The problem with (English, at least) Rugby League always has been and will remain for the foreseeable future the people that run the sport off the field, be that at the RFL or the individual clubs. Incompetent and narrow-minded in almost all cases. It doesn't help that supporters of the game are very clearly divided between "traditionalists" and "expansionists", and the RFL seems to want to try and please both groups - which it cannot do if the sport is to be successful.

RL doesn't benefit from the natural economics of scale that accrue from being the national (and indeed international) sport, either doesn't want to or doesn't know how to reposition the sport towards focusing on it's international offering (like cricket and RU have done) and seems to lack the commitment to push the game into new formats or venues that might offer more casual but mass appeal (like cricket and darts).

Ironically, Rugby League is a sport that seems to take an almost perverse pride in "innovating" - yet all too often this "innovation" is ill-thought through and not given the time and resources required in order to make it a success.

The game in Australia has its problems, but after spending two weeks there over the summer simply to follow RL I have to say the way that the game is administrated, and the quality of the offering there is lightyears ahead of the way even our best clubs are setup. Potentially Leeds and Wigan might be on a par with a St George, but there's a long gap to match the offering of a Brisbane or Rabbitohs outfit. There's now a very conscious continuity to the NRL's core offering with an expectation of on and off-field excellence, whilst at the same time taking the game to new markets in a controlled and considered fashion - with adequate resources to support any new endeavour.

Maybe he'll be playing scrum half?

Should I know Jas Athwal (before I google)?

THey've managed all that very quickly, it's like they have been planning this for a while, almost like they knew who would be given the nod

Local businessman. There's no reason why you would.

Apart from the fact that if you DO google there is a bit of a surprise as this guy shares his name with the previous Facebook Chief Accountant.