Perth Bears

[Falconista]

Seems WA media not happy with this. Probably no appetite for RL in Perth

A proportion of WA is very happy with this.

Rugby League is only ever going to be a smaller sport here in the West, but there is absolutely a market here to be tapped. It won't come close to Aussie Rules or Cricket, but should hopefully be like the Perth Wildcats (on a slightly larger scale) and have a niche dedicated following and a large casual following.

 

[Jatz]

Will they be the "Perth Bears" or "Western Bears"

It was initially mooted as the Western Bears but I believe there's been a change of thinking there and it will officially be the Perth Bears.

 

[Big Unit 30]

'Desecrating the ashes': Not all Bears fans are happy with Perth reincarnation

As fans celebrated the announcement that the Perth Bears would become the NRL's 18th team, some were not so happy with the move.

www.espn.com.au

 

[Jatz]

'Desecrating the ashes': Not all Bears fans are happy with Perth reincarnation

As fans celebrated the announcement that the Perth Bears would become the NRL's 18th team, some were not so happy with the move.

www.espn.com.au

I don't think it's an unreasonable point. It's certainly a 'best situation we'll get' type deal.

If they're waiting for the Bears to be revived in North Sydney though, they'll never get what they want.

I always thought the Central Coast Bears made the most sense but this has merit.

 

[Big Unit 30]

I don't think it's an unreasonable point. It's certainly a 'best situation we'll get' type deal.

If they're waiting for the Bears to be revived in North Sydney though, they'll never get what they want.

I always thought the Central Coast Bears made the most sense but this has merit.

Yeah I understand the pov myself as a Balmain supporter.
I’ve been through times where I’ve hated the merger , the broken promises and those from Wests factions trying to eradicate the tigers from the JV as it is …. yet here I am still here for them.
I think if they stop playing at Leichhardt I may reach a tipping point though

 

[Greenstar5]

Hope they are called Perth. Western is just meh.

 

[Jatz]

Yeah I understand the pov myself as a Balmain supporter.
I’ve been through times where I’ve hated the merger , the broken promises and those from Wests factions trying to eradicate the tigers from the JV as it is …. yet here I am still here for them.
I think if they stop playing at Leichhardt I may reach a tipping point though

Can't see that happening any time soon - I'm sure I just saw a rendered version of an updated stadium drawing recently?

Be good to see it happen, love Leichhardt but it needs a bit of TLC.

 

[2 eazy]

Very weird the ceo is high up with 7 west media

 

[Jatz]

Think that'll be actually very helpful in terms of media representation. Time will tell.

 

[Hap Hapablap]

So the chief editor of the west who was under stokes and probably approved that shitty article cover a few days ago is now the ceo?

 

[BG__]

Why a club for gay men in Perth has an urgent message for NRL fans

Footy fans in Western Australia and across the country were delighted when the North Sydney Bears were resurrected in Perth recently - but the good news has had a confusing side effect.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[moto748]

Are they still hoping for Sam Burgess? i can't but agree with this comment I read earlier elsewhere:

It's a funny old world the NRL and how little they think of anything Superleague! He's had a couple of moments Burgess as Wire coach but there's no doubt it's a Rooney/Gerrard/Lampard style appointment of picking on playing reputation, ahead of a coaching one. Anybody with decent knowledge and respect of Superleague would be targeting Peet, Peters or even somebody like Rowley above Burgess at the minute.


Exactly. if you're looking for a coach from England, why go for the bloke who's won nothing and only been doing it five minutes? Ah... because he played in the NRL...

 

[Jatz]

It's very little to do with his coaching ability and far more to do with his marketability.

Especially if he comes across with Meninga as has been suggested.

 

[moto748]

I've always assumed (although, IIRC, posters here have said otherwise?) that Perth was a city with a higher than average proportion of Pom ex-pats, because of the mining, I worked in the industry myself. So if that is the case, I can see the sense in somehow marketing it that way. For which, SB is a decent enough figure-head.

 

[BG__]

I've always assumed (although, IIRC, posters here have said otherwise?) that Perth was a city with a higher than average proportion of Pom ex-pats, because of the mining, I worked in the industry myself. So if that is the case, I can see the sense in somehow marketing it that way. For which, SB is a decent enough figure-head.

yeah lots of pommy ex-pats in the northern suburbs of perth

 

[moto748]

Heh! I just looked at a map of Australia. Like most Brits, I think, I haven't a clue about its geography. Perth is definitely NOT anywhere near where I thought it was! I would have put in vastly further North, somewhere near Carnarvon, maybe? And actually, come to think of it, most of the Australian mining projects I worked on were in WA, but they were iron ore at Port Hedland, and that's a hell of a long way from Perth! The size of Australia never ceases to do my head in.

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

Are they still hoping for Sam Burgess? i can't but agree with this comment I read earlier elsewhere:

It's a funny old world the NRL and how little they think of anything Superleague! He's had a couple of moments Burgess as Wire coach but there's no doubt it's a Rooney/Gerrard/Lampard style appointment of picking on playing reputation, ahead of a coaching one. Anybody with decent knowledge and respect of Superleague would be targeting Peet, Peters or even somebody like Rowley above Burgess at the minute.


Exactly. if you're looking for a coach from England, why go for the bloke who's won nothing and only been doing it five minutes? Ah... because he played in the NRL...

They made it clear they were after a marketable person as head coach right away. Youd be surprised how much that matters in W.A

 

[moto748]

Yeah, Jatz said the same upthread, and I don't disagree at all.

 

[GoEaglesGoSGIO]

Looking like Mal Meninga will be the coach which is a very odd choice to me. Think we gotta get on the front foot a bit with the Galvin merry go round that will happen. Id be talking to Bailey Hayward right now. No path other then to be a backup right now and I think should be a starter Sandon Smith is the other one. Walker/Savala is the future for the Roosters and Smith the odd man out

I think both wont be too expensive and will leave us to kind of do what the Dolphins did which is spend up in the forwards.

 

[raskolnikov]

Mal Meninga to be coach.

Redirect Notice

 

[Falconista]

Mal Meninga to be coach.

Redirect Notice

Can only assume this is like GWS and Kevin Sheedy. Mal to mostly be there as a figurehead and bring in supporters/sponsors while a 2IC does most of the rest.

 

[Jatz]

Can only assume this is like GWS and Kevin Sheedy. Mal to mostly be there as a figurehead and bring in supporters/sponsors while a 2IC does most of the rest.

Yep, would expect he'll be there for 2-3 years just to get it started.

 

[Jatz]

Aucklander can we please get the thread title updated to Perth Bears?

 

[PerthBoy86]

Hope they are called Perth. Western is just meh.

I am a bit tired of everything in Perth just called West or Western this or that. I'm used to the West Coast Eagles though ot course.

 

[PerthBoy86]

I suppose it might increase my interest in the NRL from near zero to a bit, as I'll actually have a team to barrack for. Maybe if we do well I'll get into it, but given it'll be a new franchise we'll probably struggle for awhile.