Club bosses have reportedly warned NRL boss Dave Smith about the financial pitfalls of any proposed expansion, given at least four teams remain reliant on money from head office in order to stay afloat. But Davison is among those that believe the NRL can't afford not to expand into Brisbane, currently at the mercy of the table-topping Broncos, which remain the wealthiest club in the game and are surging once again under the guidance of Wayne Bennett.

Whether the NRL adds a second team in Brisbane has now become a $250 million question for rugby league, with that figure being suggested as what a Broncos rival would be worth to the code when it goes to the table at the end of the current $1 billion TV deal, which expires after the 2017 season.

The move has the strong support of Channel Nine, which has been desperate to have a game played out of Suncorp Stadium every week, while the prospect of any derby game at a sold-out, 52,000-seat venue only adds to the appeal.

Davison said he couldn't guarantee it would be his Bombers getting the nod but said there was certain to be a new team in Brisbane within three years, regardless of what reshuffles there were with the rest of the current competition.

"I'm not sure what will happen with the rest of the competition, the number of teams, but there must be a second team in Brisbane. I'm not saying that is going to be us but the NRL can't afford not to have another side in Brisbane," Davison said.