As someone who has been a rugby league fan since the '60s, it's fair to say that the NRL could be in its best state yet.

Much of the strength we see in the game today is owed to the work of my latest Straight Talk guest, John Quayle.

John served as the General Manager and CEO of the NSWRL and ARL from 1983-1996. Under his leadership, the game underwent significant changes, including the iconic Tina Turner campaign, the Super League War, and the sport's expansion throughout Australia.

In this week's Straight Talk pod, John and I reminisced about the early days of rugby league, his role in professionalising the NRL, how he persuaded Tina Turner to sing in an NRL advertisement, his involvement in the Super League War, negotiation tales with Kerry Packer, and much more.

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