Penrith Panthers give a coaching session to local children at the Hornby Panthers league club. Josh Mansour, left, and Isaah Yeo.

OPINION: The sold-out sign for the Panthers-Warriors game begs the question: could Christchurch one day support its own NRL team?

Event promoter Justin Wallace believes the answer is "most definitely" after 18,000 people snapped up tickets to Saturday's match.

"You just have to look at the strength of the NRL competition and its popularity.

ALDEN WILLIAMS/FAIRFAX NZ Warriors back rower Ben Henry, left, and community ambassador Jerome Ropati at Oaklands School in Christchurch.

"We've sold out the stadium, which shows people in Christchurch and the South Island want to see NRL football."

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The NRL game has achieved what the Crusaders have yet to in 2016, a full-house at AMI Stadium.

To be fair, the Crusaders have yet to play a Super Rugby heavyweight in Christchurch - and there is a definite novelty element to the Panthers-Warriors fixture, being the first NRL game in Christchurch since 2010.

The Panthers will play their next four "home" games against the Warriors in Christchurch and Wallace believes the community engagement by both clubs in Christchurch this week will help maintain the level of interest.

There has been talk of a Canterbury or Wellington-based team playing in the New South Wales Cup – the tier below the NRL. But nothing has yet come of it.

But, if the NRL looks to expand, the South Island could be a logical future market.

Canterbury has a bigger population than three current NRL franchise bases – Townsville, Newcastle and Canberra.

A NRL franchise here could strengthen the case for a covered stadium in central Christchurch. It would make it more economically viable to have two significant anchor tenants.

A Christchurch-based franchise could also take some matches to Dunedin, where the roofed Forsyth Barr Stadium is an ideal venue for all football codes.

Warriors stalwart Simon Mannering believes there is "enough Kiwi talent out there to run another team" in New Zealand, but he wasn't sure "whether there's the finances".

"Obviously, there's support down here [in Christchurch], so who knows what will happen down the track", Motueka-raised Mannering said in Christchurch on Friday.

The Warriors have remained staunchly loyal to their core northern fan base, but Mannering says they "get awesome support any time we get to play outside Auckland, our main centre".

"We've been down to Dunedin a few years ago ... and we go to New Plymouth next week."

Mannering says the Warriors welcome the concept of NRL clubs bringing games this side of the Tasman, noting the Bulldogs had played the Warriors in Wellington and Wests Tigers did the the same in Christchurch.

"If other Aussie teams want to play games in New Zealand, we won't be complaining."

"Every time we have played down here it's been awesome support, and it's sold out [on Saturday]. It will be the first time a majority of our boys have played in Christchurch. We know there's a lot of Warriors fans here."