Latest news with #Mal
The Advertiser
4 days ago
- Business
- The Advertiser
Mal's Mission: How Meninga plans to poke the Bears
After unveiling Mal Meninga as the Perth Bears' inaugural head coach, the club's chief executive says criticism of the NRL's start-up franchise is proof they are on the right track to winning new supporters in the AFL-made West. At a press conference at League Central in Sydney on Friday, Meninga signed a three-year contract with the Bears, who will enter the NRL in 2027. It marks the 64-year-old's first foray into club coaching since he left the Canberra Raiders in 2001. Meninga will be 69 by the time his contract expires. The Immortal, who has enjoyed a decorated representative coaching career in charge of Queensland and Australia, will relinquish his role with the Kangaroos ahead of this year's Ashes series to help the Bears build a roster to be competitive in a little over 18 months time. "This is bigger than me," Meninga said. "This new pioneering venture over to WA and the opportunity to be involved in the growth of the game, to grow a club the Perth Bears is too good to refuse. "I feel very honoured, very nervous, and I think it's a huge responsibility." The Bears can talk to off-contract players come November 1, but their hardest challenge may be winning over fans, sponsors and a media who are already heavily invested in the AFL. "Mal is an Immortal of the NRL, he is also an Immortal of our national sporting landscape, Mal is part of the Australian identity and we're honoured he's taken this opportunity," said club chief executive Anthony De Ceglie. "We've gone from one Bear in me, to two Bears in Mal, we've doubled our staff overnight. "It's small steps, we need to listen to the legacy of the North Sydney Bears and the fans in WA who have a proud tradition and who have kept the candle burning and we need to marry those two things together to make this a huge success." A former high-ranking executive at Seven West Media - the company which owns the AFL broadcast rights - De Ceglie knows the NRL's 18th side has work to do. Already the local Seven West-owned newspaper The West Australian has been critical of the venture which has been backed by WA State government cash. "Normally if you're doing something right, you have a few critics along the way," De Ceglie said. "I've been totally blown away by the amount of messages of people who want to get involved in the Perth Bears … I'm very optimistic this will be a huge success. "It'll be up to the Perth Bears to earn the respect of the newspaper. "If we're a success on the field, and if we're a success off the field, then we should be in those sports pages. "If we're not, the only people missing out are the readers of the newspaper." Meninga is yet to finalise his coaching staff nor a recruitment team who can help him bring the Perth roster together with a relatively short lead-in time. When the Redcliffe-based Dolphins entered the NRL in 2023 they missed out on several big-name targets in the recruitment space. But their squad - which won nine of their 24 games in their inaugural season - earned the respect of rival clubs for their effort and determination. "I don't think we'll have too many worries about talking to players and managers about the opportunity to come play in Perth," Meninga said. "We've got a story to tell. We have to understand what we're trying to achieve and that's my job initially to get the right people and resources around us to help understand what that story is." After unveiling Mal Meninga as the Perth Bears' inaugural head coach, the club's chief executive says criticism of the NRL's start-up franchise is proof they are on the right track to winning new supporters in the AFL-made West. At a press conference at League Central in Sydney on Friday, Meninga signed a three-year contract with the Bears, who will enter the NRL in 2027. It marks the 64-year-old's first foray into club coaching since he left the Canberra Raiders in 2001. Meninga will be 69 by the time his contract expires. The Immortal, who has enjoyed a decorated representative coaching career in charge of Queensland and Australia, will relinquish his role with the Kangaroos ahead of this year's Ashes series to help the Bears build a roster to be competitive in a little over 18 months time. "This is bigger than me," Meninga said. "This new pioneering venture over to WA and the opportunity to be involved in the growth of the game, to grow a club the Perth Bears is too good to refuse. "I feel very honoured, very nervous, and I think it's a huge responsibility." The Bears can talk to off-contract players come November 1, but their hardest challenge may be winning over fans, sponsors and a media who are already heavily invested in the AFL. "Mal is an Immortal of the NRL, he is also an Immortal of our national sporting landscape, Mal is part of the Australian identity and we're honoured he's taken this opportunity," said club chief executive Anthony De Ceglie. "We've gone from one Bear in me, to two Bears in Mal, we've doubled our staff overnight. "It's small steps, we need to listen to the legacy of the North Sydney Bears and the fans in WA who have a proud tradition and who have kept the candle burning and we need to marry those two things together to make this a huge success." A former high-ranking executive at Seven West Media - the company which owns the AFL broadcast rights - De Ceglie knows the NRL's 18th side has work to do. Already the local Seven West-owned newspaper The West Australian has been critical of the venture which has been backed by WA State government cash. "Normally if you're doing something right, you have a few critics along the way," De Ceglie said. "I've been totally