Bear facts: Everything you need to know about how new Perth NRL team will work

The Age

07-05-2025

The WA NRL Club will be a membership-based, not-for-profit organisation with a board that includes three Western Australians, one of whom will be chair. For the first five years, the club's sole voting member will be the Australian Rugby League Commission, with control transitioning to grassroots members upon the achievement of on-field and off-field performance milestones.
How long will the initial license be for?
The ARLC will provide the club with an initial license of five years, to compete in the NRL premiership competition for the first time in 2027 or 2028.
Who will be responsible for the club's financial performance?
The ARLC will cover the costs associated with running the club for the period of its initial license and ensure its financial viability.
How much financial support is the WA Government providing?
The WA Government will provide $60 million in direct financial assistance over seven years to help get the club off the ground, with $35 million ring-fenced for development, including grassroots. This funding will commence in the 2025/26 financial year.
The WA Government will provide an additional $5.6 million in match-day support and marketing support through Tourism WA, where it delivers a positive return to WA taxpayers.
Will any of this funding be provided to the ARLC or NRL?
Not one dollar of WA Government financial assistance will go to the ARLC or NRL. The financial assistance will be provided directly to the WA NRL club. Every dollar of the financial assistance provided will be spent in Western Australia.
Will the NRL charge the club a license fee?
No. The Perth club will not be charged for participating in the NRL premiership competition.
Will the WA Government have oversight on how the financial assistance is spent?
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The WA NRL club will provide a report to the WA Government each year, detailing how the financial assistance provided has been spent in Western Australia.
Has the WA Government carried out any modelling to support this expenditure?
Last year, the ARLC provided modelling that suggested a WA NRL club would deliver $52.2 million in economic benefits annually, once the team was competing in the NRL premiership.
This year, the department of treasury engaged consultancy firm Acil Allen to review the ARLC modelling. Taking a conservative approach, Acil Allen estimated that a WA NRL club would deliver $28 million in economic benefits annually, once competing. Based on these two sets of modelling, the financial support provided to the club will deliver a positive return to WA taxpayers.
The economic benefits include new jobs, as well as tourism visitation and branding benefits, as the game is broadcast around Australia and internationally.
Is there any other support the WA Government will provide?
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The development of rugby league in WA will benefit from the WA Government's pre-existing commitments to nearly 500 community sporting organisations, including for rectangular field sports. This will include fast-tracking the $20 million election commitment for a high-performance centre at Malaga, which the WA NRL club will share with rugby union.
The WA Government will also work with the Club and ARLC to grow junior participation in the game, including expanding formal touch, tag and tackle rugby league programs in Western Australia's public schools.