WA BEARS

[AlwaysGreen]

When did Billy Moore hurt you?

When he started talking.

 

[reanimate]

WE HAVE RATTLED THE AFL

Peter Badel
ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys has launched a savage attack on AFL CEO Andrew Dillon and sensationally accused the rival code of attempting to sabotage the NRL’s expansion push to Perth.
Dillon rubbished suggestions the NRL had overtaken the AFL as Australia’s most-watched sport.
He said on Melbourne radio: “We measure ourselves on traditional metrics, like people turning up to games.”
V’landys slammed Dillon’s comments and said the AFL was so fearful of the NRL’s uprising it was trying to shut rugby league out of Western Australia.
The NRL believes a smear campaign is being waged to prevent rugby league setting up an 18th franchise, the Western Bears, in Perth from 2027.
“They always look down their nose at us and now we are giving them competition. The AFL are rattled,” V’landys said on Triple M’s Sin Bin show on Sunday. “The figures and the facts speak for themselves.
“Last year, just the premiership matches, the NRL had 154 million viewers compared to the AFL’s 140 million viewers.
“When you add the State of Origin and international games, we had 187 million viewers to the AFL’s 149 million viewers.
“On social media, the NRL has 6.8 million, the AFL has 4.6 million, so what metrics do they actually want?
“What’s the traditional metrics ... the ones you make up.”
The NRL is eyeing a record $3 billion-plus TV rights deal and V’landys has said, for the first time, the AFL was playing second fiddle and being outmanoeuvred by rugby league.
“They have always looked down their nose at us and for the first time we are giving them competition,” he said.
“I remember five years ago, we shut down the competition (because of Covid) and we said we’re going to start on the 28th of May.
“One AFL club chairman called us out as delusional, reckless and stupid, that will be starting in August or September.
“We started on the 28th of May and then two weeks later they followed us.
“We have a thing called Magic Round. All of a sudden, the AFL has a Gather Round. What are they gathering, sticks and stones?
“I read in the paper this week that they have a new investment policy. It’s the NRL’s investment policy.
“Keep copying us. You won’t beat us, but keep copying us. That’s fine. They always treat us as second-class citizens but we will always look after the fans. And we have the best CEO in Australian sport in Andrew Abdo.
“They can keep taking the snipes, we will keep batting them back.”
Despite political roadblocks, V’landys is keen to push on and establish an NRL foothold in Perth via the Western Bears.
The AFL has had unfettered control of that state via the West Coast Eagles and Fremantle Dockers but the NRL will resume talks with the WA premier Roger Cook in coming weeks in the hope of clinching a $320 million expansion deal.
Not a cent of the $320m will go to the NRL, which will pump WA government money back into the state’s grassroots and infrastructure to build a bedrock for rugby league in the west.
V’landys claims the AFL is trying to derail the expansion drive to Western Australia.
“The information is there is concern by the AFL in our ambition to get into Western Australia,” V’landys said.
“I think they would be concerned because then we would become national but they also haven’t got the Pacific, England and France.
“I can understand (how the AFL feels) but competition lifts all ships.
“We don’t object to the Swans or GWS being here in Sydney because that only improves our performance, so I don’t understand why they are so adamant in trying to keep us out of WA.”
V’landys also hit out at media reports from the West Australian, whose owner Seven West Media is part of the AFL’s $4.5 billion broadcast deal, that he had done a secret deal with Cook.
“There’s a pretty massive campaign to keep us out of Western Australia,” he said.
“There was no agreement reached. He (Cook) was very professional.
“When the election was called, we stopped discussions. It wasn’t appropriate ... there is nothing set in stone.
“We abided by the premier. He said, ‘I’m going to an election, can you wait until after the election and we will resume discussions’.
“This stuff that we had deals done is all wrong. If we can reach an agreement, we will, but we won’t sell rugby league short and we will move forward with or without them.”
The NRL has been criticised for failing to match the AFL’s broadcast deal but V’landys is confident rugby league’s next TV rights contract from 2028-32 will trump the rival code.
V’landys is armed with statistical evidence that shows the NRL is Australia’s No.1 sport with viewers and it will be tabled in negotiations to achieve the biggest broadcast deal in rugby league’s 117-year history.
“I am very confident of our ability to get the biggest broadcast deal ever,” he said.
“The players, coaches and clubs deserve credit ... for the first time league is working as a unit together.
“We beat all sports on Foxtel and free-to-air (networks). We will not undersell the product.”

