NRL supremo Peter V’landys feels any NRL players considering a switch to the breakaway R360 competition are ‘risking their career’, drawing a comparison to Salford Red Devils’ financial struggles this season.
The rebel rugby union league, which is being headed up by former England World Cup winner Mike Tindall, is actively targeting some of the biggest names from both codes ahead of its proposed launch in October 2026.
Reports suggest that ten NRL players are set to take up deals in the new competition.
Among the names touted are South Sydney Rabbitohs ace Jye Grey, Melbourne Storm pairing Ryan Papenhuyzen and Nelson Asofa-Solomona and cross-code international Roger Tuivasa-Sheck.
‘They’ve got no business plan, and any player who goes is risking their career’
That could point to a serious risk to the NRL moving forward, but the ARLC chair is not concerned by the prospect of R360, describing it as a ‘competition out of a cornflakes box’.
“Any competition that comes out of a cornflakes box, I’m not really concerned about,” V’landys told members of the media. “That’s what it is.
“It’s completely unprofessional; they’ve got no business plan, and any player who goes is risking their career. You only have to look at Salford this year in Super League; it was a similar situation where the players didn’t get paid.
“It’s a competition out of a cornflakes box and I’m not going to be concerned about it.”
Elsewhere, current Kangaroos squad member Zac Lomax is also understood to be an R360 target, but despite speculation over his future in the sport, Australia boss Kevin Walters insists there were no issues surrounding his selection.
“No, no concern,” he said. “We’ve got the full support of the Commission on the selection of the side.
“We’re focusing on these three Tests. What happens next year or in two years is out of our control and out of my control.”
Lomax isn’t the only player in the 24-man Kangaroos touring party linked with a switch to rugby union, with Mark Nawaqanitawase also set to leave the Sydney Roosters next year to pursue a place in the Wallabies’ 2027 World Cup squad.
Elsewhere, fresh reports also suggest Cameron Munster is on the shopping list of several union clubs.
Neither Nawaqanitawase or Munster have been linked with R360, however.
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