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Western Australia is expected to win a licence in an expanded NRL before the end of the year.
The WA Rugby League bid, which will unveil a new logo at a launch on Wednesday, is understood to be central to the new Australian Rugby League Commission plan to expand the competition from as early as 2015.
Mining entrepreneur Tony Sage, who owns Perth Glory in the A-League, has also expressed interest in running a Perth-based NRL franchise.
Expansion is linked to a new NRL TV rights deal, likely to be worth more than $1 billion, which was expected to be locked in by early next month.
But the formation of the new commission and the departure of long-time NRL boss David Gallop has meant that date has been pushed back till early September.
Other bid teams include Papua New Guinea, Central Queensland, Brisbane Bombers, Western Corridor, Central Coast, and a New Zealand Rugby League-backed Wellington or Christchurch.
WARL CEO John Sackson and bid chairman Richard Campbell had a phone hook-up with NRL interim chief Shane Mattiske and director of league integration and game development Andrew Hill on Thursday.
While he remained tight-lipped on the WARL launch on Wednesday, Sackson said the meeting was "positive" and the NRL "identified WA as a priority development market".
It is understood 2015 is the earliest the NRL will consider expanding its competition.
Sackson has said any new franchise would need 18 months to two years to establish a playing list, culture and membership base before playing its first official game.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/league/n...-1226406648329