Penrith punish rusty Roosters
11 hours ago | Aidan Edgecomb
Gold Coast backer Paul Broughton anticipates the NRL will flag his group as an expansion team this year.
"I believe the NRL will decide this year to go into expansion mode," said the former foundation CEO of the defunct Gold Coast Chargers.
"And I think it'll be in the shorter term rather than the longer term."
Interest in Saturday night's pre-season trial between Parramatta and the Warriors at Carrara is another selling point for Broughton's group who've lodged a detailed submission with the NRL.
Such is the interest in the clash, officials decided to cap capacity at the ground at 18,000 for safety reasons with heat wave conditions tipped.
While the Eels have been training in the heat all week the Warriors, who arrive today, could be in for a rude shock with the mercury expected to climb above 100 degrees in the old scale.
The Gold Coast bid boasts some powerful supporters, including former Australian great and ARL selector Johnny Raper and current NSW Origin coach Phil Gould, both of whom believe a second Sth Queensland team is a must.
But Broughton said his consortium - headed by big hitters such as multi-millionaire developer Jim Raptis and Federal MP Margaret May - would prefer 18 months lead time with an invitation to join the NRL in 2006.
"I absolutely believe it will be an agenda item this year.
"I think it will interest them (NRL) that the AFL is not expanding its 16-team competition, leaving one team in Brisbane and New South Wales."
The Gold Coast consortium is well down the track in planning with a re-built Carrara as its home ground, and Ozemail as its major sponsor.
It's also understood to have sounded out Storm coach Craig Bellamy and former Penrith test forward John Cartwright as possible foundation coaches.
"You really need 18 months lead time," he said.
"The Chargers were thrown in (the league) along with Western Australia and Adelaide and you can't do that.
"We were asked by the council through (chartered accountants) Ernst and Young to submit all our projections based on past history which we've done and I believe we've been given a tick on those."
Kiwi-born former Manly forward Aaron Cannings is in line for promotion to Parramatta's starting side with Origin prop Michael Vella's shoulder still not 100 per cent.
Coach Brian Smith will also make a decision on whether to play centre David Vaealiki who has an ankle injury.
The Warriors will be near full-strength although star halfback Stacey Jones and hooker PJ Marsh, on the comeback trail from a neck injury, will not play.