The inaugural team is really taking shape with a number of signings being made that will take the field under coach Mal Meninga.

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The Perth Bears are one of the most significant additions to Australian sport in the modern era, a truly national NRL club built on two proud rugby league traditions at opposite ends of the country.

At its heart, the Perth Bears story connects the deep roots of the North Sydney Bears, founded in 1908 and crowned premiers in 1921 and 1922, with Western Australia’s long and resilient relationship with rugby league. While the Bears’ time in the NRL ended in 1999 following the Super League peace deal, the club’s identity, values, and community presence never disappeared, continuing through elite pathways and reserve-grade competitions for more than two decades.

Rugby league in Western Australia has an equally rich, if often overlooked, history. Organised first-grade clubs were formally established in the late 1940s, and the game reached the national stage with the Western Reds in the 1990s. Though those early professional efforts were short-lived, the appetite for rugby league in WA never faded.

In May 2025, those two stories officially became one. The NRL confirmed the Perth Bears would enter the competition in 2027, reuniting the Bears brand with the elite level while planting it firmly in Western Australia. The appointment of Immortal Mal Meninga as inaugural coach and the establishment of the club’s home base at the WACA Ground and Waterbank precinct signalled a clear intent: this would be a club built for long-term success, not novelty.

Guided by a philosophy of Connect, Protect and Respect, the Perth Bears aim to grow the game in Western Australia, create genuine pathways for local players, and honour the legacy of one of rugby league’s most storied names, all while forging a new identity for a new generation.

Stand aside. The Perth Bears have arrived.

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