As of compiling this, it has been 27 days and the Perth Bears are yet to formally announce an official signing?
Panic stations? Absolutely not. Slightly worrying? Maybe.
I may be massively impatient, or I bought into the hype of the “ten signings by Christmas” boasts, but I would have expected something by now.
I fully understand that negotiations take time but the Bears have been linked to numerous players for many months.
Although they couldn’t formally talk to players until November 1st, 20 days (plus the cool off period before announcing) surely should have seen an announcement of some sort.
Development players have supposedly been signed, whilst a Super League name has been heavily linked and is set to be announced shortly. I won’t speculate but the names are very much out there.
Despite the slow start, I’m not worried. Nor should fans of the NRL’s newest club be worried either.
What is worrying though, is that reports are already emerging of the Perth Bears reaching out to the NRL for further assistance.
Less than a month into their recruitment drive, the Bears are already supposedly asking for salary cap concessions for travel and accomodation.
I don’t blame the Bears for trying. They’ve already missed out on the likes of Beau Fermor, Cameron Munster and Jayden Campbell.
WOLLONGONG, AUSTRALIA – APRIL 11: Jayden Campbell of the Titans passes the ball during the round six NRL match between St George Illawarra Dragons and Gold Coast Titans at WIN Stadium on April 11, 2025 in Wollongong, Australia. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)
Reportedly the club offered an eye watering deal for Campbell, only to be knocked back in favour of NRL strugglers the Gold Coast Titans.
Beau Fermor also chose to re-sign on the Gold Coast while Cameron Munster publicly said he wouldn’t be moving across the country.
Judging by reactions on social media platforms such as X (formerly Twitter) I am on an island here in saying that I don’t support the NRL offering salary cap concessions to the Bears.
This is a club who has just entered the competition after a decades long bid process.
Ok I know the “Bears” bid wasn’t always a Perth bid, but the fact is the NRL allowed the Perth Bears in on merrit.
Just as a quick aside, I have been campaigning for the inclusion of a Perth side for as long as I can remember. I applaud the decision and hope they thrive.
That said, allowing them further assistance above and beyond what every other club in the competition currently enjoys is setting a horrible precedent. One that will come back to haunt them tenfold.
Perth may be the new boys of the competition now, but that won’t last long with the PNG Hunters set to enter soon.
The very second Perth are allowed anything extra, PNG will have their hands out asking for the same.
The Cowboys would be well within their rights to make similar demands. Townsville isn’t as far from Sydney or Brisbane as Perth, but it’s a massive cost to move up north.
New Zealand could also be right there beside them. Perth is further but New Zealand is an entirely different country with it’s own set of rules and laws. Huge adjustment.
The Wests Tigers, off the back of three straight wooden spoons, can march to NRL HQ and ask where their help was while they were struggling to attract players.
Newcastle and Melbourne are out of Sydney and face market challenges. The Titans the same. The Gold Coast is hardly a rugby league town.
The Dolphins can ask where their assistance was when they entered the competition.
Cronulla, the smallest market in the NRL may even pop their heads in for a chat. How long were they without a major sponsor? They literally just named a Stadium sponsor earlier this week.
Of course these are all hypotheticals, albeit I believe realistic ones, but the Bears can’t be a month into recruitment and saying it’s too hard and that they need help.
Everyone in the world outside of Perth Bears head office knew it would be tough to attract a marquee player quickly.
The Dolphins, situated in a traditional rugby league stronghold, were knocked back numerous times by big name targets before they signed Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow.
I am very sympathetic to the distance of Perth from Sydney. I moved there in my early 20s in a time where making video calls wasn’t at the touch of a thumb.
It’s tough. I don’t regret it, but it’s tough to fly a loved one over to visit. Expensive too.
You can’t tell me though that this very concern was not highlighted during the bid process.
Again, the Bears were accepted on principle. That they’d form a side, and a competitive one at that.
The goalposts can’t be moved now. Unless the NRL is willing to move those very same posts the same way for every other NRL club.
Which in turn means any assistance for the Bears becomes parity and they lose that advantage.
Perth need to either recruit smarter or sell their product better.
The Dolphins signed Isaiya Katoa on his 18th birthday. He’d yet to play a second of NRL action. Fast forward a few seasons and he’s a genuine star and has one of the highest trajectories across the competition.
I understand those who think offering the Bears assistance early is good for the game. It probably is.
Until every other NRL club who misses out on a player lodges a case for similar assistance.