The AFL getting V’landys fired up about Perth is a good thing. He hates getting pushed around by Victorian governing bodies, he’ll be driven to get this over the line now.

 

[SirPies&Beers]

The future of WA’s NRL side hangs in the balance, with the State’s new Sports Minister saying she will not be rushed on a deal, despite reports of a four-week deadline from the game’s bosses.

With broadcast negotiations looming, the NRL is reportedly eager sign a deal with the WA Government within the next four weeks, to get a clearer picture over how many teams will be in the competition in 2027.

And Rita Saffioti, sworn-in as Sports and Recreation Minister last week, told The West Australian suggestions of upgrades to HBF Park in Perth should not be a part of the deal.

Amid speculation taxpayers could foot a $200 million bill to upgrade the ground, Ms Saffioti, who is also the Treasurer and Deputy Premier, said while there were always future redevelopment plans, she thought it had one of the best pitches in Australia.
“We hosted a Women’s World Cup there,” she said.

“We’ve already spent millions of dollars upgrading it. Incredible new scoreboards. The change rooms were upgraded. The pitch is in very good quality, probably one of the best quality pitches going around.

“I don’t like this sort of snobbery about our HBF (Park). I think it’s pretty good.”
Optus Stadium to host ‘smorgasbord’ of sport across packed winter, summer in 2025, says CEO Mike McKenna

WA election 2025: Premier Roger Cook warns ‘ambitious’ Peter V’landys the Western Bears deal is no sure thing

Asked about the NRL negotiations last week, Premier Roger Cook said he was happy for Ms Saffioti to take over deal discussions.

When asked her about the time frame for a deal, she said she would not be rushed.
“It hasn’t been my priority, and I’ll get a further update from the Premier about that,” Ms Saffioti said.

“I’ve got a lot of priorities, including making sure we roll out our community sports infrastructure — that’s my focus.

‘It’s got to happen quickly’: Peter V’landys mounts post-election pressure on Roger Cook over WA NRL side

“There’s a big rugby community in the State, and I know they’re very keen to see a WA side. So this is a sense of delivering for that community.”

The comments come amid mounting pressure from the east, including from powerful Australian Rugby League Commission boss Peter V’Landys, with eagerness to hold urgent talks with the State Government in coming weeks.

Ahead of bargaining for the league’s broadcast rights, the game’s powerbrokers want an answer on when the Western Bears will be joining the competition, along with a new side in Papua New Guinea.

Speaking on television just days after the State Election, Mr V’Landys was asked about the speed of a deal with WA, after the re-election of “his mate” Mr Cook and suggested there had been a pre-poll hush deal not to discuss the matter.

The comments come amid mounting pressure from the east, including from powerful Australian Rugby League Commission boss Peter V’Landys, with eagerness to hold urgent talks with the State Government in coming weeks. No


“Look, it’s got to happen quickly and Roger and I made an agreement just before the election, or well before the election, that once the election started, we would down tools and wouldn’t discuss it,” Mr V’landys said.

“That’s what we did. So now the ball is in their court to come back to us. We put a proposal to them, so it’s up to them to come back to us.”

The Sunday Telegraph claimed this week there was economic modelling which showed a benefit of $52 million a season to WA from the new club.

But the cost to WA taxpayers remains a mystery, with ongoing reports of a $320m demand from the league, including a $120m licence fee.

