WA BEARS

[taipan]

Yes.
Plus a couple of the commissioners.

Yet the impression one gets here by the likes of PR , only PVL is involved. In the end the Commission (including PVL )makes the final decision.

 

[Red&BlackBear]

What?? Why would the Storm play at the G?

Opportunity.

Because there won’t be any AFL matches in Melbourne for that proposed weekend. It’s being primed for their gather round in 2026 or 2027.

 

[taipan]

What?? Why would the Storm play at the G?

It's the Storm wanting to try it ,when the AFL has its gather around kiddies weekend in South Orstralia.

 

[mongoose]

Bears are safe despite $65 million funding fight threatening to end NRL’s expansion into Western Australia

The NRL is preparing for urgent talks to resolve a $65 million funding spat that threatens to kill off an NRL team in Perth - but it won’t affect the Bears’ bid to return to the top flight.

Peter Badel, Brent Read and Michael Carayannis

Peter V’landys insists the Bears are not dead yet as the ARL Commission boss prepares for urgent talks to resolve a $65 million funding spat that threatens to kill off an NRL team in Perth.

V’landys is adamant the ARLC has not shut the door on the birth of the Western Bears amid mounting speculation the NRL’s plans for an 18th team in Perth for 2027 are doomed.

V’landys’ stance came as West Australian premier Roger Cook lashed the NRL, accusing the governing body of lacking respect for the state as relations between the parties, once seemingly cordial, turned toxic.

The ARLC will make a definitive call within a fortnight but unless the NRL and Cook can smoke the peace pipe at the eleventh hour, the much-hyped Western Bears bid will officially collapse.

Sources close to negotiations say the parties hit a roadblock over two key agenda items - the proposed $120 million ‘entry fee’ and a $200m-plus redevelopment of HBF Park.

Should the ARLC walk away from expansion across the Nullarbor, it would have near fatal consequences for North Sydney, the foundation brand looking to return to the big league after 25 years in the NRL wilderness.

V’landys stressed the ARLC remains in talks with the mooted state-backed WA team and says he is determined to resurrect the North Sydney Bears as an NRL force, whether it’s with Perth or another region.

“The Commission has yet to make a decision,” V’landys said.

“We haven’t called a meeting yet to discuss it but we are likely to do so in the next week or two.”

Asked if the feared collapse of a Perth bid would put the Bears into NRL hibernation for good, V’landys vowed to do everything possible to return North Sydney to the top flight.

The ARL Commission is exploring a second NRL team in New Zealand and a fifth franchise in Queensland. Both of those regions could be asked to strike a joint-venture deal with the Bears if the Telstra Premiership expands to 20 teams by the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.

But V’landys’ primary and immediate mission is salvaging the Western Bears amid explosive claims rival code the AFL has moved to politically sabotage rugby league’s incursion into Perth.

“The Bears will be front and centre for any future expansion bid,” V’landys said.

“If it’s not Western Australia, it will be somewhere else.

“Whoever we go with, we want to have the Bears involved ... if we go with anyone.”

The reality is if the NRL chooses not to expand beyond the introduction of Papua New Guinea in 2028, there is no legitimate avenue for a Bears revival.

The fate of the Western Bears hinges on Cook and resolving a fiscal fallout involving WA government bean counters.

The NRL was seeking $120 million from the WA government over 10 years, not as a touted licence fee, but a financial investment that would be diverted into rugby league’s grassroots growth in the state.

That figure was not palatable to WA chiefs, who have offered $35 million over five years, plus a further $20m to the construction of a Centre of Excellence, which was a key NRL condition.

That’s effectively a $65m shortfall.

The final nail in the coffin is negotiations over a major upgrade to HBF Park.

The NRL wanted the ground to represent Perth’s version of Sydney’s state-of-the-art CommBank Stadium, the home of the Parramatta Eels, but the facelift cannot take place until after the women’s Asian Cup in 2026 and men’s rugby World Cup in 2027.

“The NRL have to get serious and have to treat us with more respect and not like a cash cow,” Cook told Perth media.

There were suggestions the NRL could delay Perth’s entry by 12 months, aligning them with PNG for 2028, but sources indicate it’s either 2027 or bust for the Western Bears dream.

“It’s in the balance,” a high-powered expansion source said. “Either the bid’s up to scratch or it’s not.

“If this falls over, where do the Bears go?”

Former Western Reds chairman Peter Cumins, who had a fresh WA bid rejected by the ARLC late last year, said the prospect of the NRL not returning to Perth would be a crushing outcome for rugby league.

“I am gutted,” Cumins said.

