National Rugby League team on the
Gold Coast ?

The consortium pushing for a National Rugby League team on the Gold Coast will meet with officials from a Sydney club in the next 48 hours to discuss relocating to the tourist strip.

And at least one other Sydney club has also indicated its willingness to sit down with the consortium to discuss the benefits of moving to the Gold Coast.

The delegation met with the NRL to present its case for having its own licence and left believing it was only a matter of time before one was granted.

A team could be based at the Coast sooner rather than later following recent developments.

The consortium sent eight Sydney clubs a letter offering them the chance to relocate and it's understood at least two have expressed interest.

The clubs have done so on the condition of anonymity.

Consortium member Paul Broughton said even if they were unable to convince an existing club to relocate, they left the meeting confident the Gold Coast would have a licence by 2006.

Broughton said NRL chief executive David Gallop indicated the Gold Coast would again have its own team.

"It was a two-pronged presentation based on a new licence and relocation," Broughton said.

"The primary goal was a new licence. "There's absolute reason for optimism. David Gallop said it's not a case of if, it's a case of when.

"We thought we were well received and we're looking forward to 2006."

Gallop conceded the NRL had been impressed with the Gold Coast's credentials.

"We would love to have a team on the Central Coast and Gold Coast, but we can't put a time frame on that," Gallop said.

Broughton said the Sydney clubs were offered the chance to relocate on the basis that for the first three years they would play seven or eight games on the Coast and four or five in Sydney.

After that the franchise would be based full-time on the Coast.