The Telegraph also reported that while the money would not go to the league — as promised by Mr Cook in the last days of the election campaign — the Government may consider upgrades at HBF Park and the creation of a Centre of Excellence for the Western Bears.

NRL legend Wayne Bennett, the current coach of South Sydney, said he believed WA could bankroll a team. 2025 Getty Images

NRL legend Wayne Bennett, the current coach of South Sydney, said he believed WA could bankroll a team.

“Western Australia has a market, so we can grow our national footprint by going to Perth,” he said.

“Some of Australia’s biggest companies are in Western Australia, so they have the resources and the population to make an NRL team work.”

Bears director Billy Moore, who has been involved in the talks with WA, said he hoped a deal for the team was not dead.

“This is not a shotgun marriage, it’s a perfect fit,” he said. “Until the box is ticked and we get the nod, I accept there is a possibility that something could go wrong.

“But I know from our talks the WA Government very much wants a team in Perth.”

The negotiation firms as the first major test for Ms Saffioti as Sports Minister, who told The West in a wide-ranging interview of her deep love of sport, and her excitement at taking on the portfolio.

“I love it because it brings people together and I know it sounds a bit emotional, and sometimes I get teary about it, but the thing about sport . . . everyone’s differences are suspended,” she said.

“Everyone comes from different cultures, different socio-economic groups, and for two and a half hours people have one common goal, and that’s to see their team win,
“I find sport, in today’s day and age, is what brings people together, and I love being part of that and if I can foster that, that’s incredible.”

As part of last week’s reshuffle, Ms Saffioti shed tourism for the sporting portfolio. But as the longest serving Transport Minister in WA history, she said suggestions she considered surrendering that portfolio were wrong.

“I’m very proud of what we’ve delivered. I’m very, very proud of our past eight years,” she said.
“If you look at some of the feedback we got through our research, through the election campaign, one of the biggest factors people recognised was our delivery of infrastructure.

“Having that strong record, there was no way I would have voluntarily given up transport.”

NRL deal not a priority as deadline details emerge

The future of WA’s NRL side hangs in the balance, as the State’s new Sports Minister says she will not be rushed on a deal, despite reports of a four-week deadline from the game’s bosses.

thewest.com.au

now theyre using old statesments to make it up as new statements? lol

the statement "I’ve got a lot of priorities, including making sure we roll out our community sports infrastructure — that’s my focus." isnt that exactly what the $120m for pathways is for?

 

[wb2027]

Everything they're saying makes it sound like a fait accompli so hurry up and just announce the team already.

 

[mongoose]

They are clutching at straws now … a lot of that editorial is easily rebuffed …”rugby league can’t get fans to games in its heartland states “ … lol .. what are they saying about Union and the A League?

"boofheads" "Concussions".. hmmm didn't the AFL have a class action against it over CTE? I guess most people in Perth probably wouldn't know as they are kept so in the dark about anything negative around AFL.

 

[Mother Nature's Son]

Sure, Perth might be the battle ground but you’ll find that this is based on the fact that AFL is essentially maxed-out as far as expansion and therefore commercial reach goes.

I think you`re forgetting something here :

"Northern Territory steps up bid for 20th team as AFL"​

The Australian 2 days ago.

 

[SirPies&Beers]

I think you`re forgetting something here :

"Northern Territory steps up bid for 20th team as AFL"​

The Australian 2 days ago.

i knows ya probably having a joke with the reply to bears but im sure their 255k population will grow their game

at least nqld is pushing towards 400k and has some sort of commercial centers.

