NRL 2024: Western Bears key questions answered from latest expansion franchise
The impending return of the Bears as part of the Perth expansion team has excited fans and club legends, but it has also raised some major questions. Here’s what we know so far.
Michael Carayannis, Peter Badel and Brent Read
August 11, 2024 - 8:00AM
Bears' reach agreement on NRL return to become 'Western Bears'
NRL: An agreement has been reached on a return to the NRL for the Bears, with the bid to become the next expansion team to be under the name the 'Western Bears'.
Some of North Sydney’s greatest players have thrown their support behind the Western Bears concept as they prepare for the club to re-enter the competition for the first time since 1999. North Sydney and Western Australia brokered a partnership agreement on Friday which will see the establishment of the Western Bears.
After two decades of false dawns and a flirtation with The Central Coast, Gold Coast, regional Queensland, PNG and the Pasifika, the Bears are finally back. Western Bears will finalise their bid proposal with the NRL on Wednesday before being announced as the game’s 18th team later this year.
North Sydney legends were left stunned by the news that finally the wait was over. Gary Larson was at a school reunion when he was told by this masthead on Friday night that the Bears were back.
“It means everything for the Bears to be part of the NRL,” Larson said. “It’s great stuff. There has been something missing. I never thought this day would ever come but at least now there is a team we can follow. '
“The NSW Cup team has been outstanding and they have had success but there hasn’t been a team at the top level. A lot of people have put in some great work and effort. Greg Florimo has held this club together for a long time. When the Bears run out I’ll be watching them. I’ll be there to see them run out as the Western Bears.”
KEY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BEARS REVIVAL
Team name: Western Bears
Home ground: HBF Park, Perth.
Will North Sydney host any matches? North Sydney Oval will host a pre-season game. There will be a regular season game in NSW at either North Sydney, Allianz Stadium or Central Coast. The hope is it will be a heritage game against Manly where they will wear a traditional North Sydney Bears jersey.
Team colours: Red, Black, white and yellow
Logo: An adaptation of the traditional Bears logo.
How did this come about? Western Australia’s bid team wanted to revive the Reds. But they were told by the NRL that they had a better chance of being part of the competition if they aligned with the Bears. They also went down the path with Newtown but the NRL made it clear their preference was North Sydney. The deal almost fell apart in recent days until the Bears softened their demands on things such as board seats and matches in Sydney.
How will the board work? It is unlikely that North Sydney will have any board representation. Instead it will be made up of those from WA.
Will North Sydney Bears still exist? Yes. North Sydney will remain as the NSW Cup team and as the primary feeder club to Western Bears – like they are at the moment with Melbourne. However that may change should the NRL ever introduce a national reserve grade competition. North Sydney will continue to play various state-aged competitions.
What happens next? The Western Bears will finalise their submission by Wednesday when they will present their bid document to the NRL. It is expected that later this year they will be formally announced as the NRL’s 18th team to complete by 2027.
When they can they sign players? This is a question yet to be answered. The NRL may allow them to sign off-contract players from November 1 this year. But most likely they will have to wait until November 1 in 2025.
What about the NRL’s other expansion bids? PNG are expected to be announced as the 19th team also later this year but they won’t come into the competition until 2028. That will leave a second team in New Zealand or another Queensland team battling to be team 20 by 2030.
North Sydney Oval will host a pre-season fixture while a regular season game will take place at either North Sydney, Allianz Stadium or on The Central Coast. They hope that game will be against traditional arch rivals Manly. The rest of their home matches will be played in Perth.
NRL Hall of fame inductee Mark Graham, who played 146 games for North Sydney between 1981-88, backed the resurrection of the Bears.
“Wonderful news if it happens,” Graham said. “There will lots of people very happy people."
“It’s a good idea to have another team in the competition and to add it with a team who has a bit of history. The Bears run out every weekend (at NSW Cup level) but for the club to get back in the big league there will be hundreds of thousands of people who are very happy.”
Former Norths centre Ben Ikin, now the Queensland Rugby League boss, said the Bears’ return from hibernation would be a massive shot in the arm for the NRL.
“The Bears are a foundation club who have been kept alive in the second-tier through the hard work and unwavering belief of some very committed individuals,” Ikin said. I can’t imagine how they must be feeling on hearing this news."
“Not forgetting all those long-suffering Bears fans who are one-step closer to seeing the red-and-black back in the elite game. It’s wonderful news. There might be a few crazy enough to drive to Perth and back for the home games.”
Will be a success like Dolphins. Bear's history gives new team legitimacy. Don't need to repeat mistakes of western reds.
