The Central Coast Bears have ramped up their quest for a place in an expanded NRL competition with the appointment of respected administrator Steve Noyce.
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And in a further boost to their chances, the franchise is just weeks away from unveiling a backer to underwrite their bid.
The issue of expansion is back on the governing body's agenda following the appointment of Shane Richardson in the new role as the head of game strategy and development.
With a television broadcast deal expiring at the end of 2017, the Bears are jockeying for a spot in the big league alongside budding franchises from New Zealand, Perth, Queensland and Britain.
Noyce – a former chief executive of the Wests Tigers, Sydney Roosters and Cronulla Sharks – was appointed as the head of the Bears' bid during the week alongside general manager Greg Florimo.
"Where the game is heading, there is so much opportunity," Noyce said.
"We want to present a proposal to the various stakeholders to highlight the various strengths the Central Coast Bears can bring to the game and that excites me. It's a wonderful opportunity to be involved in.
"I've had the pleasure of working at [other] foundation clubs, Wests and the Roosters. It's important to remember who dug the well, those historical and traditional things.
"People argue about what business we're in with rugby league. Is it an entertainment business? One business we're in is people, and there are 1 million of them from the Bridge to Lake Munmorah.
"I don't think there are too many businesses that can ignore a statistic like that. That filters down to juniors and certain postcodes that are affluent and have young people who love the game already.
"It's a place where there will be enormous growth in junior league numbers and that will be part of the Commission's game plan in terms of participation. The Central Coast Bears could play a big role in that."
If included in the NRL, the Bears plan to play 10 games at the purpose-built Central Coast Stadium, while two others would be hosted at North Sydney Oval. The latter venue will receive a $10 million upgrade which will make it an even more attractive venue to stage fixtures and allow the game to honour the history of the North Sydney Bears.
One of the biggest challenges for any new franchise is convincing the NRL that they can be financially sustainable. To that end, Central Coast Bears officials are finalising a deal which they believe will guarantee their future.
"We have identified a private backer to be involved with the club who has assured us he is on board to back the bid," Florimo said.
"That makes us as strong as we have ever been financially since we launched our bid five years ago. It's given us an ace up the sleeve we can't wait to deliver to the NRL."
The Bears plan to unveil an ownership structure similar to that of South Sydney, another foundation club which fought its way back into the competition and, in the feel-good story of last year, won it.
"We were here in 1908 and we're still here now," Florimo said. "That heritage factor is something no other bid can bring."
While critics will argue that Sydney is already oversaturated with rugby league teams, Noyce believes there are advantages in securing the game's heartland.
"They say the same thing about Melbourne but AFL keeps going from strength to strength," Noyce said.
"People are clearly disenfranchised with the Bears' exit. We all know someone who is upset the Bears are out and have withdrawn their support of the game. That's how passionate they are.
"We will have the facts and figures to present a strong case to show our inclusion would add value to the game."
