Perth Bears Media Watch

[Red&BlackBear]

Yes, but I think they need to get their definition right or you end up with a dogs breakfast like the Wests Tigers. NRL saying it's a new club and norths saying it's a relocation wont work. The board is in big trouble if they can't decide on what sort of club it is at the beginning.

Wests Tigers are a dog’s breakfast because it’s 2 clubs becoming 1 with 2 boards becoming 1 board.

This isn’t happening here. It’s 1 club off the out set. It’s owned by the ARLC, it has independent directors, it has NRL oversight. Many differing factors. The 2 entities are nothing a like. I get your gun shyness because you support the Tigers, but totally different circumstances.

 

[SirPies&Beers]

Wests Tigers are a dog’s breakfast because it’s 2 clubs becoming 1 with 2 boards becoming 1 board.

This isn’t happening here. It’s 1 club off the out set. It’s owned by the ARLC, it has independent directors, it has NRL oversight. Many differing factors. The 2 entities are nothing a like. I get your gun shyness because you support the Tigers, but totally different circumstances.

yeah i dont get the wests tigers comparison.

they were 2 individual clubs merging. perth bears is an existing brand in a new location.

wests tigers is like 2 local hungry jacks and mcdonalds merging in the same location.
perth bears is like a sydney owner of a kfc store opening a new kfc store in perth. it's still called kfc but they have different people working in them, they are in different locations etc.

 

[Bukowski]

Wests Tigers are a dog’s breakfast because it’s 2 clubs becoming 1 with 2 boards becoming 1 board.

This isn’t happening here. It’s 1 club off the out set. It’s owned by the ARLC, it has independent directors, it has NRL oversight. Many differing factors. The 2 entities are nothing a like. I get your gun shyness because you support the Tigers, but totally different circumstances.

Well I hope that's the case. I still see a board split on Perth interests and North Sydney interests. Even Dickson said its a club from 2 cities.
Anyway time will tell.

 

[Perth Red]

Well I hope that's the case. I still see a board split on Perth interests and North Sydney interests. Even Dickson said its a club from 2 cities.
Anyway time will tell.

It will be interesting when we get to the first contentious decision where there is a conflict of interest. If we get to a decision thats good for Perth Bears but bad for NS Bears (thinking reserve grade location is an obvious one) it'll be the litmus test of how cohesive the board is. But little point worrying about hypotheticals I suppose. The board is recruited and time to get on and build this new club.

 

[Bukowski]

1

It will be interesting when we get to the first contentious decision where there is a conflict of interest. If we get to a decision thats good for Perth Bears but bad for NS Bears (thinking reserve grade location is an obvious one) it'll be the litmus test of how cohesive the board is. But little point worrying about hypotheticals I suppose. The board is recruited and time to get on and build this new club.

100%, I really hope they become a powerhouse .

 

[BuffaloRules]

It will be interesting when we get to the first contentious decision where there is a conflict of interest. If we get to a decision thats good for Perth Bears but bad for NS Bears (thinking reserve grade location is an obvious one) it'll be the litmus test of how cohesive the board is. But little point worrying about hypotheticals I suppose. The board is recruited and time to get on and build this new club.

Eventually there is going to be some difficult periods that the club will have to endure on the field … although hopefully they can at least get off to a good start …

when those tough times invariably happen … both sides need to stay strong and not blame the other …unfortunately that doesn’t sound very Rugby League does it ?

 

[Growthegame]

Not sure when this was but the West Australian is making a great name for itself.

 

[SirPies&Beers]

