As the battle for a larger slice of rugby league's money pie intensifies across the Tasman, NRL clubs backed away from claims they could form a breakaway competition if their requests weren't met.
The National Rugby League claims it doesn't have the funds to meet a demand from clubs for the annual grant to be raised to $7.5 million in 2012.
But they did warn the future of some clubs would be at risk if the grant - which currently stands at just under $5 million - did not rise substantially, and they were willing to stand together in the fight.
Just two of the 16 clubs currently make a profit.
Wests Tigers chairman Dave Trodden says at the moment the clubs are at the very bottom end of the funding priority.
Having been through the Super League war that ripped the game apart in the 1990s, Australian skipper Darren Lockyer says the game could not afford another division.
