North Sydney officially confirmed as key partner in Perth Bears NRL club

25 November 2025

The Perth Bears have officially announced a major partnership agreement with the North Sydney Bears, designating the storied New South Wales club as its Primary Pathway Partner and NSWRL Representative Teams Partner. 

The North Sydney Bears are a foundation rugby league club that played first grade for 91 years before tragically being booted from the competition in 1999. After surviving in the NSW Cup (reserve grade) the Bears finally got their call up back to the NRL, but had to relocate to Perth. 

Under the new arrangement, North Sydney’s junior representative programs and junior league competitions will serve as an exclusive development pipeline for players aiming to reach the NRL through the Perth Bears franchise.

Perth Bears Head Coach Mal Meninga expressed his satisfaction with the agreement, stating he was “truly honoured to be part of the future that keeps the North Sydney Bears heritage and legacy alive.” adding “They are a valuable partner in the sustainable success of the Perth Bears and the game of rugby league in the West,” he added. Meninga further noted that North Sydney’s “history and traditions will be cemented in the foundations of the Perth Bears and will always be celebrated.”

Mal Meninga

Cross state feeder arrangements are nothing new in the NRL with the Melbourne Storm partnering with several Queensland and NSW clubs, including the Bears. The Canberra Raiders had a partnership in different forms with the Mounties RLFC based in Mount Pritchard, NSW. 

Perth Bears CEO Anthony De Ceglie clarified that the partnership extends beyond on-field performance, representing a commitment to acknowledging and respecting the heritage and supporter base of the North Sydney Bears. “The Perth Bears are a new NRL franchise, but nothing will ever change the fact that the birthplace and spiritual home of the ‘Bears’ in rugby league will always be North Sydney,” 

Gareth Holmes and Anthony De Ceglie

North Sydney Bears CEO Gareth Holmes called the development a monumental milestone. “This partnership not only marks a monumental milestone for our loyal Bears supporters who have waited so long to see their team return to the top-flight, but it also opens fantastic opportunities for young, aspiring rugby league players right here in Sydney and through our local junior league,” 

The North Sydney Bears will be standing alone in the NSW Cup for the 2026, revoking their feeder partnership with the Melbourne Storm not long after the Perth Bears announcement. The red and black are set to be back on the NRL stage in 2027.