 

[SirPies&Beers]

Everything they're saying makes it sound like a fait accompli so hurry up and just announce the team already.

from what i can see atleast here on this forums is that redblackbears has been pretty stern on his assessment on this whole thing and never changed his stance. every article whether confirming or refuting what he stated literally months ago always circles back to the same figures, the same distributions, the same big ticket items.

even the refuted things in articles always contradict themselves i.e.
topic; $120m is towards community infrastructure upgrades and development/pathways programs.
refuted by people; not a priority right now.
by then the statement; we are looking to invest in community infrastructure upgrades and development/pathways programs. lol

i get they probably cant say "no comment" right now but beating around the bush and contradicting yaself in the very same breath makes no sense either

 

[Mother Nature's Son]

Lol, if you can break down how you think 12 games a year can bring in $14.4 mill to state revenue from ‘visitation expenditure’ I’m all ears. That’s $1.2million a game. It’s bs. In fact forgot we aren’t even getting 12 games. With 11 games it’s actually $1.3mill a game.
a week travelling? How many fans are doing that.
fifos? They live in Perth.
?regional fans. Vast majority of people in wa live within a drive of Perth
And if a cursory glance pokes holes in the first line I’m sure we can expect the other lines to be equally ‘hyperbole’ as you put it.

but sure if they want to spin an nrl club being worth $500mill a year go for it. let’s just hope no one actually questions it.

You`re not even trying now.
The NRL will be lumping into that 14.4m figure absolutely everything Rugby league related regards to travel to that state, and from within the state to Perth as well. So that will include Origins, Tests, lower grades, events, teams taking extra games there (the double-headers seem to be popular) and so on.
Yeah you`re going to argue that they would have some of those other things anyway, you know and I know that`s not how adding these numbers work and that`s reasonable.
BTW not $500m per year, it`s over 10 years. You`re the bloke with the Bears facebook page, you should be getting this right.

 

[ThornlieBear]

WE HAVE RATTLED THE AFL

Peter Badel
ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys has launched a savage attack on AFL CEO Andrew Dillon and sensationally accused the rival code of attempting to sabotage the NRL’s expansion push to Perth.
Dillon rubbished suggestions the NRL had overtaken the AFL as Australia’s most-watched sport.
He said on Melbourne radio: “We measure ourselves on traditional metrics, like people turning up to games.”
V’landys slammed Dillon’s comments and said the AFL was so fearful of the NRL’s uprising it was trying to shut rugby league out of Western Australia.
The NRL believes a smear campaign is being waged to prevent rugby league setting up an 18th franchise, the Western Bears, in Perth from 2027.
“They always look down their nose at us and now we are giving them competition. The AFL are rattled,” V’landys said on Triple M’s Sin Bin show on Sunday. “The figures and the facts speak for themselves.
“Last year, just the premiership matches, the NRL had 154 million viewers compared to the AFL’s 140 million viewers.
“When you add the State of Origin and international games, we had 187 million viewers to the AFL’s 149 million viewers.
“On social media, the NRL has 6.8 million, the AFL has 4.6 million, so what metrics do they actually want?
“What’s the traditional metrics ... the ones you make up.”
The NRL is eyeing a record $3 billion-plus TV rights deal and V’landys has said, for the first time, the AFL was playing second fiddle and being outmanoeuvred by rugby league.
“They have always looked down their nose at us and for the first time we are giving them competition,” he said.
“I remember five years ago, we shut down the competition (because of Covid) and we said we’re going to start on the 28th of May.
“One AFL club chairman called us out as delusional, reckless and stupid, that will be starting in August or September.
“We started on the 28th of May and then two weeks later they followed us.
“We have a thing called Magic Round. All of a sudden, the AFL has a Gather Round. What are they gathering, sticks and stones?
“I read in the paper this week that they have a new investment policy. It’s the NRL’s investment policy.
“Keep copying us. You won’t beat us, but keep copying us. That’s fine. They always treat us as second-class citizens but we will always look after the fans. And we have the best CEO in Australian sport in Andrew Abdo.
“They can keep taking the snipes, we will keep batting them back.”
Despite political roadblocks, V’landys is keen to push on and establish an NRL foothold in Perth via the Western Bears.
The AFL has had unfettered control of that state via the West Coast Eagles and Fremantle Dockers but the NRL will resume talks with the WA premier Roger Cook in coming weeks in the hope of clinching a $320 million expansion deal.
Not a cent of the $320m will go to the NRL, which will pump WA government money back into the state’s grassroots and infrastructure to build a bedrock for rugby league in the west.
V’landys claims the AFL is trying to derail the expansion drive to Western Australia.
“The information is there is concern by the AFL in our ambition to get into Western Australia,” V’landys said.
“I think they would be concerned because then we would become national but they also haven’t got the Pacific, England and France.
“I can understand (how the AFL feels) but competition lifts all ships.
“We don’t object to the Swans or GWS being here in Sydney because that only improves our performance, so I don’t understand why they are so adamant in trying to keep us out of WA.”
V’landys also hit out at media reports from the West Australian, whose owner Seven West Media is part of the AFL’s $4.5 billion broadcast deal, that he had done a secret deal with Cook.
“There’s a pretty massive campaign to keep us out of Western Australia,” he said.
“There was no agreement reached. He (Cook) was very professional.
“When the election was called, we stopped discussions. It wasn’t appropriate ... there is nothing set in stone.
“We abided by the premier. He said, ‘I’m going to an election, can you wait until after the election and we will resume discussions’.
“This stuff that we had deals done is all wrong. If we can reach an agreement, we will, but we won’t sell rugby league short and we will move forward with or without them.”
The NRL has been criticised for failing to match the AFL’s broadcast deal but V’landys is confident rugby league’s next TV rights contract from 2028-32 will trump the rival code.
V’landys is armed with statistical evidence that shows the NRL is Australia’s No.1 sport with viewers and it will be tabled in negotiations to achieve the biggest broadcast deal in rugby league’s 117-year history.
“I am very confident of our ability to get the biggest broadcast deal ever,” he said.
“The players, coaches and clubs deserve credit ... for the first time league is working as a unit together.
“We beat all sports on Foxtel and free-to-air (networks). We will not undersell the product.”

