The NRL's plans for a game on North American shores has been dealt another blow, with the Brisbane Broncos officially rejecting the proposed USA trip and throwing the NRL's plans into chaos once again.
While the Manly Sea Eagles have been the most consistently-mentioned team in regards to the possible overseas clash, the Courier Mail reports Broncos bosses have knocked back the notion amid concerns over the logistics of staging a match in the USA during the regular season.
While the Roosters and Rabbitohs have offered just a โlukewarm' response to the proposed game, the Melbourne Storm have also been mentioned as a possible participant.
The Broncos' decision comes while club chief executive Dave Donaghy is actually in the US as part of a sponsorship trip unrelated to the hopes of an American NRL game. He's also used the opportunity to meet with Lachlan Murdoch, who is a fan of the club.
โWe're very excited about taking what we think is the best sporting competition in the world to new markets and America is a very attractive market for us,โ Andrew Abdo said.
โWe're developing a long-term strategy for the growth of rugby league in America, and part of that will be playing premiership games there.
โWe are figuring out how to do that and how to make it sustainable.
โHopefully we can do it, but a few things need to fall into place first.โ
It's not known if a failure to secure a Round 1 clash will lead the NRL to temporarily abandon its plans, or whether the league will try for a later date in the 2023 season.
It's a huge blow to the league's grand plans, with reports suggesting the NRL is expected to make its final call on the potential game in the coming days.
Brisbane, meanwhile, have pushed ahead with their other pre-season plans, locking in trials with Queensland Cup and local NRL opponents โ but not Wayne Bennett's Dolphins team.
