ARLC boss Peter V’landys has already suggested the NRL could expand to 20 teams by as early as 2029.

Now, with the imminent arrival of the Perth Bears in 2027 and PNG Chiefs in 2028, Christchurch-based consortium the ‘Southern Orcas’ says it could also be ready to compete in the NRL by 2028.

The side would be based out of the South Island and use the spectacular new 30,000-seat One NZ Stadium in Christchurch as its home ground.

Speaking with Andrew Voss on SEN radio, Orcas chairman and NZ rugby league icon Sir Graham Lowe declared the time was right for the NRL to expand its wings in New Zealand.

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“Absolutely (we’d be ready to play in 2028),” Lowe declared.

“It won’t be easy, but there are a lot of players available and you’d be surprised where we get them from.

“Chances like this come along less than once in a blue moon, so we are ready, we have to be ready and we won’t be coming along with any excuses.”

Pushed to reveal how far expansion talks had advanced with the ARLC for a potential South Island team, Lowe confessed it’s still early days.

“There’s no current dialogue, but they are well aware of our keenness and readiness – we’re just waiting to get the call to come over and have a chat,” he said before stressing the opportunity for rugby league to land a crushing blow to the 15-man game was immense.

“Christchurch is right in the heart of rugby union country, this would be like a dagger into the heart for rugby union people over here,” Lowe explained. 

“When you talk about expansion, when you talk about a new market, there are some brilliant young rugby players coming through schools that just can’t get an opportunity, there’s (currently) nowhere for them to go in rugby league in the South Island.” 

For all of Lowe’s bullishness, perhaps unsurprisingly New Zealand Warriors CEO Cameron George has warned the NRL against rushing into a second Kiwi team. 

“I would absolutely share in the expansion of the NRL and consider the South Island as a preferred option – in time,” George told The Daily Telegraph.

“But we need to build the game from within and we need further investment in the domestic competitions to underpin a second team in three to five years’ time. That to me would make it sustainable.”

Not without some irony, NRL Round 16 will see the Warriors play the North Queensland Cowboys in Christchurch on Sunday 21 June.