Representatives of the Brisbane Firehawks and Brisbane Jets have begun discussions about the rival bid teams forming a partnership in the hope of winning the NRL's 17th licence.
Easts Tigers CEO Brian Torpy, who is heading the Firehawks consortium, confirmed that the two bid teams met on Sunday and will continue talks during the coming week to determine the benefits of joining forces.
"The Brisbane Firehawks and the Brisbane Jets met this afternoon to consider the benefits associated with both of their bids for the 17th team in the NRL competition," Torpy said in a statement.
"Discussions will continue with a view to establishing a final position regarding both bids within the next few days."
The Redcliffe Dolphins are the third bid team seeking to become the second Brisbane-based NRL team, with the ARL Commission expected to decide next month or soon after whether to expand the competition.
Members of the three bid teams made presentations last week to a committee which included ARLC chairman Peter V’landys and commissioners Kate Jones, Megan Davis and Peter Beattie, NRL CEO Andrew Abdo, head of football Graham Annesley and CFO Richard Gardham.
V'landys said later that it would strengthen the claims of the bid teams if they got together.
"It's a smart thing to do – combining to make a more powerful bid – they have much more money behind them," V'landys told 2GB on Friday.
"One of the assets to the Redcliffe offer is the cash they can put into the game and the available assets they have and the membership of a new audience.
"If we bring in a 17th team it's got to bring in new audience and take a casual fan and turn them onto a rusted-on rugby league fan.
"There’s no good taking fans from the Broncos or Titans or Dragons, they have got to be new fans, with new tribalism and they’ve got to reinvigorate Brisbane rugby league and that's what we are looking at."
Story first publsihed on NRL.com