A couple of weeks ago I spent four days in Perth as the guest of the NRL’s new franchise the Perth Bears. The occasion was the unveiling of their new jersey, plus a day at their new home ground HBF Park, to watch the Storm take on Manly.
I must say I underestimated the grandeur of the occasion. Anyone who is anyone in our game was in attendance as the new Red and Black hooped jersey was introduced for the very first time in a function room at the WACA. The surreal emotions I experienced were not at all expected.
It has been 30 years since I was in Perth playing for the Western Reds, now here I was witnessing something I’d never thought I’d ever see again, at least not in my lifetime, another Rugby League team playing out of Western Australia!
As the WA Premier Roger Cook explained to the 300 people in attendance, his government is totally 100% behind this new foray into the NRL from the West and will do anything to make it a powerful expansion club. The games’ boss Peter V’landys echoed these sentiments.
When I played for the Reds, there were just over 1 million people living in Perth, today its closer to 3 million who call it their home. The amount of ex pats and other residents that used to call the East Coast home was totally bizarre, as was the number of people who have a thirst in the West for Rugby League.
The Bear’s CEO Anthony De Ceglie explained that the Bears have 20,000 members already and are expecting that number to rise to 35,000 by March next year when the Bears kickoff. Meaning they are starting their journey in rare air. Only Brisbane 60,000+, Souths 40,000, and Parra 37,000 are above them in numbers. The Storm with 32,000 are currently 4th on the membership
list.
The jersey on display at the unveiling went online for sale that same afternoon at 5pm. By Saturday night, after the game at HBF Park was played, already 5000 jerseys had been sold!
Of course, my vested interest in the Bears is also a personal one with my young bloke Mavrik signing with them for the next three seasons. To think he wasn’t even born when I plied my trade over there is downright oogity boogity.
And the fact he has gone down the exact same path club wise as me (Penrith, Tigers, Perth) is another head shaker.
There’s an amazing vibe coming out of Western Australia as the anticipation of another Rugby League team playing out of there becomes a reality. Whilst all the news has been coming out of and from the 19th NRL franchise with the PNG Chiefs operating and luring players with tax free dollars, the Perth Bears have assembled a tradesman-like squad that will be more than competitive.
And this time round the Perth rugby league team will also have a substantial ‘away’ from home crowd when those long-suffering Bears faithful now have a team again to cheer for.
MG (random Westie) OAM
