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Warriors forward Tohu Harris has joined the chorus calling for the NRL to bring another team to New Zealand should the league look to expand or relocate one of its current clubs.
Reports surfaced during the week that the NRL was set to enact a clause in the game's licensingagreement that gives the governing body the right to relocate clubs. Under the proposed new agreement, clubs that do not meet certain financial commitments risk being relocated or dissolved.
The NRL is also expected to deliver a report at the end of the year about how viable it would be to increase the size of the league from 16 to 18 teams.
Speaking ahead of the Warriors' clash with the Wests Tigers this weekend, Harris said another New Zealand franchise would be a great thing for the competition should the league look to establish a club outside of the already represented areas.
"It'd be great for the New Zealand game. Hopefully something like that can happen to get another team. I know there are rugby league fans all over the country, not just up here in Auckland and we've got a lot of New Zealanders over in Australia too from those regions that would love to have another team to support."
There have been whispers that should the NRL expand, Perth would be a likely landing spot for a new franchise. While a new team in Perth or New Zealand would add more travelling to the schedule, Harris said that wouldn't be an issue with getting new teams off the ground.
"There is a lot of travel in the competition as it is and it's something players have to face every week. That part's not going to change but I think having another team in New Zealand for our strong rugby league fans to have would be awesome."
Warriors fans and supporters. Photo / Photosport
Harris' sentiments follow those of Wests Tigers half Benji Marshall and NRL immortal Andrew Johns.
Marshall, who represented the Kiwis from 2005-2012, backed a South Island-based team, noting the league already had a big enough presence in Sydney and New South Wales to warrant another team in the state. However, relocating clubs did not sit with him well.
"I would be shattered. To move a club away from their fan base ... I think adding more teams is a better idea, not break the hearts of fans," he told AAP.
"New Zealand is crying out for another team."
Johns' response to the reports of expansion were somewhat similar to that of Marshall's, but the NRL legend believed that while New Zealand and Brisbane should get a second team each, the competition should be reduced rather than expanded.
"I think it should be 12 teams," Johns said on Wide World of Sports. "I know from a broadcaster's [point-of-view] they wouldn't be happy with that. But I just think there's not enough talent going around, there's too many teams in Sydney, nine teams in Sydney is too many, but how they cull them is going to be really difficult.
"There needs to be another team in Brisbane and there needs to be another team in New Zealand."
