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Scott Bailey

NRL wait on NSW election for grand final negotiations

Last-minute negotiations ensured the 2022 NRL grand final remained in Sydney. (Dan Himbrechts/AAP PHOTOS) (AAP)

The NRL will wait until after the NSW state election before seriously considering whether to buck 115 years of history and take the grand final out of Sydney.

The league's showpiece event remains open for bidding for this season, after crisis talks between the NSW government and the NRL resulted in a one-year deal for the 2022 grand final being signed at the death.

The NRL had initially planned on Sydney hosting every grand final until 2046, before a change in stadium policy from the state government resulted in that deal being ripped up.

At the time, the NRL confirmed it was open to moving the event to Queensland in some years, or introducing a Super Bowl-style system where the decider becomes a travelling roadshow to different states.

NSW has hosted every grand final but one since the league's inception in 1908, with the exception being 2021 when it was held in Brisbane during Sydney's COVID-19 lockdown.

ARL Commission chairman Peter V'landys confirmed on Wednesday the showpiece game was some chance of returning to Queensland, particularly given there are now four NRL teams in the state.

"We are absolutely open to it," V'landys told Nine's Today Show.

"The Queensland government came to our rescue during COVID. We'll never forget the loyalty they showed us and assistance they gave us.

"We always reward loyalty in spades. So if we can take a grand final up there and reward the Queensland government we will.

"But we have to look at our commercial options and what is best for the game. We will do that in the next few weeks."

Last year's deal to keep the grand final in Sydney included a reported offer of $8 million from the NSW government.

"We are waiting for the NSW election (on March 25) to be over and know who is in," V'landys said.

"Once we know we can start the negotiations between NSW and Queensland, and possibly other states if we have a Super Bowl-style negotiation."

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