Potential home for the Perth Bears in Malaga - Echo Newspaper

echonewspaper.com.au

Potential home for the Perth Bears in Malaga​

Details about the Malaga sports precinct and the Perth Bears are unclear with the Opposition Sports spokesperson saying it’s unclear whether the precinct will be the Bears’ home.
July 3, 2025
Cindy Cartojano
QUESTIONS on whether the $20 million Malaga sports precinct (MSP) will be the home ground for the new Perth Bears National Rugby League (NRL) club remain, with Opposition Sports and Recreation spokesman Peter Rundle saying he is also unsure.
“I think I did hear the minister say that there were up to four alternatives for the headquarters of the Perth Bears and certainly the MSP was mentioned as one of them,” Mr Rundle said.
“At this point, that will be decided by the government as time goes on.”
Mr Rundle said the $20m budget for the precinct was a good start based on the proposed map for the precinct.
The new WA NRL side Perth Bears was announced in May this year by the Cook Government who turned to economic consultant ACIL Allen to determine if the new club would indicate a positive return to WA taxpayers.
“ACIL Allen modelling undertaken for the Department of Treasury found that a WA-based NRL team would generate $28m in annual economic benefits to Western Australia, once the club was competing in the NRL Premiership competition,” a WA spokesperson said.
Mr Rundle said he had concerns about the government’s proposed benefits of the NRL team.
“As I understand it, some of the numbers that were provided by the NRL in relation to membership base for the Perth Bears are vastly different to what may actually exist.”
In a May 8 media statement, the spokesperson said the club would benefit from the separately funded MSP.
“We’ve held numerous in-season NRL games here in WA, whether it be double-headers at HBF Park or the State of Origin at Optus Stadium and these have had fantastic attendances and generated money for the state,” Sport and Recreation Minister Rita Saffioti said.
“Of course, the new Malaga Sports Precinct will be a fantastic addition to the great sporting infrastructure we have across the state, benefiting not only the new NRL club but grassroots rugby and other sport as well.”
Ms Saffioti said both professional athletes and grassroots community sporting groups would benefit from the MSP.
“This represents a strategic investment in our sporting future,” Ms Saffioti said.
“We’re not just building infrastructure – we’re creating high performance facilities and pathways for the next generation of Western Australian athletes.”
Expressions of interest for stage one of the sports precinct opened a day after the state budget was announced on June 19.
The state government welcomed construction partners to come forward to help with the precinct’s concept design and site investigations.
“Stage one of the precinct is set to deliver dedicated purpose-built facilities for a variety of sporting codes, including rugby league, rugby union and AFL,” a state government spokesperson said.
Mr Rundle said he supported the idea of a WA-based business being contracted for the project.
“As long as they’re within reach of the tender amount,” he said.
“Obviously, you want value for money but I always like to support local companies as well.”
A WA spokesperson said the MSP was strategically located near the train station and the Perth Film Studios to support the government’s transport infrastructure investment.
“This project capitalises on the WA government’s significant Metronet investment, while creating world-class sporting infrastructure in Perth’s fastest-growing corridor, supporting our state’s growing population and sporting aspirations,” Ms Saffioti said.
Mr Rundle said the MSP’s location in relation to transport was beneficial but he raised the question of whether the precinct may be too far for the Perth Bears if the sports facility were to become their home ground.
“That would have to be decided by the administration and management of the new team as to where they would like to be located.
“Do they want to be closer to the CBD or HBF Park in town or the likes of Optus Stadium?”
Ms Saffioti was contacted for comment.

 

[Perth Red]

Potential home for the Perth Bears in Malaga - Echo Newspaper

echonewspaper.com.au

Potential home for the Perth Bears in Malaga​

Details about the Malaga sports precinct and the Perth Bears are unclear with the Opposition Sports spokesperson saying it’s unclear whether the precinct will be the Bears’ home.
July 3, 2025
Cindy Cartojano
QUESTIONS on whether the $20 million Malaga sports precinct (MSP) will be the home ground for the new Perth Bears National Rugby League (NRL) club remain, with Opposition Sports and Recreation spokesman Peter Rundle saying he is also unsure.
“I think I did hear the minister say that there were up to four alternatives for the headquarters of the Perth Bears and certainly the MSP was mentioned as one of them,” Mr Rundle said.
“At this point, that will be decided by the government as time goes on.”
Mr Rundle said the $20m budget for the precinct was a good start based on the proposed map for the precinct.
The new WA NRL side Perth Bears was announced in May this year by the Cook Government who turned to economic consultant ACIL Allen to determine if the new club would indicate a positive return to WA taxpayers.
“ACIL Allen modelling undertaken for the Department of Treasury found that a WA-based NRL team would generate $28m in annual economic benefits to Western Australia, once the club was competing in the NRL Premiership competition,” a WA spokesperson said.
Mr Rundle said he had concerns about the government’s proposed benefits of the NRL team.
“As I understand it, some of the numbers that were provided by the NRL in relation to membership base for the Perth Bears are vastly different to what may actually exist.”
In a May 8 media statement, the spokesperson said the club would benefit from the separately funded MSP.
“We’ve held numerous in-season NRL games here in WA, whether it be double-headers at HBF Park or the State of Origin at Optus Stadium and these have had fantastic attendances and generated money for the state,” Sport and Recreation Minister Rita Saffioti said.
“Of course, the new Malaga Sports Precinct will be a fantastic addition to the great sporting infrastructure we have across the state, benefiting not only the new NRL club but grassroots rugby and other sport as well.”
Ms Saffioti said both professional athletes and grassroots community sporting groups would benefit from the MSP.
“This represents a strategic investment in our sporting future,” Ms Saffioti said.
“We’re not just building infrastructure – we’re creating high performance facilities and pathways for the next generation of Western Australian athletes.”
Expressions of interest for stage one of the sports precinct opened a day after the state budget was announced on June 19.
The state government welcomed construction partners to come forward to help with the precinct’s concept design and site investigations.
“Stage one of the precinct is set to deliver dedicated purpose-built facilities for a variety of sporting codes, including rugby league, rugby union and AFL,” a state government spokesperson said.
Mr Rundle said he supported the idea of a WA-based business being contracted for the project.
“As long as they’re within reach of the tender amount,” he said.
“Obviously, you want value for money but I always like to support local companies as well.”
A WA spokesperson said the MSP was strategically located near the train station and the Perth Film Studios to support the government’s transport infrastructure investment.
“This project capitalises on the WA government’s significant Metronet investment, while creating world-class sporting infrastructure in Perth’s fastest-growing corridor, supporting our state’s growing population and sporting aspirations,” Ms Saffioti said.
Mr Rundle said the MSP’s location in relation to transport was beneficial but he raised the question of whether the precinct may be too far for the Perth Bears if the sports facility were to become their home ground.
“That would have to be decided by the administration and management of the new team as to where they would like to be located.
“Do they want to be closer to the CBD or HBF Park in town or the likes of Optus Stadium?”
Ms Saffioti was contacted for comment.

