Brisbane are pursuing the possibility of joining the VFL as uncertainty surrounds the NEAFL competition.
The NEAFL has been criticised for it lack of competitiveness over the years, Brisbane went through the entire 2019 season undefeated and won the grand final by 76 points.
Now with the COVID-19 pandemic taking its toll, there are questions surrounding the future of the league.
Gold Coast, GWS Giants and the Sydney Swans have played alongside Brisbane in the second-tier competition since 2011 but northern clubs are searching for alternatives with the competition not expected to return next year.
Brisbane chief executive Greg Swann confirmed the club was “pushing” to be included in the VFL or even some form of AFL reserves league in 2021.
"At the moment, the NEAFL doesn't look like it's going to come back," Swann told Fox Footy Live on Saturday.
"All the northern state clubs need somewhere to play so we've been pushing to perhaps join with the VFL, or an AFL reserves, or an eastern-seaboard AFL reserves.
"If 10 teams in Melbourne run a comp then us four would probably join it, or that's what we've been pushing to do."
Swann said the Lions are prepared to be flexible to save costs of running any form of reserves matches into the future.
"There is a comp, but it's more about getting games into the players who aren't playing," Swann said.
"If we had to play the Suns four times to reduce costs, and GWS played Sydney four times, then no one has a real problem with that."
