NRL Final move?

THE NRL has dangled another carrot in front of the Queensland and Victorian governments by once again admitting it would consider taking the grand final away from Sydney after 2012.

Amid reports Queensland and Victoria would make multi-million dollar bids to secure the game's showpiece event, NRL chief executive David Gallop last night reiterated the grand final would be up for grabs when the existing contract came to an end in 2012.

"We have an open mind about it once our contract with the NSW Blues jersey government runs out at the end of 2012," Gallop said.

"We would be mad not to at least consider it."

Earlier this year, Gallop revealed he had received a letter from Queensland Premier Anna Bligh in which she expressed her state's interest in stealing the grand final from Sydney. The possibility of moving the grand final has also been a subject of discussion in talks between the game's powerbrokers and the Victorian government.

Both states have legitimate claims. The game is booming in Queensland thanks to the continued success of the Brisbane Broncos and North Queensland Cowboys jersey, and the emergence of the Gold Coast Titans.

Victoria, on the other hand, is home to the NRL's flagship franchise, the Melbourne Storm.

Any decision to take the game from Sydney is likely to be met with stern resistance from NSW.