New twist in NRL expansion talks confirmed

ARL committee president Peter V'landys says the NRL's caller franchise volition request to amusement it tin pull caller streams of sponsorship and bring caller fans done the turnstiles pursuing quality that 2 of the hopeful NRL expansion bids were acceptable to merge.

The Brisbane Jets and Brisbane Firehawks are successful negotiations to articulation forces successful a bid to destruct the beardown Redcliffe bid.

The Redcliffe Dolphins were founded successful 1947 and the nine has a profound beingness successful Queensland Rugby League, with an plus basal reportedly worthy astir $100 million.

Redcliffe are viewed arsenic the front-runners to beryllium named the NRL's 17th team, though the merger betwixt the Jets and Firehawks would spot their associated bid summation to a worth of an estimated $35 million.

The NRL held talks this week with prospective bidders and are expected to green-light a caller squad for the commencement of the 2023 oregon 2024 season.

Peter V'landys confirmed the NRL has spoken to prospective bidders. (Getty)

Speaking to 2GB's Ben Fordham, V'landys confirmed that merger talks are underway.

"I was alert of it archetypal happening this greeting that it mightiness happen," helium said. "We'll hold and spot if it does happen.

"These merger talks sometimes bash autumn over. But it volition surely marque that bid a batch stronger than what it presently is.

"It's a astute happening to bash – combining to marque a much almighty bid – they person overmuch much wealth down them.

"One of the assets to the Redcliffe connection is the currency they tin enactment into the crippled and the disposable assets they person and the rank of a caller audience."

V'landys declared that the competition's caller squad would person to bring caller fans and sponsors to the game, alternatively than pilfering from the established sides.

"If we bring successful a 17th squad it's got to bring successful caller assemblage and instrumentality a casual instrumentality and crook them onto a rusted-on rugby league fan," helium said.

Redcliffe Dolphins are a known marque successful Queensland. (Getty)

"There's nary bully taking fans from the Broncos oregon Titans oregon Dragons, they person got to beryllium caller fans, with caller tribalism and they've got to reinvigorate Brisbane rugby league and that's what we are looking at."

No substance who wins the bid to beryllium the NRL's newest team, the occurrence of the franchise volition trust heavy connected recruitment connected and disconnected the field. Speaking connected Wide World of Sports' Six Tackles with Gus podcast, Canterbury wide manager Phil Gould reiterated the value of having a beardown fig with a heavy consciousness for the section assemblage arsenic the look of the club.

All bids person reportedly had talks with legendary manager Wayne Bennett astir his plans for the future, with the mentor returning to Brisbane aft his stint astatine the Rabbitohs finishes astatine the extremity of this season. Gould said Bennett meets the criteria and naming him arsenic manager oregon shot manager would beryllium a "no-brainer" successful presumption of luring endowment and attracting sponsors, but warned the processes enactment successful spot connected the crushed level volition interaction the nine for years to come.

Rabbitohs manager Wayne Bennett. (Nine)

"Whoever comes successful volition request to acceptable It up for the agelong word but pull endowment successful the short-term," Gould said.

"They would request to beryllium precise cautious however they negociate that process due to the fact that that archetypal wage headdress that they enactment retired is going to impact them for a fewer seasons.

"It's going to beryllium hard to entice players for 1 year. Particularly if you're asking them to relocate and determination location truthful you tin ideate that astir of them are going to beryllium extended contracts.

"How to support yourself competitory – however overmuch is that going to cost? And what does it bash to the aboriginal years and however bash you replenish that implicit time?"

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