The Grade Cricketer A-Graders, Vegas, Mexican cartels, with Christian Welch
Feb 25, 2026
Christian Welch, former NRL premiership winner turned Collingwood sports business analyst. He breaks down stadium strategy and the trade-offs between big shared venues and suburban grounds. He explains club commercial portfolios and which organisations impress commercially. He also reflects on player welfare, Melbourne Storm culture and why he retired.
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V'landys Uses Spectacle To Sell Expansion
- Rugby League under Peter V'landys is explicitly pursuing global expansion as a brand and commercial priority.
- V'landys uses headline events (Vegas junket, talk of Abu Dhabi) to create promotional halo and push broadcast and stadium deals aggressively.
Penrith's Judiciary Entrance Became An Optic
- Welch recounts a judiciary appearance where Penrith officials arrived in matching black jackets, creating a striking public optic.
- Ivan Cleary and others presented as a united, theatrical defence for Nathan Cleary's misconduct case.
Ex‑Player Shifted Into Commercial Role At Collingwood
- Welch describes his transition from Storm player to Collingwood business analyst, learning commercial operations in a much larger organisation.
- He notes Collingwood's 100,000+ membership scale and larger commercial machine compared to Storm.