Fiji bidding for club in tier below NRL

A consortium led by former player Petero Civoniceva are trying to get a Fiji team in to the level below the NRL, the Intrust Super Premiership NSW, for 2018.

The competition is currently filled with NRL reserve teams from New South Wales and New Zealand, as well as other independent clubs from around New South Wales including Newtown Jets.

Former Brisbane Broncos prop Civoniceva, along with Greg Browne, are leading the Fiji NSWRL bid.

Social media accounts pushing the bid are already the sixth largest in Fiji.

There are 25 Fijians in NRL first grade squads, and there are more than 150,000 people of Fijian descent in Australia.

Back in November, it was revealed that the league structures in New South Wales and Queensland would both expand to comprise up to 16 second-tier clubs to help the pathway of players to the NRL.

There are currently 13 clubs in the NSW Premiership.