The NRL is set to reportedly announce the inclusion of a 17th franchise in the coming weeks.
The Courier Mail’s Peter Badel believes that a decision will come in the next fortnight to add a second Brisbane team to the competition from 2023.
With the financial viability of the team being ticked off, ARL Commissioner Peter V’Landys has reportedly given expansion the tick of approval, pending meetings with the current 16 clubs.
EXCLUSIVE: Big story for rugby league.
— Pete Badel (@badel_cmail) September 23, 2021
NRL expansion set to be announced after the grand final.
ARL Commission has heard the financials on expansion stack up.
After 11 years of failure, Brisbane will get a second team as part of a 17-team comp in 2023. https://t.co/Y8zzzYUCrr
With bids coming from the Brisbane Firehawks, Brisbane Jets and Redcliffe Dolphins, it’s believed that the NRL will first confirm that a 17th team will be added before deciding who to hand the licence to.
The second Brisbane franchise will be the first team added to the competition since the Gold Coast Titans joined the NRL in 2007.