This behavior by the FLA is why I'm confused when people say you can be a fan of both sports. Not with the way the FLA carry-on.

 

[T to the T]

BTW not $500m per year, it`s over 10 years. You`re the bloke with the Bears facebook page, you should be getting this right.

@Perth Red is indeed the admin of the Den/Cave. Funnily in recent days he has been praising the 'east coast' media for making it clear the NRL wasn't demanding a license fee whilst parroting FLA smear articles for the majority of the last year (and more) without critically thinking/or challenging them in posts, yet swallows it up the bullshit FLA compliant media publishes and whines about the 'public sentiment' not helped by his rebroadcasting of said bullshit like the weak snowflake he is.

If there was anyone you'd want in the trenches in a code war, it's not this Lord Haw Haw

 

[BuffaloRules]

@Perth Red is indeed the admin of the Den/Cave. Funnily in recent days he has been praising the 'east coast' media for making it clear the NRL wasn't demanding a license fee whilst parroting FLA smear articles for the majority of the last year (and more) without critically thinking/or challenging them in posts, yet swallows it up the bullshit FLA compliant media publishes and whines about the 'public sentiment' not helped by his rebroadcasting of said bullshit like the weak snowflake he is.

If there was anyone you'd want in the trenches in a code war, it's not this Lord Haw Haw

Red has just had a 20 year sulk about Perth not having a team …. The micro second the Bears get the nod, he will be all over talking up PVL and the NRL like white on rice …

 

[Mother Nature's Son]

like white on rice

Thought I`d heard them all, but that`s a new one for me.

 

[SirPies&Beers]

@Perth Red is indeed the admin of the Den/Cave. Funnily in recent days he has been praising the 'east coast' media for making it clear the NRL wasn't demanding a license fee whilst parroting FLA smear articles for the majority of the last year (and more) without critically thinking/or challenging them in posts, yet swallows it up the bullshit FLA compliant media publishes and whines about the 'public sentiment' not helped by his rebroadcasting of said bullshit like the weak snowflake he is.

