NRL chair Peter V'Landys was keen to have the league's expansion plans for 2028 set in stone before putting the next cycle of broadcast rights, which is set to begin in 2028, out into the open for bidding.
Hopes that a North Sydney Bears-aligned franchise out of Perth would take up the league's 18th licence and enter the competition from 2027 are fading fast after behind the scenes discussions stalled when Western Australia Premier Roger Cook failed to get bipartisan support from the Liberal opposition to spend $300 million on the establishment of the city's NRL club.
Despite Cook's recent landslide re-election, Code Sports reported on Saturday that talks have not since resumed and the NRL have since diverted their priorities to the introduction of a Papua New Guinea team from 2028, which was confirmed in December 2024 after the league secured significant funding from the Albanese federal government.
The addition of the PNG side will add the ninth weekly game the NRL is expecting will boost their revenues for the next broadcasting rights deal to beyond $3 billion, therefore eliminating the urgency to move things forward with the WA government.
It is expected that the NRL board will meet next week to vote against pursuing a 19th team, which could push the concept of a Perth team back several years now that there is no longer a private consortium willing to fund the side.
Bears director Billy Moore continues to express optimism that the side will be awarded entry into the competition alongside PNG in 2028.
“We are very hopeful the Western Bears will not be dead,” he said.
“This is not a shotgun marriage. It’s a perfect fit. There’s no doubt WA is currently an AFL state but I see it very much like Queensland where all sports have a bona fide supporter and participation base.
“There doesn’t have to be a sporting war, just a realignment of attention. Until the box is ticked and we get the nod, I accept there is a possibility that something could go wrong.
“But I know from our talks the WA government very much wants a team in Perth.”