"Enormous for the game": Johns predicts where 20th NRL side will be

The NRL are set to expand to 20 sides in 2029.

And potential suitors putting their hands up for an elusive license, Matty Johns thinks it will result in New Zealand having two sides in the competition.

After signing a record-breaking TV rights deal worth $5.3 billion over seven years, it was revealed there was a clause that sees the NRL lose several millions should they not introduce a 20th side by 2029.

With that in mind, discussions surrounding where the proposed team could be located have heated up.

Out of the options being considered, a second side in New Zealand based in the South Island alongside a fifth team in Queensland located in Ipswich have been the two touted as possibilities.

Among the two options, the South Island bid has emerged as the favourite with the NRL’s interim executive chairman Peter V’Landys telling SEN that he was surprised by how many people knew about the sport there.

Should that bid go ahead and be approved, the 1997 Premiership player believes a second side in New Zealand would be huge for the continued growth of the game.

“It's enormous for the game,” Johns told SEN’s The Run Home with Joel and Fletch.

“This is the other thing about Peter. We'll say he drives a hard bargain as well; he's acutely aware that there's a number of teams that are looking to come into this competition.

“He's got the ace up his sleeve; he's put up (the license cost at) like $100 million, saying that's what it's gonna cost to enter the competition.

“But that puts pressure on the bids, particularly the people behind the bids.

“From what I can gather, my belief is that as far as the (Southern) Orcas (bid) are concerned, he's mainly now dealing with government.

“When you're talking about $100 million when it comes to government money and setting all things up, it's a lot more viable than just talking about private investors.

“You'd think at the moment, there's a case for Ipswich cos it's just such a rugby league heartland.

“But what we're seeing with the growth of the game in New Zealand, on top of that, the crowds that the Warriors attract at every away game, all those factors I think point to the South Island (as the) 20th team.”

The NRL will confirm their decision at a later date.