something many sporting competitions around the world are working very, very hard on and that's independent governance.

"More importantly it's been done at a time when the game is in great shape. Let me acknowledge the leap of faith the game has taken."

Grant is joined on the eight-person commission by Gary Pemberton, the man widely credited with securing record broadcasting rights for the Sydney Olympics, Harris Farm founder and chairwoman Catherine Harris; brand strategist Ian Elliot and business heavyweights Peter Gregg and Jeremy Sutcliffe.

Highly-respected indigenous educationalist Dr Chris Sarra - Queensland's Australian of the Year in 2009 and a key figure in the Indigenous All Stars concept - is also on board along with former Test star Wayne Pearce.

The end of the current ARL will not affect the NSWRL and QRL, who continue to oversee representative sides in their respective states.

The Country Rugby League will merge with the NSWRL and be based at the new HQ in Sydney.

Long-serving NRL chief executive David Gallop assumes a similar role with the commission.

Gallop said the rugby league was ready to dive into an exciting new era, with new opportunities for players and grass roots communities.

"It's a special day because it's a day when rugby league springboards into the future and that springboard can only happen because of the success and the strength of the game going into the 2012 season," Gallop said.

"The game is built on strong foundation stones, we have the closest sporting competition of it's kind in the world and our players and clubs are regarded for making a positive difference in the community.

"The game has always been about innovation over it's more than 100 years of history."

Chairman of the now dissolved ARL, John Chalk said the move to independence had received unanimous support at the final board meeting.

"A lot of people have put the game first and foremost and I'd like to pay tribute to those directors."