The bid to become the 18th NRL team has been thrown into even more uncertainty as Perth have shot into serious contention.
New West Australian premier Roger Cook has reportedly wasted no time in office, after making a phone call to independent commission boss Peter V'landys to begin his efforts to make sure Perth is the next side in the NRL, according to a Daily Telegraph report.
Following the on-field and off-field financial success of newly instated Dolphins in the NRL, Perth's interest has skyrocketed especially after another successful origin match in the city last year, followed by a NRL double header in the coming weeks.
It seems Cook's cries for a team are not falling on deaf ears as V'landys is already giving the proposal serious thought.
"Perth has to be high on the table now, especially with a premier so passionate about wanting to have a team there. They warrant serious consideration," V'landys told the publication.
โIf you've got a government that's going to get 100 per cent behind you, you've got a run-up start. We had a really good conversation and we'll be chatting again. The fact he rang in his first week in the job shows how keen they are.โ
While WA prepare an official proposal, the NRL is set to consider further rapid expansion, eyeing off a 20 team competition already spearheaded by Roosters chairman Nick Politis.
Also worth noting is that the current NRL broadcasting deal expires at the end of 2027, meaning if the NRL can fast track 20 teams before this point, they will have some great footing to argue for a bigger price-tag with the addition of even more games every year.
However, as we are all swept away by the possible and probable newcomers to the NRL, Zero Tackle run the rule over every possible expansion location.
1. Perth
Following the new premiers interest in becoming involved in the NRL and Vlaynds' clear interest in moving the game west I would think Perth is the clear top pick for the next expansion team.
Selling out two origin matches already, boasting a solid 60,000 seat Optus stadium they are clearly well equipped to handle the competition. There is also the rectangular stadium in the city which will likely be far more suitable to regular season NRL.
Even reportedly offering to partner up with former NRL side the North Sydney Bears, it seems that Perth are doing everything right when it comes to their NRL bid.
And that's not even to mention the timezone benefit they bring to the NRL - that 6pm Sunday game would be 4pm in Perth, or a late Saturday game on the east coast would become playable, which, in TV networks eyes, would be a big winner.
Also majorly backed by current NRL chairmen and CEOs, Perth was voted the most popular expansion choice in a survey earlier in the year sent exclusively to the club head honchos.
However perhaps the biggest factor is the NRL's desire to constantly get a leg-up on their biggest rival in the AFL. Desperately wanting a side to rival AFL in the area, it seems a safe bet that V'landys and the NRL would want a way to strip crowds away from the AFL.
Either way it is painfully obvious that both Perth has an appetite for the game and that the game is more than willing to provide it, having already tested the waters in recent years it would be more surprising if the next team is anybody but Perth.
