THE Intrust Super Cup is set to expand again with Townsville’s hopes for entry next season likely to be ratified at an ARLC board meeting today.

The Townsville Brothers bid team has already begun informal recruitment for next season and have a squad of local players training each week.

Rugby league’s senior officials meet today with one of the agenda items expansion funding for the Townsville team to play in the Intrust Super Cup from 2016.

The Queensland Rugby League has given Townsville Brothers conditional approval to enter the competition next season, which will make the Intrust Super Cup a 14-team competition.

Funding is a major condition and without an injection of around $200,000 from the governing body they will not be ready.

NRL chief executive Dave Smith is a firm believer in expanding the state-based competitions and is understood to support the Townsville bid.

Townsville is the third biggest city in Queensland and is Australia’s tenth fastest growing city according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

The team would play out Townsville Brothers’ home ground next door to the North Queensland Cowboys’ 1300 Smiles Stadium.

The Brothers club is a powerful entity in Townsville and anticipate average crowds around 1000.

“We have given the Townsville bid conditional approval and funding is a major condition,” Intrust Super Cup general manager Jamie O’Connor said.

“There are a few other conditions as well they need to tick off but the extra funding is the main one.

“The competition in Townsville is strong and this will be a major help in the pathway for players up there.

“We need extra funding from the ARLC in order for Townsville to be viable next season.”

The PNG Hunters have been a major success this year in the Intrust Super Cup, increasing crowds at every venue they play at.

Toowoomba is the next expansion option, after Townsville, for the QRL but that would be several years away while they also have designs on a team in the Wide Bay region between Sunshine Coast and Rockhampton.