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Bears Reserve Grade & Juniors Watch

Perth Red

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
75,594
Going to be really interesting to see how the $5mil a year for 7 years Govt jnr funding is spent. At the moment the NRLWA operates on less than $1mil a year.

So far there has been mention of a much bigger SHS program and a link up with the Clontarf foundation (presumably targeting aboriginal youth in the regional areas)

Its possible some will go to fund elite youth teams in a qlnd or NSW comp

Be interesting to see the plan for the rest
 
Perth Red

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
75,594
stats presented to PB board showed some good growth in jnr numbers in wa over last 3 years. Especially in schools.
 
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SirPies&Beers

SirPies&Beers

Bench
Messages
3,624
Links with Brisbane Tigers & potentially Catalan Dragons is massive.

Also female squads below.
www.northsydneybears.com.au

2026 Female Junior Reps Summer Squads - North Sydney Bears

Congratulations to all the players selected to join the Bears 2026 Lisa Fiaola Cup (U17 Female) and Tarsha Gale Cup (U19 Female) Summer Squads. These young athletes will be under the very experienced guidance of Lisa Fiaola Cup Head Coach, Sa Patiole, and Tarsha Gale Cup Head Coach, Andrew...
www.northsydneybears.com.au www.northsydneybears.com.au
 
SirPies&Beers

SirPies&Beers

Bench
Messages
3,624

Bears build French connection​

Perth Bears are courting an innovative affiliation with Super League club Catalans as they prepare to take the NRL to new frontiers around the globe.

Fresh from inking a giant $1.2 million annual sleeve sponsorship deal with Budget Direct, Perth are also keen to field their own team in a proposed expanded Under-21 competition based out of Queensland next year.


How that format will work is yet to be finalised, but on top of the four NRL clubs based in Queensland who played in the NRLQ Under-20 development series this year, it could also include Perth, PNG and Fiji.

AAP has been told a Perth affiliation with powerhouse outfit Brisbane Tigers is “almost a done deal” and will complement their link with North Sydney Bears on theeastern seaboard.

The Tigers have a rich history, superb training facilities at Langlands Park and are also unaligned after their long-term relationship with Melbourne recently ended.

The best aspect from Perth’s point of view about Catalans is their synergy. The club has a positive relationship with Australian players who have enjoyed the Perpignan-based outfit’s professionalism and embrace, but also their location as a place players with young families can feel at home.

Perth are now allowed to talk to off-contract NRL players for the 2026 season and can sign any of their targets immediately for their 2027 entry.

Catalans, and AAP understands potentially other Super League clubs, could benefit from players having a stint with them before potentially joining the Bears in 2027 and beyond.


The respective clubs would need to make that relationship work for both parties of course, but there is a mood in the international game to think outside the box.

The Bears are prepared to do exactly that and hold the view expansion also equals innovation and a frontier mentality.

Coach Mal Meninga has 13 months to assemble a squad to start training in November, 2026.

He has the gravitas and the pulling power with players to get the job done.

In the meantime, the Bears are making inroads in the commercial space.

CEO Anthony De Ceglie hailed the recent commercial deal with their new sleeve sponsor as a sign of what’s to come.


“We can’t wait to work together to make the Perth Bears a giant on-and-off the field,” he said in a statement.

“The Perth Bears are a rare and special club, unlike anything else in the country, that allows brands the chance to have a monopoly on the NRL in Western Australia while also having a second home and supporter base in the bustling north shore of Sydney.

“We believe it the most exciting opportunity in the Australian sporting landscape right now and this record deal is proof of that.”

@Dragonwest @Wb1234 @Centy Coast @Nuke guys remember when people laughed at @Red&BlackBear because he said Perth Bears/west aussies would look to enter a junior team in QLD comp and he was laughed at and posters said he was talking nonsense?

I think us 5 are the only posters who believed him. well looks like he was on the money again!.

@Red&BlackBear take a bow, you been on the cash every single step of the way.
 
