May 25, 2026 — 6:05pmFor some time, the two sporting streams in which Peter V’landys swims have delivered radically divergent fortunes.In the world of NRL, he has cemented his iron grip over the game as its dynamic chairman. He has pushed through a major expansion, placed the Australian Rugby League Commission on a more lucrative financial footing, and stolen the limelight from the traditionally more dominant AFL. Fans mob him when they see him in the street.But in the world of racing, his reign as Racing NSW chief executive has been on shaky ground amid a series of industry dustups and political brawls. V’landys is never happier than when locked in a battle, but he is now a man fighting on too many fronts. He has known for some time he might need to get out of racing before the heat reaches boiling point. He has just been handed a neat way to do it, with serious knock-on effects for power and influence in Sydney’s sporting landscape.ARLC chairman Peter V’landys at Monday’s press conference.Getty ImagesThe resignation of NRL chief executive officer Andrew Abdo on Monday represents V’landys’ golden ticket. Abdo’s surprise departure to replace Craig Tiley as the boss of Tennis Australia would ordinarily send the NRL board on a hunt for a replacement who is, as V’landys described on Monday, “Superman and Jesus” all in one. But in the board’s mind, such a search is pointless because they already have their Super Jesus – and his name just happens to be Peter V’landys.V’landys will take four months’ leave from Racing NSW to become acting NRL chief executive once Abdo steps aside in July. At a media conference, he suggested this was a temporary move. “Today is about Andrew, not me,” he said repeatedly. He also insisted he had not yet thought about his future. But barring a last-minute hiccup and pending a necessary constitution tweak, senior figures in league and state politics are convinced V’landys will eventually resign from Racing NSW and become the NRL’s executive chairman, meaning he continues to rule the board while also running the organisation at an operational level.Veteran league reporter Danny Weidler summarised the situation well on Monday when he said to V’landys: “There is a feeling in the game that you’re [the NRL] going to conduct a worldwide search that will end up on you.”For the players and egos involved, the switch achieves three things.First, it means V’landys can jump from racing before he is pushed. Racing NSW’s war against the Australian Turf Club is not going well. He is often at the centre of parliamentary politics courtesy of arch-enemy Mark Latham, and the Minns government has appointed former NSW health minister Brad Hazzard to conduct a review of the legislation governing the state’s $3.3 billion racing industry. His final report could make for uncomfortable reading at Racing NSW’s Druitt Street headquarters. As if all that wasn’t enough, V’landys’ decision to sue racing website publisher Vicky Leonard has raised eyebrows. Ironically, the article at the centre of the defamation battle questioned whether V’landys had ruled racing for too long, and whether his role at the NRL was a distraction.V’landys has had a huge impact on racing, delivering massive prize money, bringing country horses to the city, and devising major new events like The Everest. He could leave with his head held high. His departure would clear the way for a major reset of the industry. Hazzard’s report will lay the groundwork for change and Premier Chris Minns may jump at the chance for a new team to do it. Graeme Hinton, V’landys’ effective deputy at Racing NSW, is an obvious candidate to succeed him. But while Hinton is well regarded, his close association with V’landys may damage his chances.Second, V’landys may be able to retain much of his salary. At Racing NSW, V’landys is thought to earn well north of $1 million a year, and he picks up at least another $150,000 as NRL chair. Abdo was on at least $1.5 million as NRL chief executive. Do the maths.Third, Abdo’s decision to seek greener pastures in Melbourne has created a blood-free coronation for V’landys. Those who know the dynamics between the pair say V’landys has great affection for Abdo and would not have stabbed him in the back to then fill his place. The Tennis Australia gig renders academic any speculation about whether he would have eventually knifed Abdo.Abdo is a good man weighed down by an unfair view that he is often sidelined by V’Landys. He is not a yes-man; that title belongs to several men on the NRL board fiercely loyal to their chair. V’landys’ positive impact on the game gives him huge sway over the board, and it is hard to argue against success. However, many of the board members engage with each other on terms more reflective of family or friends, rather than business. In any other enterprise of the scale and importance as the NRL, such an operating style would not fly. At the NRL it is the norm.Abdo certainly had a front-row seat to the challenges of working closely with V’landys. The South African-born administrator was arguably Australia’s best-paid handbrake, injecting reality into V’landys’ grand visions when needed. A far more considered, measured and meticulous operator than his chair, Abdo would get the important stuff done quietly, and was happy for V’landys to bask in the spotlight. Others complain he took too long to make decisions and acted more like a chief operating officer than a chief executive.Over recent months he has played a blinder, sitting back patiently and holding his tongue while waiting for the opportune moment to leave on his own terms. His gig at Tennis Australia may pay even more than what he was earning at the NRL. Bravo.Despite the tensions and unorthodox dynamics, the two men have arguably been one of the most successful partnerships in Australian sport. League is thriving and each has had a hand in that. “Peter has been a strong chair, a visionary passionate about putting the game and the fans first,” Abdo told reporters on Monday. “He is a leader with a big heart for the game, and he has taught me a great deal.” For his part, V’landys said Abdo was a huge loss to the game and remains a close friend.Peter V’landys and Andrew Abdo at the Australian Open in January.Getty ImagesA key question is how an all-powerful executive chairman operates in a post-Abdo NRL world. Who will have the guts to push back, or the capacity to make his visions a reality? Several senior league figures speculated on Monday that Graeme Hinton, V’landy’s deputy at Racing NSW, could walk from there and reunite with him at the NRL.An early test for V’landys lies in negotiations for the next set of NRL broadcasting rights. The deal with Foxtel and Nine, the publisher of the Herald and The Age, expires in 2027 and V’landys has talked a big game about striking an agreement to beat the $4.5 billion, seven-year broadcast agreement the AFL inked in 2022.Before Abdo’s departure, V’landys could outsource the finer negotiations to his chief executive, and distance himself if the deal wasn’t as lucrative as hoped. Now the buck for this – and everything else – in rugby league stops entirely with V’landys.It’s a brave new world.News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.From our partners