Outgoing chairman of the now-dissolved ARL John Chalk says he was delighted to hand over the reins to rugby league’s new independent commission and predicted a bright future for the game.

Chalk passed on a gold baton to chairman of the new ARLC John Grant on Friday in front of a packed media conference at the new Rugby League Central HQ in Sydney.

The baton carried the inscription: “Born 1907 NSWRL, born 1908 QRL, ARL born 1924, born 2012 The Commission”, and Chalk said the symbolic gesture was to show full support for the new regime.

“I’ve been involved in this from day one and I’ve always believed it was the right way to go,” Chalk told AAP.

“We’ve cut out levels of administration and bureaucracy and we’re all under one roof now, and can focus on the same thing.”

Chalk’s final duty as ARL chairman early on Friday morning was to to hold a last meeting to officially dissolve the body and hand over power to Grant.

And although there is likely to be better structure to the organisation of the game, Chalk said the most impressive aspect was that all parties were in agreement about the future direction of the sport.

“One of the main reasons this will be very successful is that we are in the same boat, pulling in the same direction which has not always been the case in years gone by,” he said.

“There are some great people on board, some real clear thinkers. You’d be hard pressed to find better people.”

Veteran former ARL general manager Geoff Carr said he was proud to have played a part on a historic day of change for rugby league and believed supporters would embrace the changes.

“It was a protracted process getting here, but a necessary process,” Carr told AAP.

“We have the right people in charge and the game is in great shape to grow at the rate the supporters want it to.”