Queensland Premier David Crisafulli has held conversations with ARL Chairman and acting NRL chief executive Peter V'landys to put in his claim to have Queensland win the 20th NRL license.
After finalising the NRL's latest $5.3 billion TV rights deal, V'landys now turns his attention to expansion plans for the NRL.
Despite Christchurch looking to be in the lead for the 20th license, the Courier Mail is reporting that Crisafulli remains hopeful of an extra Queensland team after his meeting with V'landys.
Reports suggested that clauses in the TV rights deal indicate that one broadcaster is keen to have a new NRL team enter the competition as early as 2029.
The bid is suggested to be located in Queensland's western corridor, with Ipswich being thrown around as a potential landmark for an NRL franchise.
V'landys has not shut the door completely on the idea of a fifth Sunshine State side, indicating the race is still wide open.
“We have not ruled out Queensland (for a fifth NRL team),” V'landys said to the Courier Mail.
“There's no doubt we've had some very serious approaches from New Zealand, but we've also had some very serious approaches from Queensland.
“We're looking at all options.
“Even last week, the Premier (Crisafulli) was hoping we'd look at another Queensland team, and I indicated to him that we certainly would.”
Brisbane remain a dangerous threat to thwart New Zealand, given their incredible rugby league grassroots continuously developing talent who reach the heights of the NRL.
Although the Warriors are dominating the rival union code across its nation, with major NRL sell-outs around New Zealand and a genuine demand for the sport.
It shows there is certainly room for another NRL team to capitalise on the overwhelming demand.
ARL Commissioner Peter Beattie suggested the Queensland bidders must act quickly as the race is beginning to heat up for a new club to enter the competition before the turn of the decade.
“In the long run Queensland will always be strong rugby league supporters, and the western corridor of Brisbane is obviously important,” Beattie said.
“They've got to get their act together.
“If they (Brisbane's western corridor) want to put a bid in, they've got to get their act together, put a commercially viable proposition together and be smart about how they do it.
“Otherwise, the Broncos have got to take a greater role out there, because Ipswich and western Brisbane are really important to us.
“If anyone listens to people, it's Peter V'landys.
“It (the NRL's expansion plan) is based on numbers. It's based on facts.
“You can't base growing the game on emotion.
“You've got to base it on cold, hard facts.
“Get your act together is my advice.”
What also works in Queensland's favour is the upcoming Olympics in 2032, which would pump plenty of money into the economy and would no-doubt benefit a club looking to get off the ground in its early years.
“One of the only things I love more than league is Queensland,” Crisafulli said.
“Queenslanders are now seeing we are an open for business Government which has started generating a renewed interest across all sectors of the economy, including sports and events.”
The NRL has been extremely successful in its ambitions to globalise the 13-man game, with the code looking at potentially having three NRL teams entering the competition across three different countries from 2027 to 2029.
