WA BEARS

[SirPies&Beers]

Like I told you straight after the meeting two weeks ago ‘there’s a number of hurdles to overcome yet’.

point of order. the WA bid was rejected. We no longer have a bid. We have nrl working with wa govt to set a club up.

if you told us straight after meeting then were you in meeting with them?

this your disguises below?

 

[BuffaloRules]

if you told us straight after meeting then were you in meeting with them?

Apparently he was …because he can categorically rule out that something wasnt said ..

 

[Matt_CBY]

Like I told you straight after the meeting two weeks ago ‘there’s a number of hurdles to overcome yet’.

point of order. the WA bid was rejected. We no longer have a bid. We have nrl working with wa govt to set a club up.

And you were told that on here a few weeks before that but wouldn’t accept the information.

 

[The_Wookie]

Can someone post the full article so we can all decide ? The article is actually written by a non league juorno I have not heard of previously ..

PNG minister says $600m NRL deal ‘nothing to do with China’

PNG’s foreign minister said its government had set aside more than $38 million to begin building facilities and a deal could be announced as early as next week.

www.smh.com.au

PNG minister says $600m NRL deal ‘nothing to do with China’​

ByChris Barrett​

December 4, 2024 — 2.21pm

The launching of a National Rugby League team in Papua New Guinea has “nothing to do with China”, according to the Pacific nation’s foreign minister, as he reveals new details about the competition’s historic expansion to Australia’s nearest neighbour.

The NRL is expected to announce the entry of a PNG team in 2028 as early as next week after an agreement was struck between the Australian Rugby League Commission and the Australian and PNG governments.

The Albanese government will commit $600 million over 10 years towards the expansion venture and the development of the game as it bids to deepen relations with PNG and ward off the influence of China in the Pacific region.

In an exclusive interview, PNG’s Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko said the government in Port Moresby had also set aside 100 million kina ($38 million) in its budget next year to begin building facilities for the new team including a high-performance centre at the national stadium and a secure accommodation village. A further 300 million kina has been allocated for three following years.

Players signed to the franchise would be exempt from paying tax to lure them to PNG under amendments to income tax law introduced to parliament last week while the country’s junior rugby league pathways would be boosted by the NRL deal, Tkatchenko said.

Rugby league is the national sport of PNG.

“It will really make, I think, a lot of dreams come true for thousands of Papua New Guineans,” he said.
“For PNG, it will really boost our economy as well. It will also put PNG more on the map.”

Tkatchenko said links with Australia were probably at their best since the country’s independence in 1975, following the mid-year signing of a new bilateral security pact. The delivery of an NRL franchise to Port Moresby would make ties “stronger than ever before” and bed in the relationship for the future, no matter who was prime minister or in government, he added.

The foreign minister said: “Australia has been concerned and has discussed the issue of China on its influence in the Pacific and Papua New Guinea”.

But he said PNG had “gone into this purely for the sport, purely to get the NRL team”, insisting the deal was “purely for our relationship with Australia”.

“China has nothing to do with this at all. I’m very clear on that. This is all about Australia and PNG’s relationship with nothing else in between.”

It’s understood that there are arrangements relating to security outside the deal to take an NRL franchise to PNG, which is viewed by Australian government officials as part of a larger push to lock Australia in as the Pacific’s chosen security partner and lock China out of policing and military tie-ups in the region.

They have privately stressed the benefits of sporting links with PNG, believing it gives Australia a powerful bargaining chip because of the cultural importance of rugby league to the nation of 12 million people.

“The Australian government, the PNG government and the NRL are aligned on the fundamentals of an agreement. We are very optimistic that we will be in a position to sign an agreement shortly,” said a spokesperson for Minister for International Development and the Pacific Pat Conroy.

PNG Prime Minister James Marape indicated in October that there was a security element to the Australian government supporting an NRL team but said it was not the “main feature” of the deal"

“I would not be in a position to say that that’s the only reason why this has been happening,” he told the ABC.
“For PNG and Australia, we have deeper sentimental values. Both nations love rugby league, both nations have a strong affinity. And all in all, we’re working towards far bigger issues than just the security aspect to it.”

Speaking to this masthead, Tkatchenko said: “This is all about friendship, this is all about partnership, this is all about us working together in the name of sport. This is nothing to do with geopolitics or anything like that.

“China is our economic and trade partner and that is it. It makes it easier that everybody knows. It’s no hidden secret or anything like that. It’s very clear. We work with China on our economic prosperity and trade and infrastructure and we work with Australia [on] the same. But on the security issues of policing and defence ... we stick with who we know and who we trust and who we want to work with now and into the future.”
He said PNG was committed to implementing the bilateral security agreement with Australia. “We are not entering into anything when it comes security with the Chinese government,” he said.

Marape is due to speak in Sydney on Monday at the annual PNG Investment Conference and the country’s historic inclusion in the NRL is expected to be confirmed in the same week.

Not all the funding from the Australian government will go to PNG. It is expected that $60 million of the Australian government’s package will be allocated to the ARL Commission as a licence fee for a new team and distributed among the existing 17 NRL clubs.

PNG would be the NRL’s 19th team, joining another anticipated new entity, the Perth-based Western Bears, although their entry to the competition in 2027 is contingent on the ARL Commission agreeing to a deal with the Western Australia government.

ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys met with Western Australian Premier Roger Cook in Sydney a fortnight ago and requested the the state government contribute $120 million over 10 years to establish a team on the west coast.

 

[Centy Coast]

Based on their past I would be trusting the bears with very little.

Put them in charge of the logo and they'll come up with this:

View attachment 97217

Did you come up with that yourself, seriously it’s a great day outside go for a walk, clear your head and let that Bear hatred go lol.

 

[BuffaloRules]

WA’s hopes for a NRL team in hibernation

Perth’s hopes of being the next team in the NRL have been put on ice, with the league set to announce a Papua New Guinean team ahead of the Western Bears next week in Sydney.

thewest.com.au

Artlicle from West Australian yesterday …don’t think this is a re-hash …

Article says that they are ” not close to an agreement” and that it’s been “put on ice “…with rumours PVL asking for the WA Govt to come up with more money - $500m funding for “infrastructure “…. Although this figure denied by Govt

 

[Wb1234]

Cmon Pete central coast bears is the way to go if cook can’t pull this off

 

[BuffaloRules]

Cmon Pete central coast bears is the way to go if cook can’t pull this off

Could be Team 21 or 22... They will go for NZ2 and Brisbane 3 instead

 

[Matt_CBY]

WA’s hopes for a NRL team in hibernation

Perth’s hopes of being the next team in the NRL have been put on ice, with the league set to announce a Papua New Guinean team ahead of the Western Bears next week in Sydney.

thewest.com.au

Artlicle from West Australian yesterday …don’t think this is a re-hash …

Article says that they are ” not close to an agreement” and that it’s been “put on ice “…with rumours PVL asking for the WA Govt to come up with more money - $500m funding for “infrastructure “…. Although this figure denied by Govt

Reads as thats just the reporters (it’s on ice) opinion after being told the government isn’t planning any events with the NRL & the announcement of PNG soon.

Apart from that I don’t see any new information in that.

 

[BuffaloRules]

One thing that is new and isn’t an opinion is Cook getting questioned on the proposed spend in WA Parliament… obviously it’s on the radar and probably one extra thing that Cook doesn’t need to worry about before the election … its looking unlikely there will be an announcement prior to the election outcome in my opinion

 

[AlwaysGreen]

Central Coast isn't happening ever. You've been demoted to monkey nut.

 

[AlwaysGreen]

Did you come up with that yourself, seriously it’s a great day outside go for a walk, clear your head and let that Bear hatred go lol.

If that article is correct you'll be the one needing a long walk.

 

[Matt_CBY]

One thing that is new and isn’t an opinion is Cook getting questioned on the proposed spend in WA Parliament… obviously it’s on the radar and probably one extra thing that Cook doesn’t need to worry about before the election … its looking unlikely there will be an announcement prior to the election outcome in my opinion

I would be very concerned we will end up with an 18 team National competition with 2 international clubs and nothing west of the blue mountains/Melbourne if that is the case.

 

[BuffaloRules]

Central Coast isn't happening ever. You've been demoted to monkey nut.

I would have thought that six months ago … but it seems PVL’s main motivation is getting the Bears back rather than expanding to WA …he certainly hasn’t made it easy for WA to come in

 

[AlwaysGreen]

I would have thought that six months ago … but it seems PVL’s main motivation is getting the Bears back rather than expanding to WA …he certainly hasn’t made it easy for WA to come in

If he wants the bears back shoehorn them with PNG. 2 birds with 1 stone etc, all the weirdo stuff together.

 

[SirPies&Beers]

WA’s hopes for a NRL team in hibernation

Perth’s hopes of being the next team in the NRL have been put on ice, with the league set to announce a Papua New Guinean team ahead of the Western Bears next week in Sydney.

thewest.com.au

Artlicle from West Australian yesterday …don’t think this is a re-hash …

Article says that they are ” not close to an agreement” and that it’s been “put on ice “…with rumours PVL asking for the WA Govt to come up with more money - $500m funding for “infrastructure “…. Although this figure denied by Govt

this is the only article that has showcased doom and gloom. you can tell its written by people who don't follow the game or even the expansion coverage.

 

[Wb1234]

Nrl doesn’t want to delay team 18 for too long as it’s part of the tv deal to be negotiated soon

Im sticking with the belief that the agreement has been reached about numbers and what’s being sorted out is minor

If Perth falls over then who do the bears go with ? Ipswich png or chch

 

[BuffaloRules]

Nrl doesn’t want to delay team 18 for too long as it’s part of the tv deal to be negotiated soon

They could easily announce Brisbane 3 if they needed another team at short notice and this as really an issue ( I doubt it is actually as the TV deal doesn’t commence until 2028 when PNG are in ) …not that I think they are the best candidate mind you

 

[BuffaloRules]

this is the only article that has showcased doom and gloom. you can tell its written by people who don't follow the game or even the expansion coverage.

Doom and gloom …ok …

I mean ..there has to be some reason for the delays right in the agreement being finalised ? They met in person two weeks ago and still can’t sort it out … perhaps it’s just part of the poker game ..and the fact that they still have 6 months to sort this out if they need it ..

 

[Red&BlackBear]

Doom and gloom …ok …

I mean ..there has to be some reason for the delays right in the agreement being finalised ? They met in person two weeks ago and still can’t sort it out … perhaps it’s just part of the poker game ..and the fact that they still have 6 months to sort this out if they need it ..

She’s all good mate.