Rugby League Commission confirms entry of Perth-based club into NRL competition

The Western Australian Government and the Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) have today announced their agreement for a Perth-based club to join the NRL Premiership competition in 2027 as League’s 18th franchise.

Reviving the former North Sydney-based Bears brand, the club will join the competition a year before another new team debuts in Papua New Guinea.

The agreement will see Perth join Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne as cities hosting professional AFL, NRL and A-Leagues sides, delivering a significant economic benefit to Western Australia.

To get the club off the ground, the ARLC will cover costs associated with running the club and guarantee its financial viability - not charging a licence fee - while the Western Australian Government will provide temporary direct financial support to the club of $60 million over seven years, commencing 2025/26, with $35 million ring-fenced for development, including grassroots.

Under the terms of the agreement, the NRL will own the club for at least the first five years while it is managed at arms-length from Sydney, before it becomes member-owned.

However, , the Perth Bears will be chaired by a Western Australian and controlled by members, and will benefit from additional $5.6 million for match day support and marketing over the seven-year period.

Confident about prospects for the team, ARLC Chairman Peter V’landys stated “I am confident the Bears will be competitive in the first year.

“They have a head start because they have a combination with an established club. They have football managers and juniors and pathways. They will provide the players because they have pathways and juniors back in the eastern states. You will be surprised how good they will be in 2027.”

The team will be allowed to begin signing players from 1st November for 2027, with the Bears facing a challenge to convince players to move to Perth.

Beyond that, NRL Chief Executive Andrew Abdo said he expected the team to be comprised of local players, with rugby league to be introduced to up to 500 schools.

Abdo added “any initial franchise will require a certain amount of relocation.

“The investment the government will provide us in the next few years will mean we can accelerate the pathways in schools and clubs.

“The development of talent on the field means this will be a team made up predominantly of Western Australia based players in a very short period.”

The announcement ends a long push from the Western Australia Government to have a team in the NRL competition, after the Western Reds were killed off in the Super League war. More recently, Rugby Australia ended the Western Force’s Super Rugby licence after the 2017 season.

The new club will wear red and black in acknowledgement of the Bears’ heritage, while at least one home game a year will be played at North Sydney Oval.

The most recent addition to the NRL was the Brisbane-based Dolphins in 2023.

Images: NRL Chief Executive Andrew Abdo, Western Australian Premier Roger Cook and ARLC Chairman Peter V’landys at HBF Park today (top) and HBF Park - the Perth Bears home venue from the air (below).