State govt receives new NRL request

The state government says it will continue to support the National Rugby League regarding new plans for a proposed Perth-based franchise from 2027. 

Last week, it officially received a new working request from the NRL regarding plans for expansion, following news earlier this month that the bid put forward by the Western Bears – a private consortium chaired by Peter Cumins – had been rejected by the Australian Rugby League Commission.

“The Western Australian government had – at the NRL’s request – been working with a single private consortium leading the bid for a Perth-based NRL team,” WA Premier Roger Cook said.

“Only WA can put the “N” in the NRL, and the NRL knows a WA team offers significant broadcasting and other opportunities that are unmatched by the other bids.

“We will continue to work with the NRL on their plans to expand the competition, but any new proposal must be assessed in detail.”

Mr Cook told the media on October 9 – a day before the Bears were initially set to be announced as the league’s 18^th franchise at HBF Park – he had been in contact with ARLC chair Peter V’landys via text message following the NRL grand final.

In the hours leading up to the decider, Mr V’landys conducted several radio interviews in Sydney, outlining that all bids “except for the Papua New Guinea bid” were not what had been expected.

Subsequent media interviews from both the ARLC and Mr Cumins followed, with a slice of criticism from certain quarters aimed at the Bears’ decision not to pre-set a licence fee within its bid document.

Mr Cumins, who through his career at Cash Converters International has poured millions of dollars into WA grassroots rugby league alone over the past two decades, was also involved with the Western/Perth Reds during their three-season existence between 1995 and 1997.

During this period, the Reds were forced to pay for the opposing teams’ first and reserve grade teams to fly and stay in Perth for matches, along with upholding their own additional away game expenses.

In an interview with 2GB Sydney on October 10, Mr Cumins said all he wanted was for Perth to return to rugby league’s top-flight and he “would still be a very happy man” even if the NRL elected to go in another direction to make it happen.

On 7pm Thursday night at Charles Riley Reserve in North Beach, NRL WA’s men’s representative side will take on the England Community Lions, a side comprised of the country’s best semi-professional players, in a two-test series for the newly-created Cash Converters community trophy.