SirPies&Beers

SirPies&Beers

Bench
Messages
3,624

Perth Bears’ pathways plan revealed: North Sydney Bears partnership locked in, WA academy in works​

Perth Bears powerbrokers have kicked off discussions in Western Australia this week as they finalise a pathways plan to flood talent into the NRL’s newest franchise for years to come.
2 min read
November 24, 2025 - 1:38PM


High-powered discussions have kicked off in Western Australia this week as Perth Bears powerbrokers hash out a pathways plan to flood talent into the NRL’s newest franchise.

On Monday, the club announced North Sydney Bears would maintain their representatives pathways with the NSWRL, with teams already established in the NSW Cup, SG Ball (under-19s) and Harold Matthews Cup (under-17s) competition.

It means the teenage talent as well as reserve grade will be based out of Sydney, as well as an affiliation with Easts Tigers in the Queensland Cup, as reported by this masthead.

An academy based in Perth will be the final piece of the model, which is hoped to be up and running by January and designed to keep Western Australian talent in rugby league with a direct pathway to the NRL as the club looks to eventually field an under-21s side.

Head coach Mal Meninga, general manager David Sharpe and assistant Ben Gardiner are in meetings in Perth this week as they build out the infrastructure to keep the franchise humming.

Aside from recruitment, establishing the pathways and in particular, the Western Australian-based academy, is their most important goal at the moment.
The North Sydney Bears will maintain their rep pathways with NSWRL. Picture: Julian Andrews.

The North Sydney Bears will maintain their rep pathways with NSWRL. Picture: Julian Andrews.

“Long term success comes from making sure you have the pathways in place,” Gardiner told this masthead.

“It’s one thing to make sure you have the top team up and going and being competitive from the start but also to maintain that competitiveness over the years that’s probably where it went wrong all those years ago in Perth and with some of the other clubs.

“We have to establish that.”

It comes after this masthead reported that the Bears signed their first player with England centre Harry Newman agreeing to a three-year deal from 2027.

He’s expected to be the first of a few English-based players to join the Bears, while Panthers prop Liam Henry is expected to follow.

The Bears have been on the hunt for players since the market opened on November 1, and with 36 roster spots to fill it will take an enormous effort to have a squad finalised for next year.

However, locking in their NSW Cup and junior representative pathways is a major step forward.
“The Perth Bears are a new NRL franchise, but nothing will ever change the fact that the birthplace and spiritual home of the ‘Bears’ in rugby league will always be North Sydney,” said Perth Bears CEO Anthony De Ceglie.

“The Bears brand is one of the most respected in rugby league, and this exclusive alignment with North Sydney ensures our players have access to a proven development system.

“It’s a powerful statement about our commitment to building a sustainable future for the Perth Bears, both here in WA and across the country.”
 
Growthegame

Growthegame

Juniors
Messages
795
Jersey Flegg is currently under 21’s

So therefore there will either be North Sydney Bears & Perth Bears in the Jersey Flegg competition or the Perth Bears will be playing in the QRL. I’m assuming?
 
Perth Red

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
75,594
I hope we will see an elite U16's comp in WA.
Perth Bears SG Ball
Perth Bears Jersey Flegg
NSW cup team is a bit more thorny a decision that can be left for a whilen to see what happens with a reserve grade.

Problem playing in QRL comps is the logistics. Where as most of NSWRL comps teams are in Sydney QRLs are all over state so getting to and from games from Perth across Qlnd becomes much more onerous and costly.
 
Red&BlackBear

Red&BlackBear

First Grade
Messages
6,227
Growthegame said:
Interesting. I wonder if having North Sydney as the “NSWRL Representative Teams Partner” would prevent ‘Perth Bears’ from entering into NSWRL competitions. Would you know @Red&BlackBear?
Click to expand...
I haven’t been spending an accumulation of hours at QRL HQ for no reason.

But still plenty of water to pass under the bridge.
 
