NRL great Matt Geyer has warned rugby league’s governing body to prepare for a long battle if it is to make the Perth Bears expansion a success in the AFL-dominated market.
Geyer made his professional debut with the Perth Reds in 1997 before it became a casualty of the Super League fallout, then became a Melbourne Storm foundation player, managing 262 games. He now lives on the Gold Coast coaching the Currumbin Eagles and teaching at Marymount College.
With his insight into the challenges of forging a rugby league outfit in Aussie rules territory, he implored the NRL to prepare for a fight to capture a new demographic.
“You could never take over AFL in Perth, you could never take over AFL in Melbourne,” Geyer told this masthead. “But the fact that other sports fans could support us and their team, that’s how we looked at it.
“It’s definitely the long haul. Even in Melbourne we’re not producing regular A-graders. They’ve re-invested in their pathways … but this is coming from a team who’ve won premierships and been the most successful team over the last 27 years.
“Having that success and being in an AFL town, it’s taken this long to get to that stage. It’s got to be a long-term investment, it’s got to be patient.”
With Papua New Guinea confirmed for NRL entry in 2028, New Zealand and Queensland expansion bids will have to wait.
The latter’s rugby league boss Ben Ikin declared the western corridor region from Ipswich out to Toowoomba needed to be team 20 – an idea that also has the backing of Queensland Premier David Crisafulli.
“Do not underestimate the size of the challenge they’ve got,” Ikin told Triple M’s Rush Hour with Dobbo & Elliott.
“Talk to anyone at the Dolphins about how difficult it was to get them ready for the NRL, and they had all the infrastructure and people in place. There’s a whole lot of things that need to happen ... for this franchise to be everything that it can be.”
While former North Sydney winger Les Kiss was adamant there was “a great sporting market in Perth” to make the Bears a commercial success, Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf warned of the challenges ahead in assembling a squad.
Woolf alluded to their struggles in recruitment upon their 2023 debut – Kalyn Ponga, Cameron Munster and Brandon Smith some of the marquee targets who signed elsewhere – and said pressure would be put on the NRL’s depth.
“We’re in a great spot here in Brisbane-Redcliffe, and we had challenges in terms of getting players to come to a new club,” Woolf said.
“It can be a hard sell to get a player to leave when they’re comfortable and happy with the club and coach to go to a new team.
“It’s going to be a massive challenge for everyone. It’s going to be a massive challenge for existing teams in terms of recruitment and retention, and it’s going to be a challenge for those new teams attracting people,” Woolf said.
“We’ve certainly shown if you put the time and investment into developing your own – Isaiya [Katoa], Jack Bostock, Max Plath – and when you get them in the system ... then you’re going to get them to the standard.”
Geyer said success would occur by targeting the right players, rather than a host of prospects, as was the case when he arrived in Melbourne.
He was joined by elite stars such as Glen Lazarus, Brett Kimmorley and Robbie Kearns, with young backline contenders hustling for spots to build a model “you could see was building success”.
“They went in with a decided attack of what they wanted. There was success already in there in the front office and the footy department, and then their recruitment approach,” Geyer said.
“They wanted to make sure they had a [forward] pack that was not going to be dominated. I don’t know if there’s a number, it’s just you need the right ones – you can get an old fella, and he could be there for the wrong reasons.
“Success for any team is going to be a premiership, but I don’t think they’re going to be marking their success in premierships straight away.”
While Geyer expressed his confidence the venture would take off, he pleaded for school and club rugby league to work symbiotically, having seen the programs’ schedules and demands clash.
“You would want to hope they grow them both together. Without getting too political, sometimes Queensland schools and clubs headbutt, and they should be working together. If we headbutt each other, we’re just going to be at each other’s demise.”
The NRL's bosses are in Perth with the West Australian premier to announce the club's return.
Despite 11 grand final appearances, the Storm have produced just five Victorian born products: Su’a Faalogo, Young Tonumapea, Mahe Fonua, Richie Kennar and Dean Ieremia.
While Geyer believes the growth of junior rugby league in Western Australia will be key – last year’s 5,416 participants a 16 per cent annual increase – he said rushing locals into the NRL would not determine their viability.
“There are not many teams in the NRL that are quite local. Penrith is probably as good as it gets, and they’ve got such a huge pool,” Geyer said.
“It’s not all about having an identity in the NRL team. It’s about more having that identity in having a good schools program and making sure there’s a connection with the community.
“I think if they’re going to run in the Jersey Flegg or Cyril Connell [state-side junior competitions] there needs to be some young kids coming through those pathways and representing the colours.”
With his insight into the challenges of forging a rugby league outfit in Aussie rules territory, Matt Geyer has implored the NRL to prepare for a tough fight.
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