18th club, whose next?

[Wb1234]

Perth consortium went and talked to the Bears, they soon moved on. PNG wanted nothing to do with them. They tried to buy Titans license and NRl refused. They are now launching themselves as some pathetic pacifica option. Should tell us all we need to know about how they see a 'partnership'.

Perth bears

coming to a Sydney oval soon

get your hill seats now

 

[The Great Dane]

Is it already time for the Daily Telegraph's yearly run of nostalgia bait in support of the Bears?

The club currently has just 1,591 members. They never would have needed to relocate or merge in the first place if they were truly as popular as dickheads like Buzz and PVL are trying to make out. Frankly the club's fanbase is rapidly shrinking and the cemetery had no need of a footy team the last time I checked.

Clubs in places like Perth, PNG, Adelaide, etc, should represent those people and exist to cater their needs, not be a tool to appease over 65s from Sydney whom already have an unbreakable stranglehold on the game anyway.

Anybody genuinely suggesting NRL matches should be played at NSO is just a dickhead at this point.

 

[Wb1234]

Is it already time for the Daily Telegraph's yearly run of nostalgia bait in support of the Bears?

The club currently has just 1,591 members. They never would have needed to relocate or merge in the first place if they were truly as popular as dickheads like Buzz and PVL are trying to make out. Frankly the club's fanbase is rapidly shrinking and the cemetery had no need of a footy team the last time I checked.

Clubs in places like Perth, PNG, Adelaide, etc, should represent those people and exist to cater their needs, not be a tool to appease over 65s from Sydney whom already have an unbreakable stranglehold on the game anyway.

Anybody genuinely suggesting NRL matches should be played at NSO is just a dickhead at this point.

Perth getting second chance after failing

 

[Perth Red]

Is it already time for the Daily Telegraph's yearly run of nostalgia bait in support of the Bears?

The club currently has just 1,591 members. They never would have needed to relocate or merge in the first place if they were truly as popular as dickheads like Buzz and PVL are trying to make out. Frankly the club's fanbase is rapidly shrinking and the cemetery had no need of a footy team the last time I checked.

Clubs in places like Perth, PNG, Adelaide, etc, should represent those people and exist to cater their needs, not be a tool to appease over 65s from Sydney whom already have an unbreakable stranglehold on the game anyway.

Anybody genuinely suggesting NRL matches should be played at NSO is just a dickhead at this point.

yep wouldnt be NRL off season without the sydneys media rehash of Bears are back stories. Vlandys sdoenst help by adding fuel tot he fire.

Yep, I hear you... "Not another 'Bring back the Bears' column!" But please, just stick with me for a moment… I'm feeling nostalgic.

It's April 19, 1969 and a 14 year old kid with snowy white hair jumps on the 203 bus from Castlecrag on Sydney's lower north shore where the roofs - inspired by Walter Burley-Griffin - are flat, but spirits are high. They always are this early in the season for Norths fans. And this area is choc-full of them. Battered, bruised, but always believing.

And you had to be full of belief today - and a healthy dose of hate - it was game day… Round 4 against Manly at North Sydney Oval. This teenage kid, yet to realise he'd inherited a lifetime of disappointment from his red and black bleeding father, pays his 5 cents to the driver. It's another 5 cents as he enters the ground and settles in next to the iconic Moreton Bay fig. Soon, the moment Bears fans enjoy more than any other… the whistle blowing for kick off… it's nil-all - "we're in this one!"

She's right. Tilly's lived a good life so far, it's time to inflict her with the same emotional torture her father and grandfather have lived through. So PVL… You're a man who makes things happen and you said it yourself… you'd love to see the Bears back in some way.

I think we all agree Sydney doesn't need another team. I'm from the Central Coast and the area deserves an NRL side of its own, but the business case I'm assured doesn't stand up. Perth is the option. A fresh start in the west, with a guaranteed supporter base in the east.

A new franchise, but with over a century of history and reconnecting with tens of thousand of lost fans. If there's red, black and a Bear… I'm there. Oh… and one match against Manly at North Sydney Oval… pretty please PVL?

Inflation will have had its way with the bus fare and entry ticket… but the fig, the fans, the scars, the hope… they're all still there… patiently waiting as always.

