WA BEARS

[RedVee]

They can always bring in the Western Corridor AFL Killers in 2027 if need be … Ikin says this won’t be a problem

I wouldn’t be surprised if they are on unofficial call to replace the Bears or Hunters if either falls over.

 

[Canard]

It's a worry that PNG is just a bit over two seasons away(apparently), and nothing official about team identity, administration, coaching, player recruitment etc.

And no news on this "100 Million" compound that is at least a few years in design and construction program.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Peoples first choice over here has always been a stand alone perth owned and branded club.
But having no choice most have accepted it will have to be a Sydney club branded club. Such is Rugba league.

South Melbourne Swans are soooo Rugba League then?

 

[Trifili13]

South Melbourne Swans are soooo Rugba League then?

But the AFL didn't call for bids for a new club and said you must partner with South Melbourne. They just moved South Melbourne to Sydney. The NRL is saying to Perth you must partner with the Bears whether you like it or not. Not saying which is the correct approach, just there is a big difference in approach to expansion.

 

[wb2027]

If the Bears' reinstatement & relocation in the farthest possible capital in the nation can be a success then it could make relocation for a current Sydney club more appealing, especially with the benefit of national NRL exposure that the Bears have missed out on since 1999.

Souths to SA might finally get them a proper home ground that they wouldn't need to share with anyone else.

 

[Perth Red]

South Melbourne Swans are soooo Rugba League then?

What’s being proposed for western bears model is nothing like the Sydney swans model. How many times?

 

[wb2027]

The road to getting there is very different, but the outcome is the closest thing anyone can point to as an ideal end goal.

 

[The Mad Hatter]

Swans wasn’t even a real location.
You couldn’t play footy on Sunday in Melbourne in early 80s.
The skint swans FIFO to Sydney for games against rivals for a Sunday arvo Melbourne TV game.
92/93 they were almost wound up but the fortuitous Super League event plus a last ditch recruitment drive got them Lockett and Roos saw them get an upsurge.

 

[Canard]

If the Bears' reinstatement & relocation in the farthest possible capital in the nation can be a success then it could make relocation for a current Sydney club more appealing, especially with the benefit of national NRL exposure that the Bears have missed out on since 1999.

Souths to SA might finally get them a proper home ground that they wouldn't need to share with anyone else.

It's not a relocation though is it?

 

[wb2027]

It's not a relocation though is it?

In the sense of restoring representation in first grade. Not in the sense there will always be a Nth Sydney Bears in the NSWRL.

 

[BuffaloRules]

It's a worry that PNG is just a bit over two seasons away(apparently), and nothing official about team identity, administration, coaching, player recruitment etc.

And no news on this "100 Million" compound that is at least a few years in design and construction program.

I’m not concerned yet about the first list of things you have mentioned … there is a lot to do but still time to get those things addressed…the players can’t be signed under the current rules prior to Nov 2026 for the 2028 season…perhaps they need a special consideration to be able to approach and sign players early ? In relation to admin , I note Andrew Hill the bid CEO is still speaking on behalf of the new team …He is probably the favourite to be appointed as the CEO you would think …( if this has not officially happened as yet)

PNG NRL team focused on foundations, says CEO Andrew Hill

PNG NRL franchise CEO Andrew Hill emphasized a long-term approach to building a successful team, highlighting the importance of foundational work before focusing on on-field competition.

www.postcourier.com.pg

The compound is the biggest issue … there was news in February around the funding agreement from the PNG Govt …. I assume construction would need to start in 6 months to be ready by Nov 2027?

What will they do if it’s not ready on time I wonder ? Put the players up in hotels I guess ?

 

[ThornlieBear]

So much shit talk in here.

No one knows how it will be or won’t be until/if it’s actually happening/announced.

 

[SirPies&Beers]

So much shit talk in here.

No one knows how it will be or won’t be until/if it’s actually happening/announced.

id say at least one poster in this forum does have an idea of it all

 

[flippikat]

If the Bears' reinstatement & relocation in the farthest possible capital in the nation can be a success then it could make relocation for a current Sydney club more appealing, especially with the benefit of national NRL exposure that the Bears have missed out on since 1999.

Souths to SA might finally get them a proper home ground that they wouldn't need to share with anyone else.

I doubt that'll happen, doesn't the NRL grant pretty much guarantee clubs stay afloat these days?

It'd have to take some kinda extreme "black swan event" like another pandemic to cruel a club's finances to the degree where they consider relocation to save themselves.

You do raise a point there in that IF Norths had successfully moved to the Central Coast in the late '90s/early 2000s, then it would've removed some of the fear of relocation - and maybe made the prospect more palatable for struggling Sydney clubs around that time.

As history played out, Norths willingly tried to jump before they were pushed and sadly paid a price for that.

 

[wb2027]

You do raise a point there in that IF Norths had successfully moved to the Central Coast in the late '90s/early 2000s, then it would've removed some of the fear of relocation - and maybe made the prospect more palatable for struggling Sydney clubs around that time.

As history played out, Norths willingly tried to jump before they were pushed and sadly paid a price for that.

If anything, Norths should've jumped sooner. Might've seen the stadium built in better weather conditions without the same delays, plus confirming the move in "97 made it less appealing for Sydney-based businesses to take over from Citibank as major sponsor, then they didn't have another until "99, and they didn't even count towards their solvency criteria.

 

[Wb1234]

South Melbourne Swans are soooo Rugba League then?

Gold Coast bears who became the Brisbane lions

 

[Trifili13]

Gold Coast bears who became the Brisbane lions

Are you trying to say this is a similar situation to Perth and NS Bears?

 

[ThornlieBear]

id say at least one poster in this forum does have an idea of it all

I meant the people claiming it is or isn’t like another example in the last couple of days.

 

[Wb1234]

 

[flippikat]

If anything, Norths should've jumped sooner. Might've seen the stadium built in better weather conditions without the same delays, plus confirming the move in "97 made it less appealing for Sydney-based businesses to take over from Citibank as major sponsor, then they didn't have another until "99, and they didn't even count towards their solvency criteria.

Fair point, and awareness to do that could have been earlier - but they still were the one Sydney club to stop just thinking about it and actually commit.

It's just a shame they were a club that paid the price for it, rather than getting all the support from the ARL then NRL they needed to make it happen regardless of the rain delays.