LeagueNews.co | Jess Malloy
The Perth Bears will officially become the 18th team in the NRL, starting in 2027, as announced by Australian Rugby League Commission Chairman Peter V'landys and NRL CEO Andrew Abdo during their visit to Perth.
They highlighted the Bears' significance, stating, "As a foundation club, the Bears have a rich history in the game, and automatically provide hundreds of thousands of East Coast supporters for the Perth based team."
The announcement came after Western Australia Premier Roger Cook disclosed that an agreement had been reached to partially fund the team.
He expressed enthusiasm, saying, "We've secured a new W.A.
NRL club for Western Australia! This is a great day for sports fans and a great day for the W.A.
economy."
With this addition, Perth will join Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne as cities that host both NRL and AFL teams.
Cook emphasized, "I'd back us to compete just as hard at NRL as we do at AFL.
So, now let's get behind the new NRL side as we put the 'national' in NRL!"
The establishment of a new team in Western Australia had been anticipated for some time, but financial negotiations between the NRL and the state government over taxpayer funding were contentious.