WEST COAST remains confident a deal to play at the sparkling new Perth Stadium will be done in the coming days.
The likely breakthrough follows two recent setbacks this week, with rugby league swooping in and public threats from the WA sports minister aimed squarely at the WA Football Commission.
Eagles chief executive Trevor Nisbett assured AFL.com.au on Tuesday morning the deal to play AFL games at the new $1.5billion stadium would be finalised soon.
"I don't think there are too many sticking points, and hopefully it'll get done this week," he said.
The WAFC – effective owners of West Coast and Fremantle – has been at odds with the state government over a contract to play at the 60,000-seat venue.
In recent days, minister Mick Murray has threatened to pull a $100million funding offer, declaring 'enough's enough' according to a report in Perth Now.
The Football Commission failed to win the rights to operate the new stadium, losing out to Venues Live, which operates Sydney's ANZ Stadium.
GALLERY: New Perth Stadium taking shape
Fremantle and West Coast are also fighting over which club should have the right to host the opening AFL game at the venue next season.
The Eagles believe they should have the right based on how the fixture has alternated in recent years.
South Sydney and Canterbury-Bankstown will play back-to-back games against yet-to-be-announced opponents in round one contests at the venue.
The games have been scheduled on Saturday 10 March, 2018 with tickets already on sale.
The WA government is fully backing the rival code, which hasn't had a team in the state since the failed Western Reds franchise of the Super League era.
"NRL continues to grow in popularity in Perth and we expect this double-header, in round one of the 2018 NRL premiership season, to be extremely popular," minister Murray said.
If the stadium is ready, there remains a possiblilty that cricket could trump both football codes and host a one-day international as the stadium's inaugural contest.
There is also the possibility of JLT Community Series games or AFL Women's matches being scheduled as 'test events' at the stadium well before the NRL's fixtures.
The AFL, Fremantle and WAFC have all been contacted for comment.