TV presenter's plea to NRL as Bears dream revived

'That's passion, isn't it?'

wwos.nine.com.au

 

[Red&BlackBear]

Is it already time for the Daily Telegraph's yearly run of nostalgia bait in support of the Bears?

The club currently has just 1,591 members. They never would have needed to relocate or merge in the first place if they were truly as popular as dickheads like Buzz and PVL are trying to make out. Frankly the club's fanbase is rapidly shrinking and the cemetery had no need of a footy team the last time I checked.

Clubs in places like Perth, PNG, Adelaide, etc, should represent those people and exist to cater their needs, not be a tool to appease over 65s from Sydney whom already have an unbreakable stranglehold on the game anyway.

Anybody genuinely suggesting NRL matches should be played at NSO is just a dickhead at this point.

You’d be surprised how many late 30 to mid 40 year olds with significant amount of money support the Bears.

To be honest with you, a lot of the people pushing for them in these newer incarnations are in this age bracket.

 

[Perth Red]

ARLC chairman Peter V’landys has revealed the North Sydney Bears could return to the NRL as the race to become rugby league’s 18th franchise ramps up.

The NRL’s current broadcast deal runs until the end of 2027 and it’s unlikely a new team will enter the competition before then.

However, speaking to The Daily Telegraph, V’landys revealed fans of the historic club have been continually when the Bears will return to the NRL.
North Sydney were one of NSWRL’s founding members but left the NRL following the 1999 season, breaking the hearst of Bears’ faithful.

A Papua New Guinea-based team is leading the race to become the NRL’s 18th franchise, but V’landys explained North Sydney could be involved in some capacity.

“Everywhere I go, that always the question … when are you bringing back the Bears? I didn’t realise they had so many old fans,” V’landys said.

“They’ve got to be in the equation. They can’t be stand-alone in Sydney because there’s too many already.

“However, they can certainly be part of a new team, whether it be in Perth, the Pacific, wherever. They’re so passionate and you want that.”
Veteran rugby league reporter Phil Rothfield pressed the powerful administrator and asked point blank is the Bears will return to the NRL.

“It makes sense that we bring them back in some capacity, because they’ve got 200,000 members. That’s important,” V’landys said.
“We brought the Dolphins in as 17th team because they were bringing new fans into the game, not people following the Broncos.

“They did a study and showed they’d bring all these new people to rugby league. That’s vital. You want to bring the casual viewer in to become an engaged fan. The Bears have got that.”

The Bears were dealt a hammer blow in their bid for an NRL return last year when NSW Premier Chris Minns withdrew $11 million in funding.
The funds were promised by the former Perrottet government but were used elsewhere following the election of Minns as the state’s new leader.

Meanwhile, Bears powerbrokers have reportedly put forward a bid to the NRL that will involve all of the Pacific’s rugby league playing nations.

They also want to offer pathways for players in the Pacific and want to play a handful of games at the famous North Sydney Oval.

‘In the equation’: Huge Bears boost as V’landys reveals iconic franchise’s expansion credentials

‘It makes sense’: Huge Bears boost as V’landys answers big expansion question

www.foxsports.com.au

 

[bad boy bubby]

Just for a second think about the headlines if PVL had said
"Nope, the Bears are not in our plans. We have moved away from them"
He chose the easy path, knowing that the headlines will die off in a day or two.
If he'd gone the negative they (the headlines) would have been around for years.

 

[Perth Red]

Just for a second think about the headlines if PVL had said
"Nope, the Bears are not in our plans. We have moved away from them"
He chose the easy path, knowing that the headlines will die off in a day or two.
If he'd gone the negative they would have been around for years.

yep thats the way I read it, or at least I hope so! He loves to get a reaction, if he'd had said nope they are dead and buried it wouldn't be the reaction he wanted. Sucks for bears fans to be led down the garden path again though.

 

[Wb1234]

Perth don’t deserve the bears

not after they went to super league after being with the arl for five minutes

juniors leagues club plus having the richest part of Sydney to draw sponsors from

and also a foundation club to boot

 

[bad boy bubby]

yep thats the way I read it, or at least I hope so! He loves to get a reaction, if he'd had said nope they are dead and buried it wouldn't be the reaction he wanted. Sucks for bears fans to be led down the garden path again though.

