The long-awaited Australian Rugby League Commission was finally launched in Sydney on Friday, bringing all of the game's stakeholders under the same umbrella.
Just over 13 years after the Australian Rugby League and News Limited brought an end to the Super League war with their compromise that resulted in the birth of the NRL, the new Commission will replace the ARL and NRL boards and the Partnership Committee.
To be chaired by John Grant and with David Gallop acting as chief executive charged with the day-to-day running of the game, the Commission will be made up of eight members.
Apart from Grant and Gallop, the other six members are former player and coach Wayne Pearce, Catherine Harris, Ian Elliot, Peter Gregg, Gary Pemberton, Jeremy Sutcliffe and Dr Chris Sarra.
Grant hailed the official formation of the Commission, which coincided with the opening of Rugby League Central in Sydney, a building that will house the NRL, NSWRL, ARL Development and Country Rugby Leagues.
"This is without doubt an historic day for the game," Grant said.
"It may have taken a little while longer to get here than some expected but that in itself is testimony to the significance of what is taking place."
"To be ready to bring the Commission 'on-line' as Rugby League Central enjoys its official opening provides a nice synergy at a time when the whole of rugby league is looking to what we can achieve in the future."
"The Commissioners will act as custodians for the game and are committed to acting in the best interests of rugby league in an environment that considers all parties but which is not aligned to any one area of the sport."
Gallop added that the game is in extremely healthy shape.
"More people are playing the game than ever before, more people are members of a club than ever before and more people are interacting on every level from attending games, to watching on television, the internet or being a part of social media," Gallop said.
"Rugby league is in an incredibly strong position from which to move forward and the Commission will provide an important framework in making the most of the opportunities that lie ahead."