Western Australia to get new NRL team in $65 million deal
Western Australia will get a new NRL team after the state government and the Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) reached an agreement on funding for the side, WA Premier Roger Cook has announced.
Making the announcement on social media, Premier Cook revealed the state government would spend $65 million on the club, which could play its first game in 2027 or 2028, over the next seven years.
That includes $60 million in direct funding to the new team, and a further $5 million in match-day support and marketing.
An official announcement had been expected on Thursday after months of negotiations, which had stalled earlier this year.
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“Not only will this be great news for sports fans, it will be great news for our economy and great news for jobs,” Mr Cook said in the video.
“The new team will compete in the NRL Premiership competition in 2027 or 2028.
“My government will provide $60 million in direct financial support to the new club over seven years to secure this opportunity for Western Australia, and a further $5.6 million in match-day and marketing support over the same period.”
Mr Cook said every dollar provided by the government will be spent in WA.
The club will be a membership-based, not-for-profit organisation with a board that includes three Western Australians, one of whom will be chair, a statement from the Premier’s office said.
The ARLC will provide the club with a free initial licence for five years, and cover the costs of running the club for that time.
Estimates suggest the club will deliver $28 million in economic benefits annually once competing.
Long fight over
The fight to bring a team back to Perth has been long and frustrating, littered with almost moments.
The Perth-based Western Reds, which formed in 1992 and played in the Australian Rugby League competition, were axed in 1997, as part of a peace deal between the NRL and the breakaway Super League competition.
The success of bringing NRL games to Perth, and the huge crowds at State of Origin matches in the city has fuelled the drive to again base a side in the west on a permanent basis.
When the Western Australian Rugby League resurrected the Reds to participate in the New South Wales state competition from 2008, it was with an eye to eventually rejoining the national competition. Those efforts failed.
The WARL then launched the West Coast Pirates brand in 2012, featuring the original colours of the Reds, hoping it would reignite Perth’s bid for an NRL presence. The club never made it beyond the NSW junior rugby league competition.
Most recently, a consortium led by Cash Converters owner Peter Cumins put together a bid in conjunction with the North Sydney Bears, with the support of the WA government, which would have seen the Bears relocate to Perth.
It was expected the side would feature in the NRL in 2027. The ABC understands a launch event was scheduled for October 10 last year.
But just two days before that, News Corp reported the Australian Rugby League Commission had rejected the consortium’s bid as “significantly short”, while Nine Newspapers reported ARLC chair Peter V’landys had described the offer as “low-ball” and “disrespectful”.
