WA BEARS

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

Thanks for telling sometime who lives in Perth what's going on in Perth. Seriously???

I speak to Western Australians everyday on social media. I've asked them their opinions on this subject. Their opinions don't match up with the delusional bullshit you're trying to push onto everyone just because you want a NSWRL club to relocate to Perth but still play two games at NSO.

You continue to ignore the fact that a former WA Premier and a sitting member of parliament brought up the idea of Western Australia seceding from Australia within the last 15 years. The WA Liberal Party backed a motion on secession and the topic has been covered nationally by the ABC and locally by the Perth media. You can pretend it doesn't exist if it makes you feel better, but that doesn't change the reality that there are enough people who feel strongly about it to get the media and local politicians to weigh in on the subject.

Why did you pick the storm and not the lions or south Melbourne ?

Because the Storm are a rugby league club that managed to carve out a following in the home of fumbleball, despite everyone from Sydney and Melbourne saying it couldn't be done.

Haven't you spoken at length about the Swans and Lions being financial basketcases who've made no traction in Sydney and Brisbane?

But okay, let's talk about them. Neither club takes home games to Melbourne and both were competing in the VFL/AFL when they relocated. In Fitzroy's case the decision was made for them by AwFuL. South Melbourne chose to relocate as they saw the writing on the wall.

Bears have been dead as a professional brand for 23 years, playing in front of 10 people at NSO in the second tier because their own fans have abandoned them. Their principal naming rights partner is Norths Leagues Club because no one else wants their brand wrapped around a jersey that has no brand recognition.

 

[gallagher]

I speak to Western Australians everyday on social media. I've asked them their opinions on this subject. Their opinions don't match up with the delusional bullshit you're trying to push onto everyone just because you want a NSWRL club to relocate to Perth but still play two games at NSO.

You continue to ignore the fact that a former WA Premier and a sitting member of parliament brought up the idea of Western Australia seceding from Australia within the last 15 years. The WA Liberal Party backed a motion on secession and the topic has been covered nationally by the ABC and locally by the Perth media. You can pretend it doesn't exist if it makes you feel better, but that doesn't change the reality that there are enough people who feel strongly about it to get the media and local politicians to weigh in on the subject.

Because the Storm are a rugby league club that managed to carve out a following in the home of fumbleball, despite everyone from Sydney and Melbourne saying it couldn't be done.

Haven't you spoken at length about the Swans and Lions being financial basketcases who've made no traction in Sydney and Brisbane?

But okay, let's talk about them. Neither club takes home games to Melbourne and both were competing in the VFL/AFL when they relocated. In Fitzroy's case the decision was made for them by AwFuL. South Melbourne chose to relocate as they saw the writing on the wall. You must disk

Bears have been dead as a professional brand for 23 years, playing in front of 10 people at NSO in the second tier because their own fans have abandoned them. Their principal naming rights partner is Norths Leagues Club because no one else wants their brand wrapped around a jersey that has no brand recognition.

You must speak to the 7000 that voted for WAexit. I must speak to the other 2.58 million. What a coincidence. No one falling for your dribble, but carry on.

 

[Perth Red]

The Storm have provided the blueprint for a rugby league club to survive and thrive in a rusted on fumbleball state.

If we want a team in Perth to work we need to accept Western Australians have their own culture and aren't going to give it up to support a failed Sydney club from the NSW Cup that is trying to impose its traditions and culture onto everyone else. All of this crap about playing games at NSO is imposing culture from the North Sydney Bears era onto the new club and expecting Western Australians to buy into it.

That's not the response we are seeing in the Pirates Supporters group. 95% of respondents have said they would become a West Coast Bears member.

 

[Wb1234]

I speak to Western Australians everyday on social media. I've asked them their opinions on this subject. Their opinions don't match up with the delusional bullshit you're trying to push onto everyone just because you want a NSWRL club to relocate to Perth but still play two games at NSO.

You continue to ignore the fact that a former WA Premier and a sitting member of parliament brought up the idea of Western Australia seceding from Australia within the last 15 years. The WA Liberal Party backed a motion on secession and the topic has been covered nationally by the ABC and locally by the Perth media. You can pretend it doesn't exist if it makes you feel better, but that doesn't change the reality that there are enough people who feel strongly about it to get the media and local politicians to weigh in on the subject.

