A New Zealand-based NRL expansion bid could be the latest curveball for the Wests Tigers as the club looks to save what appears to be a crumbling merger.

An unhappy relationship between the Balmain Tigers and Western Suburbs Magpies has already seen the club reportedly threaten to split this year, with some executives within both sides of the joint-venture reportedly keen on splitting the two clubs up.

While nothing has been made official, and it's unlikely the NRL would entertain a new - or additional - club in the Sydney basin as they head towards 20 teams, there is nothing stopping potential other expansion clubs from pairing with Sydney clubs.

That is the case with the Perth-based consortium, who are partnering with the North Sydney Bears to form the Perth Bears.

That bid is likely to be announced as the NRL's 19th team in the New Year, following a Papua New Guinea bid winning the race to become Team 18 thanks to heavy support and backing from the Australian Federal government.

The NRL and Australian Rugby League Commission have however made it clear that the end goal for the NRL is 20 teams, and a second team in New Zealand could be on the horizon once the Papua New Guinea and Perth teams roll into the competition.

There are three current bids for teams to join the New Zealand Warriors across the ditch, and according to The Mole on Wide World of Sports, one of them - the South Island Kea - have opened secret talks with the Balmain side of the Tigers' joint-venture.

While it's unclear how far those talks have progressed, what is clear is that there is a divide in the way the Tigers are being run between the two parties.

The Kea, who hope to be based in Christchurch, have reportedly proposed they play a handful of games each year at Leichhardt, and the remainder in Christchuch as part of their bid.

The Western Suburbs side could then potentially return to the NRL as their own standalone club, with the report suggesting a level of animosity has developed between Western Suburbs and Balmain that will make it 'difficult for the two clubs to co-exist in the future.'

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