Heavyweights clash over NRL expansion with Brisbane, Victoria, Papua New Guinea, Perth and New Zealand all options on the table

NRL heavyweights Phil Gould, James Graham and Darryl ‘Big Marn’ Brohman have clashed over whether the league is ready to expand and where to locate the expansion clubs.

The NRL’s top flight has league expansion high on its priority list, with teams in Papua New Guinea, Perth and New Zealand easily close.

Peter V’Landy, the CEO of the NRL, has been tight-lipped about when it will happen, only saying in a recent interview on Triple M that it could be 2027 or maybe even as early as 2025.

The encouraging results of the new 2023 side, the Dolphins, have encouraged the NRL powerbrokers to continue and accelerate their expansion, despite some people suggesting they are not big enough players to win a few more sides. justify.

When the expansion happens, will it be 18 or 20 teams?

Phil ‘Gus’ Gould, when interviewed on a recent Nine podcast, said it will happen and it should be another team from Brisbane in the first place.

“I’ve been saying for years that Brisbane needed a second team and now I think they need a third team,” he said of Six Tackles with Gus.

“If we want to use an eighteenth team, it has to be there. They have the population, they have the grassroots to do it.

“There is no other place on the planet that would be better for another NRL team than South East Queensland, for the game and for sustainable success.”

If the NRL isn’t ready for a third squad in South East Queensland or Brisbane, the NRL is likely to look international.

This brings PNG and New Zealand into play and that debate brought heavyweights Brohman and Graham together this week where they clashed on the Ladbrokes podcast.

Former Bulldogs and Dragons enforcer James Graham insists NRL return straight to 20 teams when it expands

Former Footy Show co-presenter Darryl Brohman thinks 18 teams is enough as NRL looks at expansion

“Look, we can go to an 18-team league now, I’m not worried about that,” said Brohman.

“But we could get to a competitive league of 20 teams much quicker if we bring in the three new teams now,” Graham said in response.

“No, I’m not convinced,” Brohman replied.

“Look, the gamblers out there just don’t like to see the sides get lapped week in and week out,” he added. They will lose interest.

Now I don’t like to disagree with you because you’re a pretty formidable person, but I think it’s 18. Let’s go for 18 first.’

But Graham got right back to him.

“Okay, where are we going?” he asked

Brohman replied, “Perth.” leading the Englishman to ask gravely, ‘Why are we going to ignore PNG?

“Why are we going to ignore a second New Zealand team too,” Brohman interrupted, saying, “I didn’t say we’re going to ignore them.”

To which Graham fired back, “You are.”

“No, let’s give them some time,” Brohman said.

Graham then replied, “Well, it looks like you just want to brush them off.” Let’s not let them in. Why can’t we just go straight to twenty?’

Brohman replied with, ‘because you just can’t mate. I think twenty is just too much.’

The Kumuls from Papua New Guinea (red and yellow) are one of the options to join the NRL next as part of expansion

An expansion team from Perth looks like a good opportunity as State of Origin games have moved to WA in recent years and are heading there again in 2025.

V’landys has also highlighted Victoria as a potential site for a second team, following the success of the Melbourne Storm.

The North Sydney Bears hope to be included in the talks, who still own one of the finest home grounds in rugby league.

But at the highest level of discussions, their name seems to be absent every time.