Because the Storm are a rugby league club that managed to carve out a following in the home of fumbleball, despite everyone from Sydney and Melbourne saying it couldn't be done.

Haven't you spoken at length about the Swans and Lions being financial basketcases who've made no traction in Sydney and Brisbane?

But okay, let's talk about them. Neither club takes home games to Melbourne and both were competing in the VFL/AFL when they relocated. In Fitzroy's case the decision was made for them by AwFuL. South Melbourne chose to relocate as they saw the writing on the wall.

Bears have been dead as a professional brand for 23 years, playing in front of 10 people at NSO in the second tier because their own fans have abandoned them. Their principal naming rights partner is Norths Leagues Club because no one else wants their brand wrapped around a jersey that has no brand recognition.

That’s a decent response I’ll give you that

 

[Angry_eel]

The Storm have provided the blueprint for a rugby league club to survive and thrive in a rusted on fumbleball state.

We'll see about that when they get 2 wooden spoons in a row. They've hardly had a struggle season since 2005.

Not everyone's blessed with Bellamy at helm.

 

[Menaiduck]

I speak to Western Australians everyday on social media. I've asked them their opinions on this subject. Their opinions don't match up with the delusional bullshit you're trying to push onto everyone just because you want a NSWRL club to relocate to Perth but still play two games at NSO.

You continue to ignore the fact that a former WA Premier and a sitting member of parliament brought up the idea of Western Australia seceding from Australia within the last 15 years. The WA Liberal Party backed a motion on secession and the topic has been covered nationally by the ABC and locally by the Perth media. You can pretend it doesn't exist if it makes you feel better, but that doesn't change the reality that there are enough people who feel strongly about it to get the media and local politicians to weigh in on the subject.

Because the Storm are a rugby league club that managed to carve out a following in the home of fumbleball, despite everyone from Sydney and Melbourne saying it couldn't be done.

Haven't you spoken at length about the Swans and Lions being financial basketcases who've made no traction in Sydney and Brisbane?

But okay, let's talk about them. Neither club takes home games to Melbourne and both were competing in the VFL/AFL when they relocated. In Fitzroy's case the decision was made for them by AwFuL. South Melbourne chose to relocate as they saw the writing on the wall.

Bears have been dead as a professional brand for 23 years, playing in front of 10 people at NSO in the second tier because their own fans have abandoned them. Their principal naming rights partner is Norths Leagues Club because no one else wants their brand wrapped around a jersey that has no brand recognition.

I speak to western Australians every day and they’ve all asked me to ask you to go away. Every single one of them.

 

[Menaiduck]

That’s a decent response I’ll give you that

What the bit where he harasses the poor folk of wa on social media, the hysterical bit about secession or the bit about storm being a blue print for successful expansion? The storm are successful through sheer hard work. They’ve had nothing like the money thrown at the swans etc in the afl. They have about 7 development officers for a state of 6 million. Bugger all vic government support although that is changing. WA will succeed likewise but more quickly because they are guaranteed government support, wa loves to have teams to bash up the eastern states and because they get a leg up through this north Sydney bears connection. This does not include the fact they have a strong admin and a good league footprint. All these later things give them a leg up over the storm in comparison.

 

[Wb1234]

What the bit where he harasses the poor folk of wa on social media, the hysterical bit about secession or the bit about storm being a blue print for successful expansion? The storm are successful through sheer hard work. They’ve had nothing like the money thrown at the swans etc in the afl. They have about 7 development officers for a state of 6 million. Bugger all vic government support although that is changing. WA will succeed likewise but more quickly because they are guaranteed government support, wa loves to have teams to bash up the eastern states and because they get a leg up through this north Sydney bears connection. This does not include the fact they have a strong admin and a good league footprint. All these later things give them a leg up over the storm in comparison.

The bit about despite the lions not being a success

the swans he’s wrong about they are the afls best expansion team and they don’t need extra financial help either

 

[Menaiduck]

The bit about despite the lions not being a success

the swans he’s wrong about they are the afls best expansion team and they don’t need extra financial help either

The swans and storm are very similar beasts I reckon i.e. culturally similar. They clearly respect the fact they are in foreign soil. The other 3 afl expansion sides are lipstick on a pig. They are afl ego trips.

