The strife torn Wests Tigers merger is set to suffer another body blow with the Kiwi South Island Kea franchise opening secret talks with Balmain.
In a stunning move, Wide World of Sports can reveal that Kea bosses contacted their Balmain counterparts last week to discuss a possible partnership.
It comes in the wake of revelations of just how large the divide is between the Western Suburbs and Balmain sides of the Wests Tigers joint venture.
The Kea, based in Christchurch, are hoping to become the 19th team to enter the NRL and believe that joining forces with Balmain, a foundation club when rugby league was born in Australia in 1908, will be a massive boost to their chances.
That would leave Western Suburbs to return as a stand alone club in the NRL – a move several influential board members at Concord have been pushing for in recent times.
Wests Tigers. Getty
Reports on the weekend of leaked texts and emails showed that the animosity between Wests and Balmain has reached a point where the two clubs will find it difficult to co-exist into the future.
Many senior Balmain officials want to remain in the merger with Wests – but that seems doomed.
And if it does fall apart, they will entertain joining up with the Kea – their only way of staying in the NRL's top tier.
The Kea plan to divide their games between their home stadium in Christchurch and Balmain's spiritual home ground of Leichhardt Oval, a venue cherished by many fans in the NRL.
NRL officials rejected the Kea bid several months ago but the possible union with Balmain adds plenty of attraction to the bid.