The NRL will have sides in all but one by next round of expansion. Say 2013 or 2014. Perth is a certainty as it should be.
Hopefully the AFL may have a team in the country's capital by then. lol
Discussion of Adelaide has gone up dramatically in NRL circles within the last 12 months.
(The Canberra example in itself begins to show how artificial the 5 city construct is to begin with. Although you clearly bought it... The AFL would give its eye teeth to have teams with the regional spread of NRL. Major population areas like North Queensland, (previously) Gold Coast, Central Coast, Newcastle, Woollongong have NO AFL whatsoever - the NRL is deprived of NO comparable regional areas.)
Officially News involvement will cease with the IC formation. As I said in the sentence above your question, I still have reservations.
News had announced they would be out by 30 April (they had already missed multiple exit dates previously). The last date passed without a whimper in News Ltd press. Wonder why? Because they want to keep wringing money out of their best product as long as possible...