Orcas bid to join Super League

Chalmers led a bid for the Orcas to join the Australian NRL two years ago but the Gold Coast Titans were awarded the available expansion place.

Chalmers claims to have been in talks with Super League officials and told The Sunday Star-Times: "It's fair to say they are looking to make sure the cost of bringing in a new side is exceeded in terms of tangible dollars generated. This type of expansion would increase the value of sponsorship and TV rights and actually grow the market."

He added: "To have a quality, first-class team to be able to enter the competition is absolutely essential and it would come off the back of a rugby union World Cup.

"The way the market is, there is a real opportunity to pick up some quality players and of course, provide pathways for the enormous number of junior high-performance athletes coming through."

"From an NZRL point of view, we have wanted a second franchise playing in a professional competition for some time and I think it is fair to say at the point that the NRL chose to expand into Queensland, we started giving thought to what an alternative might mean."

The plan has received backing from the New Zealand Warriors NRL team and the NRL.

NRL chief executive David Gallop said: "It's hard to see where we would have a basis to object to it. We will watch further developments with interest."

Warriors chief executive Wayne Scurrah added: "Good luck to them if it is something they think could work.

"It is hard to contemplate the logistics, it would be a massive challenge, but whatever is good for rugby league is positive."