smh.com.au

Updated 7 hours 24 minutes ago

Queensland's bid to snatch the NRL grand final is being hampered by rugby league's fight to maintain dominance in western Sydney.

The Queensland Government has ramped up its campaign to secure the grand final for Brisbane's Lang Park as New South Wales counterparts seek to extend Sydney's traditional hold on it with a new 10-year agreement from 2013-22.

Looking to boost the financial return, NRL chief executive David Gallop is in the happy position of listening to two eager state government suitors.

Gallop said the league was "seriously" considering moving the fixture from the Olympic stadium in the game's rugby league heartland of western Sydney.

But western Sydney has become the country's most hotly-contested area between sporting codes with AFL's second Sydney team based there and due to start in the competition from 2012, while an A-League team starts playing there in 2011.

It would be a brave move to shift the NRL's showpiece game away with that in mind and Gallop acknowledged as much.

"We're very conscious of the fact that western Sydney is a competitive market for all the codes," Gallop said.

"Rugby league can genuinely say we're at home in western Sydney."

Gallop also acknowledged the game was booming in south-east Queensland, particularly since the introduction of the Gold Coast Titans to the NRL three years ago.

"It (moving the game to Brisbane) is something that we're looking at seriously," he said.

"All governments recognise that these big events are things that there is a competitive market for these days, and we need to take that seriously."

New South Wales Premier Kristina Keneally vowed the state would fight hard to keep its grip on the grand final.

The New South Wales Government recently spoke to the NRL about turning grand final week into a seven-day football festival, beginning this year, which would include an AFL style players' parade through Sydney.

"The NRL grand final is a showpiece for Sydney. What we are putting forward would see the grand final not just a game but indeed be a celebration for the entire city," Ms Keneally said.

"I'm quite confident we've put forward a very good offer, one that would actually expand the opportunities that Sydney can provide for the NRL grand final.

"Let's make no mistake - when South Sydney plays in the grand final I want it to be done in Sydney," added Rabbitohs fan Kenneally.

Gallop indicated a decision was not far away.

"The great news for us is that there is recognition that this is a really important Australian sporting event. That recognition should provide commercial opportunity, an opportunity to expand something beyond just the 80 minutes on a Sunday afternoon," he said.

"We're in talks with New South Wales and the Queensland Government about that and we expect to have an answer to that in the not-too-distant future.

"But obviously we've got a bit of time to work through the issues."

-AAP