The South Coast has emerged as a leading contender for entry into the A-League for the 2009-2010 season, with the support of Socceroos superstar Tim Cahill.

The development comes as NRL club St George Illawarra fights for its long-term survival in Wollongong under the weight of poker machine taxes and the lack of other major backing.

Doust said the club and the NRL needed to do everything possible to protect the Illawarra's rugby league heritage against the A-League's threat of dominating the Wollongong market.

"A line would be able to be taken about the Central Coast where (rugby league) hasn't been able to position itself," he said.

The Mariners franchise has been wildly successful on the Central Coast since the establishment of the A-League and the NRL's decision to take its new club to the Gold Coast instead of Gosford.

"The A-League are going from strength to strength and it's another part of the considerations," Doust said. "We don't want to see elite rugby league not played in Wollongong. There also needs to be an investment in junior rugby league (in the region)."

While in Sydney the NRL is facing a war with AFL, which is looking to establish a second team in western Sydney by 2012, in Wollongong the battle is with soccer, which has a large following in the Illawarra and South Coast regions.

The St George Illawarra club is struggling financially, with the St George Leagues Club's grant to the football club being slashed by $2 million and the Steelers Club still owing almost $2 million of an $8 million loan.

NRL clubs are hamstrung because the big financial support comes from leagues clubs, which are struggling because of the impact of smoking regulations and poker machine taxes.

In contrast, A-League clubs are attracting the financial clout of private investment, while Cahill is looking to establish a development academy for the Illawarra and South Coast region.