I was very surprised they didnt choose a site at Bold park with the other sports centres based there. Malaga is arse end of nowhere and seems to be an area the Govt is just looking for excuses to spend money at. Ideally NRLWA would have a new home at Malaga and Bears at Bold Park.

 

[Perth Red]

Basil is still at it, let it go Basil lol

Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas has accused the government of passing the buck on transparency around the Perth Bears NRL deal after a frustrating budget estimates session on Tuesday.
Tourism Minister Reece Whitby and Sport and Recreation Minister Rita Saffioti passed questions to each other over the course of the day about the modelling of the tourism benefits of the $80 million deal to bring the Bears to Perth.
In the morning session, Zempilas grilled Whitby on whether Tourism WA conducted a cost-benefit analysis to establish the Perth Bears NRL team in WA.
“The process and the decision-making around this issue sit very firmly in the sporting division,” Whitby said.

A frustrated Zempilas then questioned why his queries about the tourism aspect of the Bears could not be answered by the “army of tourism advisers” behind Whitby.
In the later session with Saffioti in her role as sport minister, Zempilas put the same question to her.
“This is the Department of Sport and Recreation, not tourism,” Saffioti replied.
“I will just say that I directed this series of questions at the tourism minister, and was told that they were questions that would be answered in the sport and rec category. So, not wishing to throw anyone under a bus, but that is what happened this morning in this chamber,” Zempilas said later.
Zempilas then pressed Saffioti on how many visitors were expected at Bears games.
Saffioti referred to a publicly released summary of a government-commissioned Acil Allen report that suggested 545 interstate visitors would attend each game, and said she would consider releasing the full report to the public.

Outside estimates, Zempilas said Saffioti and Whitby had passed the buck all day.

“First the tourism minister passes the buck to the sport and recreation minister, who throws it straight back to the tourism minister,” he said.

“It’s like watching a rugby test match. This goes to the lack of transparency and an unwillingness of this government to come clean on a pet project that was not subject to proper process before $65 million of taxpayers’ money was thrown at it.

“And if the tourism minister can’t answer a tourism-related question, and then didn’t let the minister for sport and rec know the question was coming, I have to ask, who’s running the show and who can answer these questions?”

‘It’s like watching a test match’: Saffioti, Whitby frustrate Zempilas’ push on Bears deal

Tourism Minister Reece Whitby and Sport Minister Rita Saffioti passed questions to each other with the skill of an NRL halfback as Basil Zempilas grilled them on the deal behind Perth’s newest sporting team.

www.watoday.com.au

 

[BuffaloRules]

Basil is still at it, let it go Basil lol

Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas has accused the government of passing the buck on transparency around the Perth Bears NRL deal after a frustrating budget estimates session on Tuesday.
Tourism Minister Reece Whitby and Sport and Recreation Minister Rita Saffioti passed questions to each other over the course of the day about the modelling of the tourism benefits of the $80 million deal to bring the Bears to Perth.
In the morning session, Zempilas grilled Whitby on whether Tourism WA conducted a cost-benefit analysis to establish the Perth Bears NRL team in WA.
“The process and the decision-making around this issue sit very firmly in the sporting division,” Whitby said.

