Former attorney general, barrister and moderate Mark Speakman is understood to have the numbers to take the role, and is expected to leave a party room meeting on Friday as leader of the NSW Liberals.
"I'm running on a united team with Damien Tudehope and Natalie Ward," the Cronulla MP told reporters as he entered parliament with the pair, respectively conservative and moderate members.
Mr Speakman's main competition will come from former minister and right factionist Anthony Roberts, who signalled earlier this month he intends to run.
Alister Henskens, another ex-minister who tested his leadership chances from the morning after the March 25 election loss, confirmed on Friday he would not run.
Mark Coure told AAP he would back Mr Speakman.
"I think he'll do a wonderful job for the Liberal Party."
The Liberal party room will also vote to replace deputy leader Matt Kean, who resigned in the wake of the coalition's election defeat to spend more time with his family.
Conservative western Sydney MP Tanya Davies is tipped for the deputy role after running on a platform of recapturing suburban Sydney seats lost to Labor.
The Badgerys Creek MP made headlines last year when she caught COVID-19 after speaking at a rally against vaccine mandates outside the state parliament.
"I can offer the leadership and representation that the people of western Sydney and NSW more broadly demand," Ms Davies said when announcing her intention to run.
A challenge from North Shore MP Felicity Wilson is expected to complicate Ms Davies' chances but the western Sydney member is tipped to come through on Friday.
Newly elected Liberal MP Kellie Sloane's name was also floated as a possible deputy but she will not contest at Friday's meeting.
Ms Ward, the former women's minister, is favourite to become the leader of the upper house, replacing ex-finance minister Mr Tudehope.
Premier Chris Minns said he had a shared responsibility to work with the new opposition leader to guide policy decisions and improve the state.
"All I care about is making NSW as good as it can be ... so I take the position seriously, it's a very difficult job," Mr Minns told reporters on Thursday.
Earlier this month, junior coalition partner the NSW Nationals re-elected leader Paul Toole and deputy Bronnie Taylor during their own party room meeting.
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