You have to admit that it was the smarter move.
Personally I think that if the Bears want to get back in they'd be better off forming a partnership with Adelaide. The Norths component would have way more say in the goings on due to the fact Rugby League has not much presence there.

 

[blue bags]

North Sydney Bear's
Has over 200,000 members right now

 

[Perth Red]

You have to admit that it was the smarter move.
Personally I think that if the Bears want to get back in they'd be better off forming a partnership with Adelaide. The Norths component would have way more say in the goings on due to the fact Rugby League has not much presence there.

The only hope Bears have is for the NRL to desire a city that has no bid options or potential for one, or massively change their expectations.
At the moment no one wants a bar of them as their non negotiables are not in alignment with what potential city NRL bids are after. So they either accept they cant own the club and have a bit part to play in running it, or they hope that NRl wants a city like Adelaide, or even Christchurch/Wellington if they cant find backers, and asks NS Bears to run a club there. Its clear that the conversations with Perth and PNG went nowhere because their demands are unrealistic.

 

[The Great Dane]

You’d be surprised how many late 30 to mid 40 year olds with significant amount of money support the Bears.

To be honest with you, a lot of the people pushing for them in these newer incarnations are in this age bracket.

90% of younger people pushing for the Bears return are supporters of other teams with no interest in actually supporting the Bears.

The handful of genuine ones couldn't fill the local Macca's let alone NSO or a modern NRL standard stadium, and have shown no history of being a reliable customer base, in fact it's quite the opposite. Most of them are basically hipsters that "support" the Bears because it isn't mainstream and costs them nothing. Once it becomes mainstream it won't be cool anymore and it'd cost them hundreds of dollars annually.

 

[Wb1234]

Is

90% of younger people pushing for the Bears return are supporters of other teams with no interest in actually supporting the Bears.

The handful of genuine ones couldn't fill the local Macca's let alone NSO or a modern NRL standard stadium, and have shown no history of being a reliable customer base, in fact it's quite the opposite. Most of them are basically hipsters that "support" the Bears because it isn't mainstream and costs them nothing. Once it becomes mainstream it won't be cool anymore and it'd cost them hundreds of dollars annually.

be like the return of south’s

it will be a huge boost for the game

and revival of rugby league o the north shore

 

[bad boy bubby]

The only hope Bears have is for the NRL to desire a city that has no bid options or potential for one, or massively change their expectations.
At the moment no one wants a bar of them as their non negotiables are not in alignment with what potential city NRL bids are after. So they either accept they cant own the club and have a bit part to play in running it, or they hope that NRl wants a city like Adelaide, or even Christchurch/Wellington if they cant find backers, and asks NS Bears to run a club there. Its clear that the conversations with Perth and PNG went nowhere because their demands are unrealistic.

I agree.

 

[The Great Dane]

Is

be like the return of south’s

it will be a huge boost for the game

and revival of rugby league o the north shore

I totally agree!

They'd return to massive fanfare only for their crowds to tank below 10k after the first season at which point they'd effectively be insolvent and on the edge of folding again.

The major difference between Souths and Norths is that there isn't an A-list actor with more money than sense and powerful friends coming to take Norths by the scruff of the neck and drag them into the 21st century. Yeah I think I'll pass, especially when Norths intend to salt the earth in an expansion market in the process.

 

[blue bags]

90% of younger people pushing for the Bears return are supporters of other teams with no interest in actually supporting the Bears.

The handful of genuine ones couldn't fill the local Macca's let alone NSO or a modern NRL standard stadium, and have shown no history of being a reliable customer base, in fact it's quite the opposite. Most of them are basically hipsters that "support" the Bears because it isn't mainstream and costs them nothing. Once it becomes mainstream it won't be cool anymore and it'd cost them hundreds of dollars annually.

North Sydney Bear's club has over 200,000 members right now. And over 5,000 Bear's subscriptions . Enough to build and own a Macca's burger shop

 

[Perth Red]

Over half of all NRL coaches believe Perth should host the next NRL licence with almost no support for plans to establish a combined Pasifika team in the near future.

The introduction of the NRL's 17th team the Dolphins in Brisbane in 2023proved to be highly successful and now ARLC chair Peter V'landys has now officially stated that plans are underway for 18 or 20 teams before the end of the current TV rights deal in 2027.

