- The Bears are ready to return to the NRL
- Reports claim that a deal is close to being reached
- 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 and a $30 million deal is close to being finalised.
The Bears, originally from North Sydney, have been tipped as a potential expansion club in Western Australia and a deal is understood to be close with North Sydney relaxing its list of prerequisites for a deal to go through.
Positive talks were held in Sydney last week. A match at North Sydney Oval remains part of the ground, but North Sydney has softened its stance on holding multiple matches at the venue as a non-negotiable.
Newtown Jets were also mentioned as a potential partner for WA, but the backing of the Bears by some of the biggest names in football has tipped the balance 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 they needed to raise $30 million to get the franchise up and running.
North Sydney Bears reportedly set to return to NRL
“You will have seen in recent press reports that the NRL is calling for expressions of interest from bidders for the 18th licence as part of the NRL’s expansion plans to eventually move to a 20-team competition,” Cumins wrote.
‘A successful bid is expected to be announced later this year and the team is expected to play in the 2027 season.
‘The consortium bidding for WA will need to raise $30 million to support the bid and 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 have recently met with both clubs to see if an agreement can be reached that meets the ambitions of all interested parties. Whatever the outcome of these discussions, you can be assured that if our bid is successful, this will be a WA team we can all be proud of.”
NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo had written to expansion hopefuls to confirm the ARL Commission had approved a formal plan for the addition of new teams to the competition.
Current NRL clubs are seeking a financial boost in return for their support of a 20-team competition.