The NRL has informed the Western Australian government that they refuse to consider or work with the consortium behind the Western Bears bid in a major hurdle to the game’s expansion plans.
NRL officials are privately fuming over what sources with knowledge of the situation talking under the condition of anonymity due to confidentiality told this masthead was a perceived attempt from the consortium to “low-ball” the NRL in the business proposal they recently submitted.
NRL bosses Andrew Abdo and Peter V’landys.Credit: Nick Moir
The NRL now wants to work directly with the WA government to formulate a potential ownership model that doesn’t involve the Western Bears consortium.
The NRL have since informed the Western Australian government that the bid, run by Cash Converters deputy chairman Peter Cumins, was now out of the running for one of three potential new licenses head office is looking at handing out in their push towards a 20-team competition.
“I’ve said from day one that for expansion to happen, a business case has to be prosecuted,” ARLC chairman Peter V’landys said.
“If we don’t believe the business case stacks up, how can we take it to our members when we’re not convinced ourselves. The business case in its current state does not stack up, so naturally it has been rejected. We are presently dealing with the West Australian government, who have been excellent throughout the whole process.”
Bears fans Craig Gray and Josh Averell at North Sydney Oval in excitement for a potential marriage with a Perth team.Credit: Steven Seiwert
This masthead recently reported that colourful Sydney Kings part-owner Paul Smith and former NRL executive Paul Kind, who run Total Sport and Entertainment, were in secret negotiations with the consortium. Their inclusion as owners in the proposal blindsided the NRL.
The NRL expansion submission also included a question about potential licence fees that bids would be willing to pay. The Western Bears consortium indicated they wouldn’t stump up a licence fee.
Cumins has not responded to attempts to contact him for comment. The NRL declined to comment.
The NRL has been clear that a prerequisite for a team in Perth will be a link with the North Sydney Bears, and that won’t change under new negotiations with government.
They have informed North Sydney officials that their decision to cut ties with the consortium will not impact on their hopes of returning to the competition, should a Perth team be introduced in the competition from as early as 2027.
V’landys hinted at the drama in an interview on radio on Sunday when asked about the nine expansion proposals that were submitted to the NRL.
“Look, we have run into a bit of a hiccup at the moment in relation to the bids weren’t as good as we hoped they would be, except for the Papua New Guinea bid,” V’landys said on Triple M just hours out from Sunday’s NRL grand final.
“That was exactly like we expected but the others weren’t. That has probably slowed us up a bit but we will certainly be looking nevertheless in trying to expand in the next few years because we need to have our content right when we go to the broadcasters to get our maximum broadcast deal.”
The Western Bears consortium recently agreed to a partnership with the North Sydney Bears that included the use of the red and black colours with gold to represent WA, the use of the Bears name as well as the potential for one North Sydney director to sit on the NRL club board.
The consortium was originally reluctant to partner the Bears but begrudgingly agreed to a partnership deal after the NRL highlighted they wouldn’t budge on the Bears being a prerequisite for a license.
