- The Bears are set to return to the NRL
- Reports claim a deal is close to being agreed
- Western Australia is part of the bid
The Bears are reportedly set for a sensational return to the NRL amid a deal between North Sydney and Western Australia.
According to News Corp, the Bears will become the NRL’s 18th team, with the $30million deal close to being agreed.
The Bears, originally from North Sydney, have been mooted as a possible expansion club in Western Australia and it is understood that an agreement is close thanks to North Sydney softening their list of prerequisites to get the deal done.
Positive talks were held in Sydney last week. A game at North Sydney Oval remains part of the pitch but North Sydney have softened their stance on having multiple games at the venue as a non-negotiable.
Newtown Jets were also mooted as a potential partner for WA but the backing of the Bears by some of footy’s biggest names has tipped the scales in the team’s favour.
The report adds that Perth NRL bid consortium chairman Peter Cumins sent an open letter to Western Australian league bosses outlining that they needed to raise $30m to get the franchise up and running.
‘You will have seen from recent press articles that the NRL are calling for expressions of interest from bidders for the 18th license as part of the NRL expansion plans to ultimately go to a 20-team competition,’ Cumins wrote.
‘It is expected that a successful bid will be announced towards the end of this year and that team will be playing in the 2027 season.
‘The WA bid consortium will be required to raise $30 million to support the bid and to provide the NRL with a comprehensive plan…You will have seen a lot of press about a potential marriage/partnership with the Newtown Jets or North Sydney Bears.
‘I can confirm that I met recently with both clubs to see if an agreement can be reached that satisfies the ambition of all stakeholders. Whatever the outcome of these discussions you can rest assured if our bid is successful, it will be a WA team that we can be proud of.’
NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo had written to expansion hopefuls to confirm that the ARL Commission had endorsed a formal plan for the addition of new teams to the competition.
Current NRL clubs are looking for a financial uplift in return for their backing of a 20-team competition.