decided that Cronin's motives for the licence were genuine and aligned with the QAFL. Brown initiated discussions with North Melbourne Football Club in an attempt to lure it to Brisbane, however the Kangaroos rejected the proposal. In response to the moves by the other bids, on August 19, 1986, the QAFL and Cronin joined forces. Struggling Fitzroy Football Club with the VFL began investigating a relocation to Brisbane in 1987. However the club under Leon Wiegard voted to remain in Melbourne. Struggling Richmond Football Club under Alan Bond proposed to play half its games in Brisbane in 1987 The move was seen as a threat of relocation and met strong opposition, led by Kevin Bartlett who rallied to stop the proposal, though the club came very close to folding the following year. Despite the setback, the VFL decided to push forward with the plans for expansion into Brisbane. At the end of 1986, the VFL Commission announced plans to set up privately owned clubs based in Perth and Brisbane, ignoring a strong bid from ACTAFL for a team in Canberra, motivated by the need to sell multimillion-dollar licences to save a number of Victorian clubs which were struggling financially. The VFL at the time set a price of $4 million AUD for a licence to enter the league with the proceeds to be split among the existing clubs. On 1 October 1986 the VFL board was announced that teams from Brisbane (Brisbane Bears) and Perth (West Coast Eagles) would compete in the Victorian Football League (VFL) from 1987 and that no $2.8 million AUD rescue package would be offered for struggling Fitzroy. The VFL Commission initially chose to grant John Brown's consortium Browns International Sport Limited the licence. Cronin, Skase and private ownership Cronin refused to accept the VFL's decision and increased its bid to $4.8 million, or up to $6 million if Fitzroy relocated to Brisbane and became the Brisbane Lions. Unable to secure access to a stadium, Cronin's QAFL consortium drew up plans for a $7 million new stadium on vacant land at Boondall, Queensland (on the site of what became the Brisbane Entertainment Centre). With the higher price offered VFL withdrew its support for Browns and extended the selection process. The consortia found a financial backer in millionaire entrepreneur and Qintex owner Christopher Skase. In response Norwood's syndicate withdrew from the bidding. Cronin lobbied every VFL club