Leeds coach Brian McDermott – with the support of Wigan captain Sean O'Loughlin – has insisted the NRL has a moral obligation to make the World Club Challenge compulsory for its clubs.

The bizarre set of circumstances in which there is no guarantee next year's WCC takes place means Wigan could remain the code's world champions for another 18 months despite not having even made the Super League semi-finals this year.

Kings of England: Coach Brian McDermott, Rob Burrow and Danny McGuire celebrate Leeds' Super League grand final win. Credit:PA

The NRL has reportedly intervened in a bid to ensure Melbourne and Leeds meet at AAMI Park early next year.

"At the start of last week I was talking to [Leeds CEO] Gary Hetherington and he was saying it's 80-20 likely not to happen," McDermott, the United States World Cup coach, told Fairfax Media.