The problem with this story is that a "merger" makes absolutely no sense for many reasons - the licence isn't transferable, how do you merge two clubs in different countries and the FFA is not going to allow an expansion team a back door into the competition.
I still think that as a club we are in big trouble and we have to find a way to play to our strengths and get crowds and viewers up. But this whole story smacks of 2 + 2 = 5.
The best way to turn the club around is to start winning games. I know, we've got to have a good coach, and a few more top class players, but winning games next season and playing attractive football would not only bump up the crowds, but grab a whole bunch of positive media attention. Look how the Woeful Warriors are suddenly the Winning Warriors after a great start to their season. And, or course, if we were one of the best performing clubs in the HAL, mid to upper table would do it, FFA and their Fox mouthpieces would find it very hard to justify dumping us out of the competition, or not extending our licence.
It's not just the best way, it's the only way. We aren't in England where they live and breath football, NZ is more a nation of bandwagon jumpers. If we can get in the top 4 in both the remaining seasons as well as working harder to get people to turn up, it might just keep us afloat. But I can't see any other scenario where crowds/ratings increase other than winning.