“It’s how I felt when our bid was rejected.

“To hear this (Western Bears bid) could be all over, red rover, I’m gutted all over again.

“This is bad for the NRL in general. We truly need a national competition and the Western Bears would have been a step in the right direction.

“From a player’s perspective, it’s a great city to come and play, it would be more appealing to come to WA than PNG to be honest.”

Asked if he believes the AFL has sabotaged the NRL in Perth, Cumins said: “No, I don’t think so.

“The local press have never been great supporters of rugby league, they are very pro-AFL, but when the Western Reds were around, we co-existed comfortably and we got press in the Perth media.

“I would be surprised if the AFL were involved in derailing the bid.

“The NRL simply has to make this happen.”

https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/nrl/bears-are-safe-despite-65-million-funding-fight-threatening-to-end-nrls-expansion-into-western-australia/news-story/ee09a84b16a5bf44132a48e47c8b5c54?amp&nk=c5f3654099c712949fa373a8629e9985-1744108287

it's just all about salvaging the Bears, not salvaging a Perth team lol

 

[ThornlieBear]

What?? Why would the Storm play at the G?

No AFL in Melbourne during Gather Round.

 

[ThornlieBear]

it's just all about salvaging the Bears, not salvaging a Perth team lol

North Sydney Bears are obviously partners with the ARLC in expansion. Just like Dickson has said since the Dolphins was included.

 

[Canard]

Opportunity.

Because there won’t be any AFL matches in Melbourne for that proposed weekend. It’s being primed for their gather round in 2026 or 2027.

No AFL in Melbourne during Gather Round.

There is also no AFL in Melbourne the stupid AFL Round zero also.

But playing in front of 35 or 40k at the G doesn't make any sense to me. Marvel would be a better option. But until they sell out AAMI (which is one of the best rectangular stadiums in Australia still) why bother?

You are just creating a shit fan experience for very little gain.

 

[wb2027]

“The Bears will be front and centre for any future expansion bid,” V’landys said.

“If it’s not Western Australia, it will be somewhere else.

“Whoever we go with, we want to have the Bears involved ... if we go with anyone.”

Tracks with exactly what the Bears Chairman said at the AGM two weeks ago.

 

[SirPies&Beers]

There is also no AFL in Melbourne the stupid AFL Round zero also.

But playing in front of 35 or 40k at the G doesn't make any sense to me. Marvel would be a better option. But until they sell out AAMI (which is one of the best rectangular stadiums in Australia still) why bother?

You are just creating a shit fan experience for very little gain.

probably end up doing a double header or something i reckons.

storm v souths or dragons
broncos v warriors

could have legs with crowd support

 

[SirPies&Beers]

But Kayo was OK?

kayo has been used a grand total of 7 times in 3 seasons. this is out of 36 home games in the same time frame.

kayo would be equivalent to nso in relation to phins @ kayo vs bears @ nso. or even dogs @ belmore tbh.

minimal usage. dolphins home ground is clearly suncorp and suncorp is light years ahead of hbf park. so i thinks the argument you bringing up about kayo and phins vs. hbf and bears doesnt apply here.

 

[Wb1234]

kayo has been used a grand total of 7 times in 3 seasons. this is out of 36 home games in the same time frame.

kayo would be equivalent to nso in relation to phins @ kayo vs bears @ nso. or even dogs @ belmore tbh.

minimal usage. dolphins home ground is clearly suncorp and suncorp is light years ahead of hbf park. so i thinks the argument you bringing up about kayo and phins vs. hbf and bears doesnt apply here.

They own kayo

I’m sure if the bears owned hbf park it would be considered a positive

 

[ThornlieBear]

There is also no AFL in Melbourne the stupid AFL Round zero also.

But playing in front of 35 or 40k at the G doesn't make any sense to me. Marvel would be a better option. But until they sell out AAMI (which is one of the best rectangular stadiums in Australia still) why bother?

You are just creating a shit fan experience for very little gain.

The fact that is played at the MCG during a regular time sports fan are use to going to the MCG to watch the AFL will pull a few thousand by itself. It's great to have ambition for the game. Look at the media coverage of this topic already and nothing has happened yet.

Tracks with exactly what the Bears Chairman said at the AGM two weeks ago.

fews ago .. months ago .. it hasn't changed from North Sydney's POV.

 

[BuffaloRules]

so i thinks the argument you bringing up about kayo and phins vs. hbf and bears doesnt apply here.

So getting back to the Perth Bears …. What is the better outcome …?

