WA BEARS

[flippikat]

In other words, let's say that, e.g., Perth is the NRL's preferred market for the 18th license, and that the Bears do present a "Perth Bears" bid but it fails. They'll look to launch another bid from the NRL's preferred location for the 19th license should the NRL look to expand again, and another for the 20th should they miss out on the 19th.

The possibility of 20 teams within a decade is very new, and there hasn't been a whole lot of communication from the Bears since then, so I could be reading stuff that isn't really there into what the Bears have been saying. But to me they genuinely seem to have been suggesting that they'll take any opportunity to get back into the NRL, and that they'll do it in the most cynical way possible.

Frankly, it's just clarifying (confirming?) what's been perception for a while.

They tried a move to Gosford, been linked to (potentially) buying the Titans, floated (for a brief while) the idea of being a country NSW team, and now looking to hitch their wagon to Perth.

"We don't care where, as long as it's Bears", indeed!

 

[flippikat]

The Bears were hardly a failed club, look at our last 10 years in the NRL, the Bears were one of the more consistent finals teams during the 90’s, let’s not forget the NRL didn’t give out handouts to struggling clubs back then as they did the Sharks, the Knights, the Dragons, the Titans from 2010 onwards.

The Bears had a decent decade (by their standards) in the 1990s, yet still fell short of a Grand Final, let alone a premiership.

The vast majority of their history has been as "lovable losers" - not the storied premiership eras of Souths or St George, nor the "reasonably recent (within living memory) golden era" of Parramatta.

The closest Norths have had to a dynasty was a couple of titles in the early 1920s when the competition was a small inner-city based suburban league, miles from where we are now.

The thing is, we don't know whether that decent decade would have continued into a strong Norths in the early 2000s if the move to Gosford had been successful. On the field, they would've had to deal with retirements & renewing the squad.. and that's always a tricky phase for a club.

I honestly think the view of Norths from a lot of people is through "rose tinted early-mid 1990s lenses" which selectively disregards most of the club's average-at-best history before that.

 

[Wb1234]

Because the people of Perth don’t want a reject Sydney Club. Putting a failed club in a new market is hardly a recipe for success.

By that logic Perth is also a failed club

so putting in another team in Perth is a no go lol

 

[Wb1234]

As it stands it’s a moot point because Perth are not the front runners

 

[greenBV4]

As it stands it’s a moot point because Perth are not the front runners

In your opinion*

 

[The Penguin #6.]

The vast majority of their history has been as "lovable losers" - not the storied premiership eras of Souths or St George, nor the "reasonably recent (within living memory) golden era" of Parramatta.

The closest Norths have had to a dynasty was a couple of titles in the early 1920s when the competition was a small inner-city based suburban league, miles from where we are now.

I wonder whether one day in the future we`ll look back on the current NRL team format with the same dismissiveness.
The Bears won those competitions fair and square in competitions that would have had their heavyweights and also rans. As they say, you can only beat what`s in front of you.

 

[MugaB]

In your opinion*

Apparently PVL and Kate Jones opinions too

Bennett has lined up his next gig btw

 

[marshall stalin]

The Bears trouble has always been having a Bear as their emblem - What do Bears Do - they Hibernate and some species of Bears Hibernate up to 7 months a year which is close to the length of the NRL Season.

 

[Chins get the wins]

The Bears trouble has always been having a Bear as their emblem - What do Bears Do - they Hibernate and some species of Bears Hibernate up to 7 months a year which is close to the length of the NRL Season.

Russia's national animal is a bear.......

 

[flippikat]

I wonder whether one day in the future we`ll look back on the current NRL team format with the same dismissiveness.
The Bears won those competitions fair and square in competitions that would have had their heavyweights and also rans. As they say, you can only beat what`s in front of you.

Given that the comparison is between 1921-22 (Norths Premiership years) and now, it IS difficult to entirely predict 100 years into the future from now.. but for the difference to be as stark as *that* the competition would have to be vastly expanded geographically from where we are now.

Still, even if the top tier (NRL or whatever succeeds it) has a far bigger footprint in 2124-5, the concept of a National/international club top tier presumably as the level up from local competitions isn't that far from what we have now - just with better coverage.

I'm not sure if the Sydney Premiership had emerged as the "top tier above all others" in 1922?

 

[Centy Coast]

But they did fail. The didn't make the criteria then couldn't even manage to stay apart of a merger. What would they offer Perth? Any perth bid could align themselves with any BRL club to fill the junior gaps in the immediate time. Or even a regional area.

You need to get your facts correct, there was no criteria and how can you stay in a merger when there were conspirators within aka messers Arthurson and Fulton who had grand plans of their own which eventually came to fruition.

