An expansion team in Brisbane is still on the agenda, according to NRL CEO Andrew Abdo.
Talks about expansion quietened due to the impact of COVID-19, but the prospect of expanding the league to 17 teams is still on the table at NRL headquarters.
The ideal destination is Brisbane, where the NRL knows they have a strong following and can fend off the latest push by the AFL to increase their reputation in the state off the back of the 2020 Grand Final.
“A 17th club has been spoken about, the analysis of what that might look like having a club in Brisbane. It’s part of long-term consideration for growth," Abdo said on Triple M and reported by Fox Sports' George Clarke.
“It’s very much at the top of the mind for the commission."
Another topic that is in discussion at NRL headquarters is the possibility of a transfer window, similar to that used in world football.
Abdo said a fixed trade window would form more structure to prevent players from agreeing deals with other clubs with 12 months left on their current deals.
“I think there’s a lot of frustration. I think our fans get frustrated by it all. There’s no perfect system. The clubs get pressurised if a player wants to leave early," Abdo told Triple M.
“It needs improvement, we want to explore and do it relatively quickly. We want to get the RLPA and the clubs to buy in where we get some more structure and fixed windows so we can limit some of these situations.
