As the introduction of a new expansion team is on the horizon, the NRL could see the return of Monday Night Football to accommodate all 18 teams across five nights.
Although an expansion team is not confirmed, the NRL is looking to bring in an 18th team after seeing the success of the Dolphins this season.
Revealed by News Corp last month, there have been high-level talks within the NRL to create a 20-team competition, with a Pasifika or Papua New Guinea team to be next in line.
With more teams entering the competition and the TV schedule full between Thursday and Saturday, the NRL will have two options to choose from.
The first will be to play a third game on Sunday whilst the other is to reintroduce Monday Night Football.
โWe would have to carefully consider it,โ NRL CEO Anthony Abdo told News Corp.
โHaving the nine fixtures is a great thing, it's more football for fans, more games. When it would be played, obviously, that would be a very strategic consideration."
"There is a whole range of factors that need to be considered.โ
Fox Sports Executive Director Steve Crawley believes that even if more teams are introduced it is more likely to play an extra game on Sunday.
Conceding that a game on Monday may come with different issues and challenges.
If the extra game is played on Sunday it will likely occur at 18:00 and if it is played on Monday it will be at 19:00.
โYou could definitely go to three games on a Sunday. If you can have a 2pm and 4pm game, you can have one at 6pm. There is a hole there,โ Crawley said to News Corp.
The current schedule has one game on Thursday (19:50 start), two games on Friday (18:00 and 20:00 start), three games on Saturday (15:00, 17:30 and 19:35 start) and two games on Sunday (14:00 and 16:05 start).
