{"id":504482,"date":"2026-02-26T03:54:11","date_gmt":"2026-02-26T03:54:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/504482\/"},"modified":"2026-02-26T03:54:11","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T03:54:11","slug":"australian-rugby-league-commission-chairman-peter-vlandys-kicks-victoria-in-the-balls-with-another-odd-afl-claim","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/504482\/","title":{"rendered":"Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V\u2019landys \u2018kicks Victoria in the balls\u2019 with another odd AFL claim"},"content":{"rendered":"

Australian rugby league chair Peter V\u2019landys is seemingly on an AFL<\/a> rampage, taking a fresh dig at the rival code with another bizarre claim.<\/p>\n

After his flight to Las Vegas was turned back to Sydney (due to an air conditioner issue), V\u2019landys had a crack at the AFL when he eventually landed<\/a> in the US, saying the plane was \u201cserviced by AFL engineers\u201d.<\/p>\n

Now, 24 hours later, he is at it again, this time mocking the AFL over its successful return of State of Origin.<\/p>\n

Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Arrow<\/a><\/p>\n

The concept of state rivalry in Australian Rules dates way back to the late 1800s with the first ever \u201cintercolonial representative match\u201d played between Victoria and South Australia in 1879 at the East Melbourne Cricket Ground.<\/p>\n

The Australian Football Carnivals (which ran through the 1900s) were considered big events at the time and could often run over two weeks. The competition evolved into State of Origin in the 1970s, but again this was all before rugby league\u2019s first official State of Origin match which was played in 1980.<\/p>\n

Despite that history, V\u2019landys thinks it is all highly amusing and believes the AFL is copying the NRL.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell firstly, can you explain what AFL is?\u201d he said on Triple M\u2019s Mick in the Morning show.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow can they have a State of Origin? It\u2019s all in Victoria, most of the games, aren\u2019t they?\u201d<\/p>\n

That whack is also bizarre, given the AFL has teams in five out of Australia\u2019s six states and will soon have a team in Tasmania too.<\/p>\n

The NRL does not have a team in Tasmania or South Australia and has only just added a team to Perth which won\u2019t feature in the league until 2027 (10 out of the NRL\u2019s 17 teams are in New South Wales, whereas the AFL has 10 teams in Victoria out of 18).<\/p>\n

V\u2019landys says the AFL has copied the NRL\u2019s marquee events and claims he is forcing the AFL innovate.<\/p>\n

Front Bar star Mick Molloy, an avid AFL fan, decided to comment on V\u2019landys\u2019 constant baiting of Victorians and the AFL.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou love kicking Victoria in the balls, you really do,\u201d Molloy said on his Triple M show.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou like taking a big chunk out of the Melbourne sporting market, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n

V\u2019landys said it was about \u201ccompetition\u201d and claimed he had lifted the AFL from its \u201cslumber\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs you say, competition lifts all boats. It\u2019s actually lifted the AFL \u2026 they\u2019ve come out of their slumber,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re soon going to wake up and have a go \u2013 they\u2019re looking at India now. They should not be scared of competition.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe lead them like you lead a horse. We lead them through. What\u2019s this Gather Round? What are they gathering? Rocks of stones. They\u2019ve got Gather Round \u2026 they\u2019ve copied Magic Round.\u201d<\/p>\n

The AFL\u2019s Gather Round is a relatively new concept (first played in 2023) where all teams head to South Australia and play a round of football \u2014 it is similar to the NRL\u2019s Magic Round (which is in Queensland).<\/p>\n

V\u2019landys also claims the Las Vegas opening round experiment had increased American viewership.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve gone up about 90 per cent in sales for the \u2018Watch NRL\u2019 (on the app), which is a big jump,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s at a funny time, unfortunately, because in New York it\u2019s about 11 o\u2019clock at night because we need the times to fit for Australia.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s made it the highest rating round of the season in Australia because fans that don\u2019t normally watch it have been attracted by the publicity generated by Vegas. They\u2019ve gone from casual fans to engaged fans. This year and last year we had the biggest audience rugby has ever had. Vegas gives us the marketing momentum.\u201d<\/p>\n

V\u2019landys regularly throws barbs at the AFL and often claims that NRL is Australia\u2019s No.1 sport.<\/p>\n

After his airport outburst, many sports fans suggested that the AFL \u201clives rent free\u201d inside the chairman\u2019s head.<\/p>\n

\u201cAFL lives in his head 24\/7 , he is a worried man,\u201d one follower said on social media.<\/p>\n

Others just wrote the words \u201crent free\u201d.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Peter V\u2019landys\u2019 AFL gag backfires while unveiling ambitious plan<\/p>\n

2 min read<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Club\u2019s \u2018unusual excuse\u2019 after players stumble over Vegas question<\/p>\n

2 min read<\/p>\n

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