WA BEARS

[Menaiduck]

The Western Australia government has reached out to the North Sydney Bears in a shock move to form a joint venture to enter the NRL competition as the 18th team.

The Sunday Telegraph can reveal WA’s Minister Sport David Templeman and the chairman of Venues West Peter Bauchop are in Brisbane for Magic Round for talks with NRL powerbrokers about a possible alliance with one of rugby league’s most famous old clubs.

The chairman of the North Sydney Bears, Daniel Dickson, has confirmed the two parties had recent talks.

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“They are obviously attracted to our heritage,” Dickson said.

“The path for us was always to go alone but they have reached out and we’ll listen to all options.

“We both have a desire to be in the NRL so anything is possible.

“It’s early days but they’ve been great to deal with.”

WA have reached out to the Bears in a shock move to form a joint venture and become the NRL’s 18th team.

The Perth bid is super impressive in that it has the full support of a WA government that is prepared to invest money into the bid and provide long-term financial support.

It would also open up a new market for the game with huge growth opportunities.

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The NRL has added the Dolphins as the 17th team for next year but are keen to add an 18th franchise to increase broadcast revenue from the extra game each weekend.

Commission chairman Peter V’landys and CEO Andrew Abdo will no doubt have talks with WA government officials in Perth for Origin II on June 26.

WA would want the majority of home games to be played in Perth but North Sydney Oval would host up to six games each year.

HBF Park, a modern rectangular stadium, would host the matches in Perth.

The Bears and WA are competing against the likes of Wellington in New Zealand, PNG and Central Queensland in bidding for the 18th team.

Perth lost its rugby league team, the Western Reds, in 1997 after the Super League war.

The Bears haven’t had a stand-alone team since 2019. They merged with Manly in 2000 as the Northern Eagles but folded two years later.

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IMHO North Sydney would get 3 games and Perth the rest. This article is great news. Perth is my number 1 choice. WA, like North Queensland, is about to grow exponentially.

 

[bad boy bubby]

Has this been bandied about to coincide with the 100 year anniversary since the Bears won a Premiership???

 

[bad boy bubby]

IMHO North Sydney would get 3 games and Perth the rest. This article is great news. Perth is my number 1 choice. WA, like North Queensland, is about to grow exponentially.

There is a lot of egos that have been bent out of shape with North's. I highly doubt they'll only want 3 x games at Nth Sydney Oval. They'll want to be "THE MAN" in the relationship.

I'd prefer that WA has its own identity.

 

[Menaiduck]

There is a lot of egos that have been bent out of shape with North's. I highly doubt they'll only want 3 x games at Nth Sydney Oval. They'll want to be "THE MAN" in the relationship.

I'd prefer that WA has its own identity.

Agreed. It’s why I gave them 3 hahaha. By the way their local comp has grown considerably this year. Their egos will now be uncontrollable.

 

[bad boy bubby]

Agreed. It’s why I gave them 3 hahaha. By the way their local comp has grown considerably this year. Their egos will now be uncontrollable.

They claimed to be so self sufficient with sponsorships, memberships etc, then they let the Roosters just waltz all over their backside and take the Central Coast away, and become their reserve grade team.

I wonder if the WA Government went straight to the NRL before this?

 

[The Great Dane]

The Western Australia government has reached out to the North Sydney Bears in a shock move to form a joint venture to enter the NRL competition as the 18th team.

The Sunday Telegraph can reveal WA’s Minister Sport David Templeman and the chairman of Venues West Peter Bauchop are in Brisbane for Magic Round for talks with NRL powerbrokers about a possible alliance with one of rugby league’s most famous old clubs.

The chairman of the North Sydney Bears, Daniel Dickson, has confirmed the two parties had recent talks.

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“They are obviously attracted to our heritage,” Dickson said.

“The path for us was always to go alone but they have reached out and we’ll listen to all options.

“We both have a desire to be in the NRL so anything is possible.

“It’s early days but they’ve been great to deal with.”

WA have reached out to the Bears in a shock move to form a joint venture and become the NRL’s 18th team.

The Perth bid is super impressive in that it has the full support of a WA government that is prepared to invest money into the bid and provide long-term financial support.

It would also open up a new market for the game with huge growth opportunities.

Advertisement

The NRL has added the Dolphins as the 17th team for next year but are keen to add an 18th franchise to increase broadcast revenue from the extra game each weekend.

Commission chairman Peter V’landys and CEO Andrew Abdo will no doubt have talks with WA government officials in Perth for Origin II on June 26.

WA would want the majority of home games to be played in Perth but North Sydney Oval would host up to six games each year.

HBF Park, a modern rectangular stadium, would host the matches in Perth.

The Bears and WA are competing against the likes of Wellington in New Zealand, PNG and Central Queensland in bidding for the 18th team.

Perth lost its rugby league team, the Western Reds, in 1997 after the Super League war.

The Bears haven’t had a stand-alone team since 2019. They merged with Manly in 2000 as the Northern Eagles but folded two years later.

* * * * *

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What an excellent way to throw your local bidders and investors under the bus lol.

A merger with the Bears, or Perth based Bears bid, would be a monumental mistake, but it doesn't matter because there's next to no chance that it happens. Both parties will demand to be the dominant member and at that point talks will disintegrate.

That assumes that the NRLWA, Pirates, and other Perth based bidders and investors are actually interested in merging with the Bears, or that the Bears would even consider a team based in Perth, and it's not just ignorant politicians speaking out of place or a media beat up, both of which are highly likely in my opinion.

