Western Australian premier Roger Cook has expressed his belief that the NRL needs his state more than the state needs the NRL.

The comments come as debate continues to rage over NRL expansion, with Western Australia viewed as the ideal next location.

The move to place an NRL team in Western Australia is not a new one, and has been debated at length for decades.

That has ramped up in recent times though, with multiple iterations of the bid seemingly coming to life, only to falter.

Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V'Landys has also long wanted a 20-team competition, but lifted the lid on that this week, telling News Corp that is simply may not happen in the timeline the competition wants.

While the NRL is guaranteed to move to 18 teams in 2028 with a Papua New Guinea team to join the competition on the back of Australian federal government funding, any further expansion is up in the air, despite many suggestions a Perth-based team could be ready in 2027, adding a ninth game per round.

The current situation has the NRL negotiating with the Western Australian government, but speaking to the Annual Financial Review, state premier Cook confirmed his government would move onto the next opportunity if it doesn't stack up.

"There's no doubt about that, if the deal doesn't stack up, we'll move on to the next opportunity," he told the publication.

"What [ARLC chairman Peter V'landys] has to understand is that NRL in WA is not a major sporting code, and it will be great for economic activity, it'll be great for WA to be part of another national comp โ€ฆ but it has to stack up.

"WA NRL has to be worthwhile for the WA taxpayer."

A source within the government is also reported to have told the publication that the NRL will not receive a cent of money out of the West Australian government.

What that means is that V'Landys and NRL CEO Andrew Abdo, who have made it clear expansion bids would be assessed on their business case, will need to find other backing for the Perth-based bid to become an NRL team.

While Perth will add plenty to the NRL, including a time zone difference that is certain to appeal to broadcasters, there has been major back and forth around a licensing fee that was demanded by the NRL.

It's understood no negotiations with the state government will take place until after the state election, which is due to be held on March 8.