A frustrated Zempilas then questioned why his queries about the tourism aspect of the Bears could not be answered by the “army of tourism advisers” behind Whitby.
In the later session with Saffioti in her role as sport minister, Zempilas put the same question to her.
“This is the Department of Sport and Recreation, not tourism,” Saffioti replied.
“I will just say that I directed this series of questions at the tourism minister, and was told that they were questions that would be answered in the sport and rec category. So, not wishing to throw anyone under a bus, but that is what happened this morning in this chamber,” Zempilas said later.
Zempilas then pressed Saffioti on how many visitors were expected at Bears games.
Saffioti referred to a publicly released summary of a government-commissioned Acil Allen report that suggested 545 interstate visitors would attend each game, and said she would consider releasing the full report to the

Basil is frustrated

 

[BuffaloRules]

“It’s like watching a rugby test match.

surely it’s not that bad?

 

[Nuke]

Basil's still butthurt that a game with international appeal (such as the one he referenced in his comment, AND the one he thought he was referencing ... never forget how dull and uneducated one-eyed aussie rules types are) is coming to town. And that it has international appeal ... unlike his little fumbleball passion.

 

[Perth Red]

Good to see the club getting some local news coverage:

19K views · 263 reactions | Maroons star is being linked with the Perth Bears | When New South Wales and Queensland run out for tomorrow's Origin decider, there's a strong chance you'll be watching one of the Perth Bears marquee... | By 9 News Perth

When New South Wales and Queensland run out for tomorrow's Origin decider, there's a strong chance you'll be watching one of the Perth Bears marquee...

www.facebook.com

 

[SirPies&Beers]

Rare run west​

Say what you will about former treasurer Joe Hockey, arguably the North Sydney Bears rugby club’s most notable fan, but he’s not afraid to enter the enemy’s den.
It’s hard to move in Perth’s tight-knit business, political and media circles without tripping over a conflicting interest or two. So it was with some amusement that Margin Call noted that Hockey will be one of the headline speakers at a “resources showcase” run by Perth’s only daily newspaper.

The West Australian – owned by Kerry Stokes’ Seven West media, which has the broadcast rights to the AFL – has been no supporter of rugby league’s latest attempt to establish a beachhead in the AFL state via the Perth Bears.

The paper greeted WA Premier Roger Cook’s announcement of state government support for a new NRL club in Perth with a “bad news bears” headline, and plenty of critical coverage – not helped by the fact that former West editor Anthony De Ceglie was announced as the club’s inaugural chief executive.

A sold-out State of Origin rugby match in Perth was greeted by the paper with only minimal coverage, and tensions are still riding high.

Hockey was recently announced as a member of the Perth Bears’ founding board.
And yet the former federal treasurer joins BHP and Rio Tinto iron ore bosses Tim Day and Simon Trott as one of the headline speakers at the resources event run by the newspaper in August. He’ll be on stage at a lunchtime event with Caterpillar’s global technology vice president Corey Wurtzbacher. Curiously enough, Stokes’ Seven Group Holdings’ core business segment involves selling Caterpillar mining equipment.


Anthony De Ceglie is not particularly popular with his former employer. Picture: Jonathan Ng
Hockey is there in his role as the founder of advisory firm Bondi Partners, and the former Australian ambassador to the United States – no argument that his views will be of interest to the crowd. But still a slightly odd choice, given the state’s main trading relationship is with China.

Hockey’s short term as federal treasurer doesn’t rate a mention on The West’s promotional material. Hardly a surprise, mind you, given his fractious relationship with the state when in the job largely consisted of refusing to stack the GST distribution system in WA’s favour.
A bit of influence from former West Australian premier Mark McGowan, long a favourite of the WA paper and now on the Bondi Partners roster, might have helped things along.

And perhaps his presence will also enable a bit of outreach on behalf of the Perth Bears at the same time? Particularly if he heads west bearing a promise of a generous donation from the NRL to the Seven-backed Telethon fundraising event when it comes around in October – traditionally the best way back into Stokes’ good books in Perth.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/margin-call/warren-buffetts-freo-group-sheds-more-executives-joe-hockeys-perth-bears-excursion/news-story/f03ccf8275f25d683599e65dbc9506f9