 

[Menaiduck]

They claimed to be so self sufficient with sponsorships, memberships etc, then they let the Roosters just waltz all over their backside and take the Central Coast away, and become their reserve grade team.

I wonder if the WA Government went straight to the NRL before this?

No idea but WA wants a nrl team badly. I hope they get the best version possible without the bears preferably. Fact is WA is going to grow and grow. One team may be just a start. Regional Australia is on the cusp of huge growth. Clean renewable energy will drive it.

 

[Perth Red]

How bizarre! Why wouldnt the govt link up with one of the three people keen to own a wa club?
I find it very hard to believe the wa govt will fund a club, the other sports clubs here would blow up! Maybe they’ve offered jnr funding or a cofe or something. I very much doubt they will directly fund an nrl club.
I know Bears met with Pudsy a while ago but it went nowhere.
maybe this will float Vlandys myopic nsw boat.
for fans here I’d imagine it will be very meh.

 

[bad boy bubby]

No idea but WA wants a nrl team badly. I hope they get the best version possible without the bears preferably. Fact is WA is going to grow and grow. One team may be just a start. Regional Australia is on the cusp of huge growth. Clean renewable energy will drive it.

I lived in WAWA Land for a few years just as the Reds were coming into the comp initially.
It was bloody exciting and I was devoed when they got shafted.
Like I said, my preference is for them to have their own identity.

 

[Wb1234]

Perth red is going to get a hard on when he reads that

it says the wa government is willing to put money into funding a bid and ongoing financial support

that could make the bid much more competitive with nz2. Maybe the arlc should accept both bids with staggered start dates

nso oval should host no more than 2 games

they could even do a deal with some Sydney clubs to play their away games in Sydney at nso

 

[bad boy bubby]

How bizarre! Why wouldnt the govt link up with one of the three people keen to own a wa club?
I find it very hard to believe the wa govt will fund a club, the other sports clubs here would blow up! Maybe they’ve offered jnr funding or a cofe or something. I very much doubt they will directly fund an nrl club.
I know Bears met with Pudsy a while ago but it went nowhere.
maybe this will float Vlandys myopic nsw boat.
for fans here I’d imagine it will be very meh.

Look in all honesty, if this was to pan out exactly how it is being portrayed in the article, would you support it happening?

 

[Perth Red]

Perth red is going to get a hard on when he reads that

it says the wa government is willing to put money into funding a bid and ongoing financial support

that could make the bid much more competitive with nz2. Maybe the arlc should accept both bids with staggered start dates

nso oval should host no more than 2 games

they could even do a deal with some Sydney clubs to play their away games in Sydney at nso

I’d rather wait to be club 20 in 25 years time than be owned by the bears. The inevitable ongoing media debate about them moving back to Sydney ft would be horrific And will likely kill the club here leading to them moving back to sydney lol.

 

[The Great Dane]

nso oval should host no more than 2 games

If the Bears and WA merge, and that's a big if, then it should be on the proviso that no games are played at NSO.

All home games in Perth or no deal.

 

[jim_57]

If Perth’s main bid becomes a Bears/Perth nostalgia split game hybrid then welcome to the comp team 18 - NZ 2. Fight over. Up to 6 games at NSO? GTFOOH.

Luckily I think this will go about as far as the last 20 times we’ve seen this kind of stuff about the Bears and every other location ever rumoured for an NRL team.

 

[Wb1234]

I’d rather wait to be club 20 in 25 years time than be owned by the bears. The inevitable ongoing media debate about them moving back to Sydney ft would be horrific And will likely kill the club here leading to them moving back to sydney lol.

I’m talking about the government involvement. Whether it’s for this bid or another it could be a game changer

 

[Perth Red]

Look in all honesty, if this was to pan out exactly how it is being portrayed in the article, would you support it happening?

I’d go to some games for sure, and maybe would grow to love them, but I wouldnt be as committed initially as if it was a genuine WA club.

 

[The Great Dane]

I’d rather wait to be club 20 in 25 years time than be owned by the bears. The inevitable ongoing media debate about them moving back to Sydney ft would be horrific And will likely kill the club here leading to them moving back to sydney lol.

Which as a Bears fans, is exactly what a lot of Bears fans want. Obviously I can't prove this, but I'd be willing to bet that there're some at the club it's self that are having similar thoughts also.

I'd be extremely wary of them using relocating as shortcut to an NRL license, then tanking it and using it "failing" as an excuse to move back to Sydney or maybe the CC.

 

[Wb1234]

I’d rather wait to be club 20 in 25 years time than be owned by the bears. The inevitable ongoing media debate about them moving back to Sydney ft would be horrific And will likely kill the club here leading to them moving back to sydney lol.

Lmao they would do what manly did to them ?

 

[Perth Red]

I’m talking about the government involvement. Whether it’s for this bid or another it could be a game changer

I’ve been saying all along the govt is cashed up and keen for a club. Like I said above though it’s highly unlikely they will directly fund a club. I can see them putting money into jnrs and a base for the club though, and upgrading hbf again.

 

[The Great Dane]

If Perth’s main bid becomes a Bears/Perth nostalgia split game hybrid then welcome to the comp team 18 - NZ 2. Fight over. Up to 6 games at NSO? GTFOOH.

I don't know about that.

Luckily I think this will go about as far as the last 20 times we’ve seen this kind of stuff about the Bears and every other location ever rumoured for an NRL team.

Yeah it's next to no chance of happening, at least not now.