A Papua New Guinea NRL team sits pride of place amongst bids to take the league's 18th license as rugby league prepares for further expansion.
Following the inclusion of the Dolphins into the national competition, a fellow-Queensland Cup based side is reportedly on the brink to follow them.
The PNG Hunters entered Queensland's state competition in 2014 while their national mens side, the Kumuls, a women's side, the Orchids, regularly command the country's attention.
After drawing a huge crowd when hosting the Australian Prime Minister's XIII in September, the Kumuls flexed their mussels with a 46-10 win over the Cook Islands in the Pacific Championships on Sunday.
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape has asked for an NRL side out of his home in 2025 - to coincide with the country's 50th anniversary of independence from Australia.
After long-time NRL hopefuls the North Sydney Bears were dealt a huge blow by the NSW State Government this week, the decision to back Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's wish for a Port Moresby-based looms.
North Sydney, a NSWRL foundation club, have made repeated bids to re-enter the NRL since their exit as a stand-alone club in 1999.
The Bears still compete in the NSW Cup, and had fancied their chances for a return with Dominic Perrottet's NSW Government committing $11m to an upgrade of North Sydney oval if reelected in March before new Labor Premier Chris Minns scrapped the plan.
Rugby League reporter Michelle Bishop has said it's a "one-horse race" for the looming license.
"There is so much happening behind the scenes and my mail is it's simply a one-horse race," she told SEN radio, via 7News.
"PNG, in 2025, will become the 18th franchise."
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has backed a side from our neighbours to the north telling the nation's parliament in January "today I affirm my view that I want to see a PNG based team Pacific Islanders competing in the National Rugby League competition".
A Pacifika side, encompassing PNG, has been bandied around amongst talks for a club based in Perth, a second to play beside the Warriors in New Zealand, or a third out of Brisbane.
PNG are keen to go it alone.
In July, Minister for International Development and the Pacific Pat Conroy announced $5.5 million in funding to support their NRL pathway.
The move would make sense, given the game's footprint there.
ARL chair Peter V'landys has also had his eye on the nation.
PNG bid chief executive Andrew Hill has claimed "we will be the most well-supported NRL team in the competition".
Hill told SEN on Wednesday internal focus has been placed on youth players, coaching, refereeing in setting up the framework to introduce an elite-level team.
"People tell me that we won't have money. We will be the most well supported NRL team in the competition. The PNG Hunters are by far the most well supported team in the Queensland cup - it is ridiculous how well supported. Some of the biggest companies in the world (are) based in PNG," he said.
"We will leave no no stone unturned."
There are reports a 2027 introduction is more likely, though there are still no guarantees of receiving a license.