Coaches were asked their preferred location for the next expansion side, with half of them choosing Western Australia.
That was well ahead of rival bids from PNG (13 per cent), Pasifika (3 per cent) and a second New Zealand outfit (13 per cent).

It also comes despite the commercial failure of the Western Reds, axed before the 1998 NRL season because of debts accrued partially by having to pay for visiting teams' flights and accommodation over to Perth for matches.

NRL WA chief executive officer John Sackson told The West that the coaches' vote proved Perth bid was 'compelling' and 'irresistible'.

'Clearly Wayne Bennett is one of the most knowledgeable and influential figures in the game and when he and other highly respected coaches and identities favour Perth for an expansion franchise , I would think their opinions are credible and meaningful,' Sackson said.

'Two sold out State-of-Origin games in 2019 and 2022 and 46,000 fans at the Optus Stadium double-header last August reflect the growing interest in the code in WA and with the much publicised support of the WA Government , quality playing venues, undeniable corporate opportunities, an appealing WA lifestyle and a very committed and well connected bid consortium, I am confident that Perth could put forward a very compelling, if not irresistible case for the 18th franchise.


'There is no doubt that having a Perth franchise competing in the elite national premiership would generate tribalism , boost participation, media promotion, investment and talent development pathways for Rugby League in WA when the ARLC calls for expressions of interest.'

Upon entering the competition in 1995, the Western Reds garnered an average crowd of 13,000 at the WACA before transforming into the Perth Reds. Unfortunately, they fell victim to the ARL and Super League wars and ceased operations two years later.

In late 2022, the Western Australian government established a working party to formulate a bid for an NRL franchise.
Bennett has long been a supporter of a Perth side to make the NRL a truly national competition.

'It is a bit hard to have a national competition and Perth is not in it,' he said last year.

'The Dolphins have been a wonderful success for the game. I think Perth would be in the same category.

'There would be a lot of excitement about Perth. You have some of the biggest businesses in the world in Perth. And you have all the things you need to build a club there. Great facilities, great town, great State.

'I was disappointed that decision was made to get rid of the Reds. I thought it was a real opportunity for us. But when they brought the game back together, the Super League and the ARL, that was one they didn't get right. It was a difficult time,' Bennett said.

'I always thought it was the right decision (to bring in a WA team). And I still do.'

NRL coaches vote for 'irresistible' Western Australia expansion bid

Over half of all NRL coaches believe Perth should host the next NRL licence with almost no support for plans to establish a combined Pasifika team in the near future

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[Perth Red]

The Daily Telegraph’s Michael Carayannis has taken out his crystal ball and looked ahead to the next three rounds of NRL expansion set to happen in the next ten years.

News of another NRL expansion side has become a major topic once again after ARLC Chairman Peter V’landys admitted he wants to see the North Sydney Bears return to the league in some capaci
Regardless of where the teams are located, a return for the Bears seems guaranteed but their location is still up in the air with a range of suitors stating their case to gain the next NRL license.

“I think it’ll end up being the Pasifika Bears, that’s my gut on it,” Carayannis said on SEN 1170 Breakfast.

“Where we will have a second team in New Zealand and that plays potentially in other parts of the Pacific as well and a link with the Bears.

“Perth have sort of had some conversations with the (Newtown) Jets, whether that ends up happening or not I’m not sure.

“I think 19 will be Perth, 20 will be Pasifika slash New Zealand and one of those, most likely the Pasifika, will be the Bears, then we will get into a stage of conferences and all these things.”

Although there has been no official confirmation, Carayannis alluded to the NRL awarding PNG the 18th license with the potential of the Bears being associated with that.

Discussed on SEN with Bears CEO Dickson this morning, listen to link at bottom of article: Sticking with his non -negotiables lol

Carayannis’ “gut” feel on where the next three NRL teams will be based

"Then we will get into a stage of conferences and all these things.”

www.sen.com.au

 

[Brian potter]

Perth don’t deserve the bears

not after they went to super league after being with the arl for five minutes

juniors leagues club plus having the richest part of Sydney to draw sponsors from

and also a foundation club to boot

Didn’t the warriors also sign with super league?