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SirPies&Beers

SirPies&Beers

Bench
Messages
3,624
thetigers.com.au

Brisbane Tigers Announce Affiliation Partnership with the Perth Bears - The Brisbane Tigers | Official website of the Brisbane Tigers Rugby League Club

The Brisbane Tigers are officially announcing a landmark affiliation partnership with the Perth Bears, the NRL’s newly appointed 18th team set to commence in the...
thetigers.com.au thetigers.com.au
perthbears.com.au

Perth Bears and Brisbane Tigers Announce Affiliation Partnership - Perth Bears

The Perth Bears have officially announced a landmark affiliation partnership with the Brisbane Tigers ahead of their entry into the 2027 NRL season.
perthbears.com.au perthbears.com.au
www.nrl.com

Perth Bears unveil affiliation and development partnerships

The Perth Bears have officially announced a landmark affiliation partnership with the Brisbane Tigers ahead of their entry into the 2027 NRL season.
www.nrl.com www.nrl.com
www.zerotackle.com

Perth land major pathways agreement ahead of 2027

They will act as the Bears feeder club.
www.zerotackle.com www.zerotackle.com

@Centy Coast just wacking it here :)
 
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Dragonwest

Dragonwest

Juniors
Messages
1,915
SirPies&Beers said:
thetigers.com.au

Brisbane Tigers Announce Affiliation Partnership with the Perth Bears - The Brisbane Tigers | Official website of the Brisbane Tigers Rugby League Club

The Brisbane Tigers are officially announcing a landmark affiliation partnership with the Perth Bears, the NRL’s newly appointed 18th team set to commence in the...
thetigers.com.au thetigers.com.au
perthbears.com.au

Perth Bears and Brisbane Tigers Announce Affiliation Partnership - Perth Bears

The Perth Bears have officially announced a landmark affiliation partnership with the Brisbane Tigers ahead of their entry into the 2027 NRL season.
perthbears.com.au perthbears.com.au
www.nrl.com

Perth Bears unveil affiliation and development partnerships

The Perth Bears have officially announced a landmark affiliation partnership with the Brisbane Tigers ahead of their entry into the 2027 NRL season.
www.nrl.com www.nrl.com
www.zerotackle.com

Perth land major pathways agreement ahead of 2027

They will act as the Bears feeder club.
www.zerotackle.com www.zerotackle.com

@Centy Coast just wacking it here :)
Click to expand...
Is this designed to drive WA talent to QLD or QLD talent to WA ....
 
Growthegame

Growthegame

Juniors
Messages
795
Wb1234 said:

NRLQ will continue next year, Luck said: “Without speaking for the other three clubs involved, we’re very happy with it and very hopeful that it will continue.
“Hopefully it will be in an extended format so they get to play more games.”
As well as the Perth Bears, its expected fledgling franchise PNG Chiefs, who will join the NRL in 2028, will also have an under-20s side in the NRLQ as part of its pathways. Adding a Fijian side has also been discussed.
It’s understood running Jersey Flegg and NRLQ as two separate competitions is the favoured approach by clubs, as it is seen as far more cost effective than a national under-21s system.
The future viability of a national under-21s competition, however, will ultimately depend on the success of the NRLQ.
ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys has also been a strident fan of bringing back an NRL reserve grade, but any notion of a three-grade system may not be realised until the code’s new TV rights deal for 2028 and beyond.“

PNG to run under 20s side in qld comp
Click to expand...

Perth Bears to be in NRLQ.

Is this what @Red&BlackBear has been involved with?

@Perth Red might not be to happy about it.
 
Red&BlackBear

Red&BlackBear

First Grade
Messages
6,227
Growthegame said:
Perth Bears to be in NRLQ.

Is this what @Red&BlackBear has been involved with?

@Perth Red might not be to happy about it.
Click to expand...
It’s to ensure that the best local junior talent from WA can play against the best juniors in NSW and QLD - which also means they’ll get to face the best juniors from NZ (via NSW) and PNG (via QLD).

Bringing the best talent up to a standard where by then after leaping into a senior NRL club system is not that big of a jump and it also creates more quality numbers in the overall WA RL landscape to choose from. More quality numbers will equal more quality competition within.

That talent pool isn’t limited to just players, it also includes coaching and refereeing. The other, intertwined goal is for the coaching and refereeing standards to be raised and then to filter back into NRLWA.

There are currently a lot of moving parts, still a bit of water to pass under the bridge and more work to do. But it’s evident from this week’s program and affiliate club announcements that everything is tracking along nicely.

