An endless maelstrom of exclusive stories, breaking news and bombshell revelations is rapidly making NRL expansion the most tedious topic in the rugby league rinse cycle – even though it’s the most important. Like Cameron Smith’s retirement, Wayne Bennett’s next club, and the Wests Tigers getting their shit together, we’ve reached the point where we’re now only interested when a decision is made. We’ve been told Papua New Guinea, with its “Forbidden City” compound and tax-free contracts for players, will be the next team in – then it’s not .
We’ve been told the Perth Bears or Perth Jets or the Perth Jet Bears will come in from 2027 — then they are not . We’ve been told the NRL hopes to be a 20-team competition before 2032 — then it’s 2030. We’ve been told the NRL would unveil its expansion strategy in late June — then it was late July.
NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo and ARLC chairman Peter V’landys. Credit: Dean Sewell 2GB broadcaster Ben Fordham last week told his listeners we could expect some news in August, revealing the Australian and PNG governments have fast-tracked an announcement about $600 million of taxpayer money funding a new franchise and pathways in the region. The report blindsided NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo, who had to tell club bosses at a meeting that morning that no deal had been struck.
Meanwhile, on Triple M, comedian and North Sydney tragic Jim Jefferies was telling Mark Geyer and Mick Molloy that a deal betwe.