1.Bin the deal because the stadium upgrade promised has been pulled and try to pick up the bid in a couple of years time and see if a stadium deal is on offer then

2. Take what they have offered now to get them into the Comp, and try to get the stadium redeveloped a few years down the road …

Is there a third option ?Start from scratch with Christchurch ?

 

[Wb1234]

So getting back to the Perth Bears …. What is the better outcome …?

1.Bin the deal because the stadium upgrade promised has been pulled and try to pick up the bid in a couple of years time and see if a stadium deal is on offer then

2. Take what they have offered now to get them into the Comp, and try to get the stadium redeveloped a few years down the road …

Is there a third option ?Start from scratch with Christchurch ?

It will be two with the bid Improved a bit

Since hbf park can’t be upgraded before the womens soccer cup thing and the union wc even if they announced the stadium deal now they can’t actually do it yet

 

[taste2taste]

So getting back to the Perth Bears …. What is the better outcome …?

1.Bin the deal because the stadium upgrade promised has been pulled and try to pick up the bid in a couple of years time and see if a stadium deal is on offer then

2. Take what they have offered now to get them into the Comp, and try to get the stadium redeveloped a few years down the road …

Is there a third option ?Start from scratch with Christchurch ?

My understanding of this mess is that’s it’s the 35m over 5 years the NRL don’t like, they want 120m over 10 years.

The stadium upgrade would be a bonus but not a deal breaker.

I wonder if they could get Cumins back in the room and between the NRL, Cumins and Cook get something sorted.

If it’s not sorted in the next fortnight it looks like Perth will be put to the side until the next broadcast deal in 2032

 

[SirPies&Beers]

So getting back to the Perth Bears …. What is the better outcome …?

1.Bin the deal because the stadium upgrade promised has been pulled and try to pick up the bid in a couple of years time and see if a stadium deal is on offer then

2. Take what they have offered now to get them into the Comp, and try to get the stadium redeveloped a few years down the road …

Is there a third option ?Start from scratch with Christchurch ?

i heards from someone that christchurch is a fall back option that the nrl have, no necessarily norths themselves. but i also heard from someone here that @Red&BlackBear is working behind the scenes trying to get them to qld, if perth doesnt eventuate. any truth there cob?

out of those options it has to be 1 and hopefully nrl lobby with a-league and aru later downs the line as a 3 prong attack to get hbf either upgraded or get a new stadium all together. their position will be even strong if perth bears get an nrlw side down the line.

 

[Perth Red]

So getting back to the Perth Bears …. What is the better outcome …?

1.Bin the deal because the stadium upgrade promised has been pulled and try to pick up the bid in a couple of years time and see if a stadium deal is on offer then

2. Take what they have offered now to get them into the Comp, and try to get the stadium redeveloped a few years down the road …

Is there a third option ?Start from scratch with Christchurch ?

The best outcome is 2. (with maybe a few more mill for female grassroots thrown in) what the actual outcome will be lord only knows at this point.

 

[Perth Red]

My understanding of this mess is that’s it’s the 35m over 5 years the NRL don’t like, they want 120m over 10 years.

The stadium upgrade would be a bonus but not a deal breaker.

I wonder if they could get Cumins back in the room and between the NRL, Cumins and Cook get something sorted.

If it’s not sorted in the next fortnight it looks like Perth will be put to the side until the next broadcast deal in 2032

Its very hard for a State govt to commit to ten years when there isnt bi-partisan support. They generally dont like to go much longer than their term with contracts of this nature. Its a 'gentleman's' agreement to not encumber incoming Govts with projects they might not support. Best outcome would be the 5 years plus an additional 5 years if Labor get in again.

 

[SirPies&Beers]

Its very hard for a State govt to commit to ten years when there isnt bi-partisan support. They generally dont like to go much longer than their term with contracts of this nature. Its a 'gentleman's' agreement to not encumber incoming Govts with projects they might not support. Best outcome would be the 5 years plus an additional 5 years if Labor get in again.

not if they front load it tbh

 

[Wb1234]

i heards from someone that christchurch is a fall back option that the nrl have, no necessarily norths themselves. but i also heard from someone here that @Red&BlackBear is working behind the scenes trying to get them to qld, if perth doesnt eventuate. any truth there cob?

out of those options it has to be 1 and hopefully nrl lobby with a-league and aru later downs the line as a 3 prong attack to get hbf either upgraded or get a new stadium all together. their position will be even strong if perth bears get an nrlw side down the line.

Dunno where you heard all that

Chch bears is a plan b.

Whoever gets this bid approved Perth, Brisbane or chch the bidder will have to adopt bears