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Meyn Game: NRL urged to deliver Brisbane a third NRL team to fight off AFL’s $1 billion invasion
The AFL’s $1 billion invasion of Brisbane’s rugby league heartland is gaining momentum - but a powerful allegiance between rivals can halt the threat and deliver the city a third NRL team.5 min read
April 6, 2026 - 5:00AM
News Sport Network
In the high-stakes world of Australian sports, Peter V’landys has never been one to shy away from a gamble. But as the NRL lands in the neon glow of Las Vegas, the true nature of the expansion is coming into focus.
The NRL’s former chief strategist has urged Peter V’landys and the ARLC to launch a 20th team in Brisbane’s west to tackle the AFL’s $1 billion invasion.
Respected administrator Shane Richardson believes there is only one option when it comes to the candidates for the NRL’s next expansion club.
The NRL will grow to a 19-team competition over the next two years with the introduction of the Perth Bears (2027) and Papua New Guinea Chiefs (2028).
But with record television ratings and the prospect of a $4 billion broadcast deal, the ARL Commission’s ultimate goal is to have a 20-team competition with a strong geographical footprint across Australia, New Zealand, league-mad PNG and the Pacific.
However, Richardson is convinced the only market to expand into is booming South East Queensland as the NRL weighs up its next move, potentially around 2030.
Richardson headed up the unsuccessful Brisbane Easts-backed Firehawks NRL bid in 2021, which was trumped by the Dolphins in the battle to become Brisbane’s second team to rival the Broncos.
NRL’s former chief strategist Shane Richardson says shoring up Brisbane’s western corridor is imperative to blunt the AFL’s invasion into the region. Picture: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard
The Firehawks planned to target the western corridor, which was also where the unsuccessful Ipswich Jets-aligned bid was based.
But the post-Covid population surge, 2032 Olympic Games hype and investment and AFL’s cashed-up northern raid means SEQ can sustain a fourth team alongside the Broncos, Dolphins and Titans.
In 2024, the AFL announced it would invest $1 billion over 10 years to double its participation numbers to one million nationwide, with a focus on non-traditional states NSW and Queensland.
Reigning AFL champions the Lions have targeted Brisbane’s western corridor as a key growth area for the game.
Richardson said the Easts and Ipswich consortia had to get together to secure the NRL’s 20th licence and deliver Queensland a fifth team to fend off the AFL.
“The Broncos aren’t servicing the area which is why the Warriors, Souths and everybody else is getting involved. There’s just not enough rugby league,” Richardson said.
“We had Ipswich and Easts going against each other (in 2021), but no one doubted that was the best way to go, even better than Redcliffe.
“Redcliffe have done a great job and I’m not being critical of them at all but the numbers for the west stacked up better than Redcliffe.
“There’s no doubt there should have been another team in that area to make sure we keep those great areas of rugby league alive from the west of Brisbane through Ipswich to Toowoomba.
“It’s now time that Easts and Ipswich get together. Ipswich have got the history but haven’t got the money. Easts have got the money.
Suncorp Stadium could host more derbies. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images
“I don’t think there’s any doubt that the 20th team should be Ipswich and Easts getting together. It has to have a different name but be a combination of the juniors and the areas to make sure that we fight against the AFL.
“There’s not a lot of AFL players in the south of New Zealand and I don’t see the AFL putting an academy over there.
“We’re giving up our heartland to the AFL.”
Once V’landys and the NRL navigate the logistical minefield of the Chiefs they can turn their focus to a 20th team, which will deliver millions in extra broadcast revenue via the creation of a 10th game every week.
Here is an analysis of the contenders.
Brisbane – Ipswich or CBD
There was a fierce battle in Brisbane in 2021 for the NRL’s 17th licence, which was ultimately awarded to the Dolphins.Bids from the Ipswich-based Jets and Firehawks, backed by Easts Tigers, challenged the Dolphins, but the ARLC was blown away by the financial strength of Redcliffe.
The Dolphins secured entry to the NRL from 2023, but that doesn’t mean Brisbane’s thirst for first grade rugby league has been quenched.
With a booming population and the 2032 Olympic Games on the horizon, a fourth NRL team in South East Queensland is a real possibility.
The biggest question remains where should it be based?
The Ipswich and blossoming western corridor has merit and a strong following, but so too does a genuine CBD rival for the Broncos.
Apart from choosing a divisive moniker, the Firehawks presented a compelling case last time and would give the Broncos a proper Brisbane rival on the south side of the river.
If Richardson has his way, the bids will join forces and present V’landys with a compelling case.
Brisbane Firehawks NRL bid was unsuccessful in 2021 with Brian Torpy, Shane Edwards, Zac Sarra and Stephen Bullow. Picture: Supplied
New Zealand – South or North Island
The NRL has streaked ahead of Super Rugby in Australia and the time has arrived for it to take on the 15-man code in New Zealand.While the Warriors are surging and bringing along plenty for the ride, there is no doubt rugby remains the No. 1 code across the ditch.
The power of the All Blacks brand will make that difficult for the NRL to surpass, but we should be looking to hitch a ride on the popularity of the Wahs.
Think Broncos-Dolphins, Roosters-Rabbitohs and Sharks-Dragons. The Warriors don’t have a rival team.
The introduction of a second NRL team in New Zealand would take rugby league into an entirely new territory. Derbies could be played at the 50,000-seat Eden Park.
There are arguments for basing a team in Christchurch, Wellington or even Auckland, generating a fierce Warriors rival in the country’s biggest city of 1.5 million people.
Wellington is the capital and has a similar population of about 400,000 to Christchurch, which would create a north versus south island showdown.
The Warriors believe the pathways system in New Zealand isn’t ready for the country to sustain a second NRL team, but that can be worked on over the next five years.
Will the NRL look to ride the popularity of the Warriors? Picture: Hannah Peters/Getty Images
Adelaide
If the NRL wants to be a truly national game like the AFL then it has to have a greater geographical footprint.We are headed back to Perth next year with the resurrection of the Bears and the time could be right to venture back to Adelaide for the first time since the Rams folded in 1998.
The SA Government has shown a liking for league in recent times.
Premier Peter Malinauskas is a sports nut and paid big bucks to bring State of Origin to Adelaide in 2020 and 2023.
The AFL has a stranglehold on South Australia with the Crows and Power and there’s only one way to challenge that in a city of 1.5 million.
The Adelaide Oval has hosted State of Origin recently. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
Pasifika
This is a left-field option, but the NRL’s decision to go to Papua New Guinea means it can’t be discounted.A Pasifika team encompassing the likes of Tonga, Samoa and Fiji would give the NRL a foothold in traditional rugby-strong nations.
Like the $600 million Chiefs venture, a Pasifika bid would likely need serious government backing to get off the ground.
More than half of the NRL’s current players identify as having Pasifika heritage which shows how popular the team could be.
There are also logistical considerations, but the NRL has shown a willingness to tackle challenges and it could help spread the rugby league gospel.
