Cairns/PNG NRL bid gains momentum after meeting with Peter Beattie and Todd Greenberg
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THE man leading an ambitious push for a combined Cairns and Papua New Guinea bid to enter the NRL has left his first meeting with the game’s powerbrokers feeling optimistic.

Cairns Regional Mayor Bob Manning flew to Sydney to meet with the NRL’s chief executive Todd Greenberg and chairman Peter Beattie on Wednesday as he forges ahead with the hopes of securing an NRL licence.

With Beattie pushing the expansion line since replacing John Grant — declaring it needs to “expand or die” — Manning is confident that an extra Queensland team could form part of a revamped NRL.

The success of the PNG Hunters has helped the bid for an NRL team.

Manning left the meeting with high hopes that his dream could become a reality.

“It was a very constructive meeting,” Manning said. “We will talk again but we need to keep the discussions with ourselves at this stage.

“There is no time line as best as I can assess.

“Our plan is to continue to talk with the NRL and to continue talk with our partner which is the PNG Rugby League.

A meeting with Todd Greenberg and Peter Beattie is said to have bin optimistic for the bid.

“We had our first meeting and we left that feeling pretty good.”

The bid is still in its infancy but they would split home games between Cairns and Port Moresby — which is a 90-minute flight.

There is a craving for a top-flight side in the PNG following the success of World Cup matches played there. The PNG Hunters feature in the Queensland Cup.

PNG and Cairns have joined forces in their NRL bid.

“We haven’t got anywhere close to (finalising) details,” Manning said. “We need to speak more with the NRL to get a clear idea of what their picture is. We left our first meeting with them feeling the discussions had been constructive and respectful.”

The trio have pledged to meet again within the coming months.