With the NRL offering guaranteed entrance into the 2000 competition and A$6 million funding for clubs that merged, many clubs that were struggling to compete were negotiating to merge.
由于NRL确保进入2000年的比赛，并为合并的俱乐部提供600万澳元的资金，许多在挣扎生存的俱乐部都谈判合并。