 

[Wb1234]

The swans and storm are very similar beasts I reckon i.e. culturally similar. They clearly respect the fact they are in foreign soil. The other 3 afl expansion sides are lipstick on a pig. They are afl ego trips.

The fact they gave the lions 3 straight premierships and most of their fans dropped off once they stopped winning is really bad for them

afl really is a basket case in Queensland. And the giants haven’t managed to take away many fans from the swans. They really are a sinkhole which have achieved nothing

 

[Wb1234]

The swans and storm are very similar beasts I reckon i.e. culturally similar. They clearly respect the fact they are in foreign soil. The other 3 afl expansion sides are lipstick on a pig. They are afl ego trips.

I forgot to add the real test for the swans and storm is when they stop making the finals every year how many of their fans hang around and what their finances look like

since the 90s I don’t think the swans have missed the finals many times and when they were bad they rebuilt fairly quickly.

before the super league war they were a basket case too and almost went backrupt

the afl was even considering taking the license away from them. Then super league came along and people turned off rugby league, more so when clubs like south’s norths were killed off and Balmain and wests having to merge

super league was a massive gift to afl

 

[Perth Red]

The fact they gave the lions 3 straight premierships and most of their fans dropped off once they stopped winning is really bad for them

afl really is a basket case in Queensland. And the giants haven’t managed to take away many fans from the swans. They really are a sinkhole which have achieved nothing

If Lions were an NRL club they'd rate in the top 3 attendances lol

 

[Jamberoo]

Fitzroy didn't partially move to Brisbane, nor did they merge with the Brisbane Bears in the traditional sense like is commonly assumed (in fact they didn't technically merge with them at all). What actually happened is that they went into receivership then most of their assets were sold to the Brisbane Bears against their will, but with the AFL's support. Their preference was to merge with North Melbourne, but that is an aside.

The current Fitzroy FC in Melbourne is basically a phoenix club built from the ashes of what was left of the old one and that that was not sold to Brisbane, and it took a lot of work for Brisbane to get them and their fans onside (which was probably only possible because Fitzroy blames the AFL and Ross Oakley first and foremost for their downfall, not Brisbane). To this day they are only partners in the loosest sense and they have no influence over the AFL side whatsoever.

North Sydney aren't offering Perth such a deal, nor would they ever offer such a deal. They would demand representation on the board, they would demand games be played in Sydney annually, and they would demand a say in the day to day running of the club.
Those circumstances would not be good for Perth or RL, and Perth doesn't need the Bears history or identity because they have their own and should have the right to try and forge their own path.

Furthermore, the Swans relocation to Sydney isn't analogous to what Norths are offering Perth in the slightest either, and GWS and the Suns have not struggled because of a lack of history and 'soul'. They've struggled because there was no demand for their product in their target markets and are slow burn long-term investments.

I am aware of the history of these ‘relocations’.
Bears to Perth would fall somewhere in between the Lions and a Swans situation. And you don’t know what the Bears will offer. They are more desperate for a team than Perth is . I am not sure that they would hold the whip hand. If they were offered that chance to be represented as the Perth Bears in a Norths jersey and a couple of seats on the board, I reckon they would take it regardless of whether all home games are in Perth.

 

[Wb1234]

If Lions were an NRL club they'd rate in the top 3 attendances lol

AFL Tables - Brisbane Lions - Crowds

losing around half your fans when you stop winning comps isn’t really good

and the tv ratings in Brisbane for afl fell of a cliff just like in Sydney and they never bounced back

and their afl distribution is with the basket cases afl clubs

 

[Jamberoo]

I forgot to add the real test for the swans and storm is when they stop making the finals every year how many of their fans hang around and what their finances look like

since the 90s I don’t think the swans have missed the finals many times and when they were bad they rebuilt fairly quickly.

before the super league war they were a basket case too and almost went backrupt

the afl was even considering taking the license away from them. Then super league came along and people turned off rugby league, more so when clubs like south’s norths were killed off and Balmain and wests having to merge

super league was a massive gift to afl

Nah it was about 93 when the Swans were at their lowest - average home crowds were 9k.. By 96 they had Lockett and made the GF. Their average home crowds in 1996 were 27k so they were already on their way before SL.
Like the Swans, Storm fans are mainly ex-pats from interstate, so support won’t vary too much even if form drops. There isn’t much of a Storm bandwagon here in Melbourne. Fans are pretty die hard.

