The Bears’ hopes of ending their quarter-century hibernation have been dealt a huge blow with the ARL Commission set to veto plans to put a team in Perth for the next round of expansion.
Negotiations with the Western Australian Government have stalled after it was initially hoped a Perth Bears team, a joint venture with North Sydney, could be up and running in 2027.
The ARL Commission has already given the go-ahead for a Papua New Guinea franchise to enter the competition in 2028 after the Federal Government bankrolled the team as part of a $600 million deal.
According to a report in The Sydney Morning Herald, the NRL will postpone its plans for a Perth side when the Commission meets next week.
It is poor timing given the NRL is holding a double-header in Perth next Saturday with the Sharks up against Manly aand South Sydney taking on North Queensland at Optus Stadium.
WA Premier Roger Cook, who was recently re-elected, said the NRL’s expansion team was not a priority for them and ARL chair Peter V’landys had been asking the government to provide $120m in funding over the next decade to help establish the side.
The NRL was also hoping to see HBF Stadium upgraded from a 22,500-seat stadium to a capacity of 27,000 with the government offering rent-free use of the venue.
For the poor old Bears, it is yet another dagger for the club and their fans as they were hoping to be able to play a match each year at North Sydney Oval while also seeing their club colours and famous logo at least partially revived by the new club.
The decision means the NRL will become an 18-team competition in 2028 with the long-term plan of adding a team in Perth and possibly New Zealand to make it a 20-club league not likely to happen until the 2030s.