Ultimately, none of this should come as a surprise on this forum. I have said that this sort of set up across NSW and QLD to help elevate WA RL was coming - on multiple occasions now and for over a year.
 
SirPies&Beers

SirPies&Beers

Bench
Messages
3,624
Perth Red said:
logistically playing in a qlnd comp Is more costly and more travel. nsw comps would be a lot easier and cheaper. I guess the nrl wants to bolster nrlq numbers. it’ll probably only be short term anyway until NRL U21’s returns.
Click to expand...
nrlq only features nrl based clubs juniors representing the nrl branded clubs.

so it'll be phins, titans and broncos all an hour and 30 mins within each other.
and cowboys. if papuan chiefs are also added then it can be done in 2 trips.

ie
trip one vs broncos, titans in qld (training at east brisbane tigers grounds)
home vs phins,
trip two vs cowboys, chiefs in qld (unsure where they'd train at. maybe cairns as it's central to townsville and port moresby in distance)

then alternate the following year
home against broncos, titans over a fortnight.
away v phins in qld. (training at east brisbane tigers grounds)
home against cowboys, chiefs over a fortnight.

nrlq isn't to be confused with qcup. the comp is done in 5 weeks.
 
SirPies&Beers

SirPies&Beers

Bench
Messages
3,624

NORTH SYDNEY BEARS - SG BALL​

Captain: TBA
Coach: Rob McArdle
Last Season: 16th (1-8)

Why they will be competitive: The Perth Bears’ arrival has immediately boosted the North Sydney pathways program, leading to more player applications and increased professional support.

“We’ve had over 600 applications from players wanting to join our SG Ball program, which is around 150 more than last season,” said Norths coach Rob McArdle.
“Having an NRL affiliate certainly helps attract talent, and we also get the benefits of professional guidance.

“Perth assistant coach Ben Gardiner has taught me quite a lot and it has been good to pick his brain. Perth are keen to improve the pathways and Ben has made himself available to assist with planning and running drills.”

In signs of loyalty, Norths are set to benefit from an improved retention rate as a large component of players transition from Harold Matthews Cup.

“About 70 per cent of the squad are still a year young,” said McArdle.

“Our priority is to produce players that are ready to transition to grade. That said, we want to be there playing finals in April, so we need to make sure we get some early wins.”

Key Fixture: North Sydney’s round two clash with Manly could prove pivotal in shaping the Bears’ season. Both teams finished last season with just one win, and bragging rights in the local derby at Brookvale might provide additional motivation to bolster their campaign.
Archie Morris, North Sydney Bears. Picture: Contributed

Archie Morris, North Sydney Bears. Picture: Contributed

Players to Watch: There’s nothing flashy about Archie Morris, but the workaholic lock is exceptionally fit and brings a relentless attitude.

In a squad filled with playmakers, Dylan Pryor offers valuable experience from his time at Parramatta. As a running five-eighth, he’s in contention to secure the No. 6 jersey.

Dante Ford-Tueve adds a hard edge to the front row. Recruited from New Zealand, the mobile prop has improved his technique and is in good form ahead of the season.
Keep an eye on Joseph Wesser if he finds open space. A chip off the old block — the son of former NRL speedster Rhys — he can light up the field from fullback or on the wing.

Summer squad: Aden Baker, Aiden Crowley, Angus Auotal, Anthony Time, Antwon Quinlin Randall, Archie Morris, Ben Davenport, Boston Cameron, Cody Field, Cohen Riddell, Colmon Rabati, Cooper Carr, Cooper Matia, Dante Ford-Tueve, Declan Rooney, Dylan Pryor, Dylan Watkins, George Peacock, Hayden Moynihan, Jahkayis Mabbett, Jake Maranda, Jayden Dabit, Jerome Gargoles, Jordan Ercegovic, Joseph Wesser, Kane Epere, Kody Pickersgill, Kory Taafe, Lachlan Hails, Leon Burns, Malaki Caleb Ah-Loo, Manu Elliot, Moses Lewadromodromo, Noah Sutcliffe, Raymond Maikhael, Ryan Bath, Sam Ive, Samuel Bosley, Saxon Gaw, Strantz Schaumkel, Will Vella

 
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