 

[Wb1234]

Nah it was about 93 when the Swans were at their lowest - average home crowds were 9k.. By 96 they had Lockett and made the GF. Their average home crowds in 1996 were 27k so they were already on their way before SL.
Like the Swans, Storm fans are mainly ex-pats from interstate, so support won’t vary too much even if form drops. There isn’t much of a Storm bandwagon here in Melbourne. Fans are pretty die hard.

Super league first raised its head in 95

there were court cases to stop super league from starting in 96 I think

super league was set to start in 96 and until the arl won in court

super league clubs actually didn’t play the first few rounds and forfeited games

 

[Foreign Legion]

Interestingly the north Sydney region has around 900 registered players at 8 clubs players compared to over 3000 in WA at 26 clubs.

Interestingly, if this goes ahead they'll have 34 clubs 3900 juniors .. Also juniors from North Sydney have a path way to play rugby league in Perth and play for there club.
GREAT NEWS for Perth and North Sydney



Win Win

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

That's not the response we are seeing in the Pirates Supporters group. 95% of respondents have said they would become a West Coast Bears member.

How many people are in the Pirates Supporters group?

Do the members of the Pirates Supporters group represent the average Western Australian?

You're an Englishman who grew up in a rugby league stronghold before immigrating to Perth as an adult. The way you're looking at this isn't how a born and bred Western Australian sees it.

You must speak to the 7000 that voted for WAexit. I must speak to the other 2.58 million. What a coincidence. No one falling for your dribble, but carry on.

Mate, a song was made about Western Australians wanting to secede and in the lyrics it says "don't give a shit about the NRL".

That's the response the Bears would get from the average Western Australian when they're asked to invest in a Sydney club that wants to retain a link with Sydney.



You're just ranting and raving like a lunatic now because the evidence doesn't support your fantasy.

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

We'll see about that when they get 2 wooden spoons in a row. They've hardly had a struggle season since 2005.

Not everyone's blessed with Bellamy at helm.

Their attendances will take a hit, which happens to all teams that have a dry spell. If their attendances aren't any worse than Sydney clubs that are at the bottom of the ladder then I think we can call that a win for rugby league. It'll prove we can expand into the home of fumbleball and develop a fanbase equal to a Sydney club.

I forgot to add the real test for the swans and storm is when they stop making the finals every year how many of their fans hang around and what their finances look like

since the 90s I don’t think the swans have missed the finals many times and when they were bad they rebuilt fairly quickly.

before the super league war they were a basket case too and almost went backrupt

the afl was even considering taking the license away from them. Then super league came along and people turned off rugby league, more so when clubs like south’s norths were killed off and Balmain and wests having to merge

super league was a massive gift to afl

Super League coincided with the Swans' rise up the ladder in 1996. It was the perfect timing. Brisbane Bears were also developing a following at the time because they too were rising up the ladder. It was a big thing up here when the Bears scrapped into the top eight in 1995. The team finished third in 1996 and drew big crowds at the old Gabba as it was being reconstructed.

Sydney Kings just drew a record NBL GF crowd. Brisbane Bullets were selling out the Brisbane Entertainment Centre when they won the NBL in 2006. People get behind successful teams, even if they're not the number one sport in town. Swans drew big crowds in the 80s when they had a brief period of success.

 

[Perth Red]

How many people are in the Pirates Supporters group?

Do the members of the Pirates Supporters group represent the average Western Australian?

You're an Englishman who grew up in a rugby league stronghold before immigrating to Perth as an adult. The way you're looking at this isn't how a born and bred Western Australian sees it.


Mate, a song was made about Western Australians wanting to secede and in the lyrics it says "don't give a shit about the NRL".

That's the response the Bears would get from the average Western Australian when they're asked to invest in a Sydney club that wants to retain a link with Sydney.



You're just ranting and raving like a lunatic now because the evidence doesn't support your fantasy.

about 1300

no way of knowing, and is there such as thing as an avg west australian? If you mean the majority I can only go on what evidence we have seen so far, which is people are not opposed to the idea

You cant say that as you dont how the avg West Australian is seeing it (if such a thing exists!)

I've lived in Perth 22 years and NEVER heard anyone seriously suggest succeeding would be a good idea, in fact I cant even think of anyone who has ever raised it in a conversation! Every community has its lunatics, you seem to keep finding ours lol