 

[Reflector]

Lol. "The criteria"

If you want a better idea of how legitimate that criteria was, read 'Never Say Die' by George Piggins.

TL,DR: The biggest mistake the Bears made was not moving to their new home ground 12 months earlier and not being a SL club.

 

[Centy Coast]

Move on mate, you've had close to 30 years now to get behind a new team ffs.

I’ve tried, hope is eternal, Dolphins look cool, it’s been hard watching many clubs get a leg up from the NRL in years past, afforded help that the NRL never gave the Bears.

 

[greenBV4]

Apparently PVL and Kate Jones opinions too

Bennett has lined up his next gig btw

end of the day noone who matters has made any official calls

they'll always be the flavor of the month in the media/mentions for expansion

 

[greenBV4]

it’s been hard watching many clubs get a leg up from the NRL in years past, afforded help that the NRL never gave the Bears.

almost as if the nrl didnt and doesnt deem them worth it

some clubs are just better suited to the 2nd division, some current nrl clubs included

 

[Centy Coast]

TL,DR: The biggest mistake the Bears made was not moving to their new home ground 12 months earlier and not being a SL club.

The Bears could not move into Bluetongue Stadium, continual bad weather and an error in the roofing materials delayed the completion of the Stadium, yes I wish the Bears had joined the Super League competition, absolutely dumb leadership joining the heavily influenced Arthurson/Fulton ARL, there was only one outcome after that decision by the Bears.

 

[Bukowski]

You need to get your facts correct, there was no criteria and how can you stay in a merger when there were conspirators within aka messers Arthurson and Fulton who had grand plans of their own which eventually came to fruition.

So why didn't they stay in the comp? I thought there was a criteria to make it. And what dumbarse signed off on a merger that would revert to the other club?

 

[Centy Coast]

The Bears had a decent decade (by their standards) in the 1990s, yet still fell short of a Grand Final, let alone a premiership.

The vast majority of their history has been as "lovable losers" - not the storied premiership eras of Souths or St George, nor the "reasonably recent (within living memory) golden era" of Parramatta.

The closest Norths have had to a dynasty was a couple of titles in the early 1920s when the competition was a small inner-city based suburban league, miles from where we are now.

The thing is, we don't know whether that decent decade would have continued into a strong Norths in the early 2000s if the move to Gosford had been successful. On the field, they would've had to deal with retirements & renewing the squad.. and that's always a tricky phase for a club.

I honestly think the view of Norths from a lot of people is through "rose tinted early-mid 1990s lenses" which selectively disregards most of the club's average-at-best history before that.

I’ve always believed if we had gotten to play just one game at Bluetongue Stadium we wouldn’t be having this conversation, local players from from years past like Mark O’Meley, Paul Stringer, James Maloney, Chris Heighington, Akuila Uate, Ian Henderson to todays current crop like Nicho Hynes, the Saifiti Brothers, Tom Starling, Scotty Drinkwater, Connor Watson, Bradman Best, Jesse Ramien, Jacob Liddle, Matt Ikuvalu, Adam Keighran, Phoenix Crossland, Jonah Pezet etc not to mention North Shore products like Mitchell Pearce and Kieran Foran who would’ve all come through the Bears representative system.
Hell Latrell Mitchell may even have been a Bear.
Oh what could’ve been.

So why didn't they stay in the comp? I thought there was a criteria to make it. And what dumbarse signed off on a merger that would revert to the other club?

A dumbarse who ended up very rich and working for the other club involved but that’s another story

 

[Bukowski]

I’ve always believed if we had gotten to play just one game at Bluetongue Stadium we wouldn’t be having this conversation, local players from from years past like Mark O’Meley, Paul Stringer, James Maloney, Chris Heighington, Akuila Uate, Ian Henderson to todays current crop like Nicho Hynes, the Saifiti Brothers, Tom Starling, Scotty Drinkwater, Connor Watson, Bradman Best, Jesse Ramien, Jacob Liddle, Matt Ikuvalu, Adam Keighran, Phoenix Crossland, Jonah Pezet etc not to mention North Shore products like Mitchell Pearce and Kieran Foran who would’ve all come through the Bears representative system.
Hell Latrell Mitchell may even have been a Bear.
Oh what could’ve been.

A dumbarse who ended up very rich and working for the other club involved but that’s another story

And why didn't they stay in the comp if there was no criteria

 

[Centy Coast]

And why didn't they stay in the comp if there was no criteria

The Bears thought that they would be playing out of Bluetongue Stadium, when the Stadium wasn’t finished they had failed to secure a back up Oval, North Sydney Oval was unavailable so the Bears had to play the 1999 season at all away venues mainly in Qld.
The Bears were struggling financially as it was, then the merger happened and the rest in history as unfortunately were the Bears.