NORTHERN Territory Rugby League is set to be debt free as of December 1, with the national governing body taking over in a radical restructure.

The NTRL has been in the red for about nine years, with current debt at about half a million dollars.

But following a governance review started 18 months ago, rugby league in the Territory will now be rebranded as NRLNT.

General manager John Mitchell was delighted with the result, describing it as the “re-birthing of rugby league in the Northern Territory”.

“To get that support from the NRL is very pleasing, not just in terms of assistance financially but all of the additional resources they’ve got available,” he said.

“The NRL brand is one of the highest profile brands in the country.

“It will solidify our sport going into the future and there’s some pretty exciting things ahead of us.”

Aussie Rules following a similar path about a decade ago when the AFL took over, which Mitchell admitted had been highly successful.

“I haven’t got any problems in saying how successful the AFLNT have been,” he said.

“Hopefully we can follow that same role model.”

The nine-person NTRL board will be reduced to three directors, with Mitchell to team up with a local business person and a representative from the NRL, both yet to be confirmed.

“We will make up the three-person board of the new business, the NRL representative will probably be the chief financial officer,” he said.

Mitchell paid tribute to chairman Mal Tomes’ efforts over the past three years.

Tomes will no longer be a part of the board once the restructure is in place.

“Our outgoing NTRL chairman Mal Tomes has done a marvellous job under enormous challenges,” Mitchell said.

“He has overseen the last three years of very difficult times.”

Next season’s competition will be the first under the banner NRLNT, but will remain as the same seven teams.

The 18-round 2015 draw is yet to be finalised, but Mitchell confirmed suburban grounds would get a good run as well as four matches in Katherine.

The Parramatta Eels will return to the Territory once again next year, playing a pre-season fixture in Alice Springs in February followed by a Top End home-and-away tussle in August as part of a deal with the NT Government.