News Return of The Bears?

[ddt192]

The Bears have bold comeback plans in a bid to become the NRL’s next expansion, possibly side as soon as 2025.

The Dolphins were handed the NRL’s 17th licence earlier this month, beating out southeast Queensland rival bids the Jets and Firehawks.

The NRL has indicated expansion in the short-term wasn’t set to end with the Dolphins, who will enter the competition in 2023.


North Sydney last played in the NRL in 1999 and if successful in re-entering the competition they will only be known as the Bears.

The bid’s pitch is to play the majority of their home games in regional NSW, with Dubbo, Coffs Harbour, Wagga Wagga, the Central Coast and Tamworth on the list.

But they would still play between four and six matches at North Sydney Oval.


“We want to be reintroduced as the 18th team, as a team of the people,” Bears chairman Daniel Dickson told the SMH.
“We think it’s the best rugby league story in 20 years.
“This is de-risking the growth of the game by re-engaging with 220,000 fans.
“If you start a new franchise, you have years of growing your fan base. This is an existing, 113-year national brand of heritage, heart and history.
“All we need to do is give it a platform.”

The Bears are currently the Roosters feeder club but believe they have the finances to go it alone in the NRL.

The North Sydney Leagues Club has pledged to back the bid as a long-term sponsor and partner.

 

[Dogsville]

Yeah!. Bring back the Bears

 

[CroydonDog]

Yeah, not going to happen. If it was going to happen, it would have by now.

 

[CrittaMagic69]

Yes, I can switch back to my team

 

[Cujo]

Yes, I can switch back to my team

Thank Fluck!

 

[B-Train]

I'd love to see it happen but it's more wishful thinking than anything.

Having a team in Perth is important to the growth of the sport so hopefully that happens in the next century.

 

[alchemist]

even a second NZ team makes more sense than re-admitting the Bears now

 

[H-dog]

even a second NZ team makes more sense than re-admitting the Bears now

Yeah why would the nrl entertain the Idea of another NSW team when talking expansion

 

[Moedogg]

If they hadn't folded, we probably wouldn't have gotten O'Meley. They can stay extinct. Expansion means less players to pick from.... unless expanding into new territory like NZ, etc.

 

[racin jason]

I can't believe that they are still flogging this dead horse...

 

[Dogmonster]

F**k NZ and PERTH or another Qld team nobody wants to watch them anyway, Bring back the Bears, alot of good juniors play there and most end up at Roosters that Norths are feeder club for anyway.
Their ideas are great if you read article properly and they have the money to back it.

 

[Psycho Doggie]

All of these things and a lot more can be solved by having two NRL divisions. 12 teams in each division means a full home and away season plus more time for Origin and rep games, and even a knock out style Cup to start the season. Scrap the cap, introduce player purchases and loans so that clubs who develop talent get some reward for it. Have strict financial fairplay rules so that clubs can't spend their way into trouble. The loan system means that teams in the top division can loan from the 2nd division teams to cover injuries. Two tiers like this will help with the obvious problem we have at the moment with the leap from NSW/QLD cup level to NRL.

And with 24 NRL teams, teams like Ipswich, Bears, Jets can get into the top grade, and places like Wellington, Perth, Adelaide, could get a team.

NSW and QLD cup teams could also be advised that if an NRL team breaks the financial fairplay rules badly enough, they will get demoted to a state comp and one of the state comp teams will earn an NRL spot.

 

[2144superman]

LOLLLLLL will never happen and for good reason.

 

[Dogmonster]

LOLLLLLL will never happen and for good reason.

What good reason??

 

[Rodzilla]

the new brisbane team should have been called north sydney bears, brisbane is north of sydney

the only problem is they would find it hard to get local support because brisbane fans would hate the name

 

[TwinTurbo]

Yes, I can switch back to my team

Always a Bulldog

 

[berries1935]

They won’t go the bears playing out 7 different areas... will be Perth or 2nd NZ team

 

[Greenmachine121]

They won’t go the bears playing out 7 different areas... will be Perth or 2nd NZ team

This exactly … 7 different grounds no chance

 

[JayBee]

What an absolute waste.

I love the fact that they want to play out of Country NSW - but fuck me, the Tigers have a geographical problem... imagine this lot?

"Oh what area is your team from? - Tamworth, Dubbo, and North Sydney".

NZ, Central QLD, Central Coast, and Perth must be the priorities for our 18th team. Or, a smokey, a Fiji/PNG team.

 

[B-Train]

What an absolute waste.

I love the fact that they want to play out of Country NSW - but fuck me, the Tigers have a geographical problem... imagine this lot?

"Oh what area is your team from? - Tamworth, Dubbo, and North Sydney".

NZ, Central QLD, Central Coast, and Perth must be the priorities for our 18th team. Or, a smokey, a Fiji/PNG team.

It's a stupid idea. Their bid isn't likely to win anyway but they should aim to play every home game at Gosford except for three games a year at North Sydney Oval. It's a perfect stadium in one of the fastest growing areas in the country so I don't know why they'd want to play all over NSW. It will only weaken their bid and make it harder for them to develop a fanbase.