KEY POINTS:
Brisbane boss Bruno Cullen says four National Rugby League clubs in Sydney would be "close to the right number" as the competition's chief executives prepare to meet today.
Sydney's nine clubs will be hell-bent on finding ways to replace revenue threatened by the NSW government's poker-machine tax when
the NRL hosts a pow-wow on the code's future.
Cullen agrees finance is the game's most pressing issue but is also concerned about the game's expansion nationally to boost television and sponsorship dollars.
"I agree that there probably are too many teams in Sydney but that's a bit cheeky for me to be suggesting how they go about rationalising that.
"Someone suggested to me yesterday that there could be as low as four teams in Sydney - a northern, a southern, a western and an eastern - and that's probably getting close to the right number," Cullen said.
"But if I say something like that, people say 'it must be easy for you' and 'how dare you even suggest that'."
With the league unlikely to consider increasing the number of clubs from the current 16, any expansion would need to involve relocation, mergers or clubs going under.
The NRL has A$8 million ($10.03 million) on the table for a side prepared to move to the NSW Central Coast and recently hinted that another team in Queensland was desirable.
"There's got to be rationalisation so relocation or amalgamation of teams is the only way to go," Cullen said.
"I'm also a firm believer in a truly national code. If you're going to try and get maximum revenue from the game, and I'm talking both here from television and from what I'd call game national sponsors, then you need a team in every capital city.
"That means we need something in Perth and Adelaide as well."
* Greg Bird is almost certain to miss State of Origin III with scans yesterday confirming the Cronulla utility had suffered a ruptured posterior capsule in his left knee.
The injury is expected to sideline Bird for between two to three weeks, leaving him next to no chance of being selected in the NSW side today for the Origin decider on July 2.
Scans also revealed Bird had suffered bone bruising around the knee after coming down awkwardly in the first half of Sunday's dramatic 16-14 win over Parramatta.
Meanwhile Bird's Cronulla teammate Brett Kimmorley was cleared of any fractures after scans on his left eye socket and cheekbone.
Kimmorley came off second best when collected high and late by Eels prop Fuifui Moimoi in the last minute.
Moimoi was charged with a grade one contrary conduct charge and faces a one-match stint on the sidelines.
But Brent Kite's Origin 3 prospects received a boost yesterday with the Manly prop escaping suspension from the NRL match review committee.
Kite was charged with a grade one careless high tackle for his 65th minute hit on Warriors centre Brent Tate in the 20-14 win in Auckland.
The charge carries only a 75-point penalty or 56 points with an early guilty plea.
- AAP
