Tones and I’s cancellation of her planned pre-match performance at the NRL grand final has reshaped the event’s entertainment strategy, with the league confirming it will forgo a headline act. The decision, announced by Australian Rugby League Commission chair Peter V’landys, follows negotiations that collapsed over prior commitments
and unresolvable artistic differences, according to multiple sources.
Negotiations Collapse Over Prior Commitments and Artistic Differences
Tones and I’s management confirmed the singer could not accept the NRL’s offer due to prior commitments
with American rapper Macklemore, as reported by ABC News. Tones had a prior commitment with Macklemore in America and explored all avenues to make it work,
said Regan Lethbridge, her management representative, in a statement shared with ABC Sport. Nothing was signed or confirmed in writing.
The NRL had initially approached Tones and I to perform at the grand final, with an offer presented to her team on September 5. However, the deal unraveled after the league insisted she include her hit single “Dance Monkey” in her setlist, a request she allegedly refused. The Sydney Morning Herald reported this as a sticking point, though V’landys later downplayed the issue, stating, We’ve been toying with this idea for a couple of years now, about giving the money to kids to play rugby league rather than a musical act.
V’landys clarified that the decision was not solely about the song, but about reallocating funds to support underprivileged youth. I’d prefer to see 20,000 underprivileged kids who can’t afford to play rugby league play rugby league, rather than spend a million dollars on 11 minutes of a musical performance,
he said, according to ABC News. The league confirmed it would use the $1 million entertainment budget to fund junior rugby league programs instead.
Financial Implications and V’landys’ Public Defense
The cost of securing a pre-match act for the NRL grand final has been estimated at between $1 million and $1.5 million, according to NINE. V’landys defended the move during an appearance on the Today show, comparing the expenditure to buying a cheeseburger for the pickle.
You don’t do that. You buy it for the cheeseburger,
he said, emphasizing his belief that the game itself should be the main draw.
Tones and I’s team reiterated that no formal agreement was ever signed. Due to the last-minute nature and prior commitments by Tones, we were unable to accept the offer,
Lethbridge said. We wish the NRL nothing but the very best for their event.
The singer’s refusal to perform “Dance Monkey” remains a contested detail, with some sources suggesting it was a key factor in the breakdown, while others highlight the prior commitments
as the primary issue.
Reactions and Unanswered Questions
V’landys acknowledged the artistic differences
but framed the decision as a long-term vision. We love Tones and I.
She’s a great performer, great Australian artist.
We had artistic differences, and those artistic differences couldn’t be resolved,
he told NINE.
For now, the focus remains on the $1 million reallocated to junior programs, with V’landys stating, We consider a lot of artists over a period of time, but as I said, I’ve been toying with this idea for a couple of years now.