Australia is set to have a new chairman of selectors ahead of the 2022 Rugby League World Cup, with Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V'Landys reportedly set to assume the role.
V'Landys, who has served in his position as commission chairman since October of 2019, having originally gained an appointment to the commission in March of 2018.
He took over just six months before the onset of the coronavirus pandemic and, alongside NRL CEO Andrew Abdo, has been tasked with plenty of tough decisions in his time to keep the game going.
He has also overseen rule changes, policy changes - such as shifting to one referee - a new TV rights deal being signed and the expansion of the competition, with the Dolphins set to enter the NRL in 2023.
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But according to The Sydney Morning Herald, the commission chairman is now set to take over as the chairman of selectors for the Kangaroos ahead of the World Cup, to be held in England during October and November of this year.
The World Cup was originally supposed to be played in 2021, however, was postponed after Australia and New Zealand both elected to pull out, citing coronavirus concerns and the issues arising from a long, taxing NRL season which included time in a Queensland bubble, that had also come off a short pre-season at the end of 2020.
According to the report, Mal Meninga's squad for the World Cup will be picked by V'Landys, who will work with State of Origin coaches Brad Fittler and Billy Slater, with the proposal reportedly set to be signed off in the coming days.
Australia have not played a single international game since before the coronavirus pandemic, and while they will start the tournament as favourites, the appointment of V'Landys in the role - who never played the game at the top level - is sure to raise eyebrows.
It's understood the current selection panel will be completely replaced under the proposal, provided it is signed off.
Australia are due to name an extended squad in the coming weeks, which will then be cut before they travel to England for the World Cup.
The Kangaroos have been grouped alongside Fiji, Scotland and Italy in Group B, and will play their games in Leeds, Coventry and St Helens during the group stage.