If there was anyone you'd want in the trenches in a code war, it's not this Lord Haw Haw

perthwrongs is an idiotic turd. he doesnt belong anywhere near being the head of a fan group unless its "people who constantly lie about stuff to try gain some sort of credibility" group

 

[T to the T]

perthwrongs is an idiotic turd. he doesnt belong anywhere near being the head of a fan group unless its "people who constantly lie about stuff to try gain some sort of credibility" group

It's the lack of responsibility the snowflake takes which is most pathetic. Always someone elses (NRL or PVL) fault. Tragically the Facebook group he admins does have a significant amount of followers of RL in WA so it is the quality control of FLA propaganda needlessly spread which makes one facepalm. Maybe PR is a part of the fifth column?

 

[Perth Red]

haha my fanclub is back, whine whine whine.

 

[SirPies&Beers]

haha my fanclub is back, whine whine whine.

you're a 60 year old boomer who has this fantasy that he is relevant to west aussie rugby league because ya post absolute fabricated bullshit on an internet forum and think youre some sort of local state league guru.

you're a liar, proven.
you're statements are always fabricated and wrong, proven.

better if you got lost and left the perth nrl chat to blokes who actually know whats going on or can add things without over-sensationalising headlines with deep rooted fear mongering and complete and utter nonsense that you do.

you're the worst advocate for perth expansion, you make people not want to expand to perth because of your self righteous know it all yet ALWAYS wrong personality. a complete flog, a liar, and of course always wrong.

perthwrongs, ding dong

 

[SirPies&Beers]

NRL questions the negativity surrounding a potential WA team after accusations of a smear campaign by the AFL

The NRL has accused the AFL of sabotage, claiming it has launched a smear campaign to block the NRL’s expansion into the WA market. NRL CEO Andrew Abdo stopped short of repeating ARL Commission Chairman Peter V’landys’ accusations but clarified to 6PR Breakfast hosts Millsy and Karl that there...

www.6pr.com.au

NRL questions the negativity surrounding a potential WA team after accusations of a smear campaign by the AFL​

The NRL has accused the AFL of sabotage, claiming it has launched a smear campaign to block the NRL’s expansion into the WA market.

NRL CEO Andrew Abdo stopped short of repeating ARL Commission Chairman Peter V’landys’ accusations but clarified to 6PR Breakfast hosts Millsy and Karl that there has been misinformation about the licensing fee.

“There is no licence fee, there is no money coming to the NRL. This is an investment in the people of WA for community assets and to drive participation in the sport,” he said.

 

[SirPies&Beers]

NRL questions the negativity surrounding a potential WA team after accusations of a smear campaign by the AFL

The NRL has accused the AFL of sabotage, claiming it has launched a smear campaign to block the NRL’s expansion into the WA market. NRL CEO Andrew Abdo stopped short of repeating ARL Commission Chairman Peter V’landys’ accusations but clarified to 6PR Breakfast hosts Millsy and Karl that there...

www.6pr.com.au

NRL questions the negativity surrounding a potential WA team after accusations of a smear campaign by the AFL​

The NRL has accused the AFL of sabotage, claiming it has launched a smear campaign to block the NRL’s expansion into the WA market.

NRL CEO Andrew Abdo stopped short of repeating ARL Commission Chairman Peter V’landys’ accusations but clarified to 6PR Breakfast hosts Millsy and Karl that there has been misinformation about the licensing fee.

“There is no licence fee, there is no money coming to the NRL. This is an investment in the people of WA for community assets and to drive participation in the sport,” he said.

“There is no licence fee, there is no money coming to the NRL. This is an investment in the people of WA for community assets and to drive participation in the sport,” he said.

@Red&BlackBear you were right yet again. still not sure why some posters just wont acknowledge ya posts, absolute losers and halfwits that lot.

 

[Centy Coast]

I think you`re forgetting something here :

"Northern Territory steps up bid for 20th team as AFL"​

The Australian 2 days ago.

The indigenous people sitting in the park across from the bottle shop may attend.