blown away by the amount of messages of people who want to get involved in the Perth Bears … I'm very optimistic this will be a huge success. "It'll be up to the Perth Bears to earn the respect of the newspaper. "If we're a success on the field, and if we're a success off the field, then we should be in those sports pages. "If we're not, the only people missing out are the readers of the newspaper." Meninga is yet to finalise his coaching staff nor a recruitment team who can help him bring the Perth roster together with a relatively short lead-in time. When the Redcliffe-based Dolphins entered the NRL in 2023 they missed out on several big-name targets in the recruitment space. But their squad - which won nine of their 24 games in their inaugural season - earned the respect of rival clubs for their effort and determination. "I don't think we'll have too many worries about talking to players and managers about the opportunity to come play in Perth," Meninga said. "We've got a story to tell. We have to understand what we're trying to achieve and that's my job initially to get the right people and resources around us to help understand what that story is." After unveiling Mal Meninga as the Perth Bears' inaugural head coach, the club's chief executive says criticism of the NRL's start-up franchise is proof they are on the right track to winning new supporters in the AFL-made West. At a press conference at League Central in Sydney on Friday, Meninga signed a three-year contract with the Bears, who will enter the NRL in 2027. It marks the 64-year-old's first foray into club coaching since he left the Canberra Raiders in 2001. Meninga will be 69 by the time his contract expires. The Immortal, who has enjoyed a decorated representative coaching career in charge of Queensland and Australia, will relinquish his role with the Kangaroos ahead of this year's Ashes series to help the Bears build a roster to be competitive in a little over 18 months time. "This is bigger than me," Meninga said. "This new pioneering venture over to WA and the opportunity to be involved in the growth of the game, to grow a club the Perth Bears is too good to refuse. "I feel very honoured, very nervous, and I think it's a huge responsibility." The Bears can talk to off-contract players come November 1, but their hardest challenge may be winning over fans, sponsors and a media who are already heavily invested in the AFL. "Mal is an Immortal of the NRL, he is also an Immortal of our national sporting landscape, Mal is part of the Australian identity and we're honoured he's taken this opportunity," said club chief executive Anthony De Ceglie. "We've gone from one Bear in me, to two Bears in Mal, we've doubled our staff overnight. "It's small steps, we need to listen to the legacy of the North Sydney Bears and the fans in WA who have a proud tradition and who have kept the candle burning and we need to marry those two things together to make this a huge success." A former high-ranking executive at Seven West Media - the company which owns the AFL broadcast rights - De Ceglie knows the NRL's 18th side has work to do. Already the local Seven West-owned newspaper The West Australian has been critical of the venture which has been backed by WA State government cash. "Normally if you're doing something right, you have a few critics along the way," De Ceglie said. "I've been totally blown away by the amount of messages of people who want to get involved in the Perth Bears … I'm very optimistic this will be a huge success. "It'll be up to the Perth Bears to earn the respect of the newspaper. "If we're a success on the field, and if we're a success off the field, then we should be in those sports pages. "If we're not, the only people missing out are the readers of the newspaper." Meninga is yet to finalise his coaching staff nor a recruitment team who can help him bring the Perth roster together with a relatively short lead-in time. When the Redcliffe-based Dolphins entered the NRL in 2023 they missed out on several big-name targets in the recruitment space. But their squad - which won nine of their 24 games in their inaugural season - earned the respect of rival clubs for their effort and determination. "I don't think we'll have too many worries about talking to players and managers about the opportunity to come play in Perth," Meninga said. "We've got a story to tell. We have to understand what we're trying to achieve and that's my job initially to get the right people and resources around us to help understand what that story is."
7NEWS
5 days ago
- Sport
- 7NEWS
Australian NRL legend Mal Meninga confirmed as head coach of Perth Bears
The Perth Bears hope the presence of Mal Meninga will give the NRL's 18th team immediate cut-through in an AFL-dominated city after unveiling the Immortal as the head coach of the start-up franchise. At a press conference in Sydney on Friday, Meninga was locked in as the Bears' inaugural coach on a three-year deal. It is his first foray into club coaching in more than 25 years. Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today The nine-time State of Origin series-winning coach beat South Sydney great Sam Burgess and former Parramatta boss Brad Arthur to the role, his first in charge of a club since 2001. Meninga has renounced his role as coach of the Australian Test team ahead of an end-of-season Ashes tour. The 64-year-old will now set about building a competitive roster for the Bears' first NRL season in 2027. 'This is one of the most exciting challenges of my career,' Meninga said. 'To have the opportunity to take our great game back to Western Australia to start a new team and to bring with it a much-loved rugby league community and heritage brand in the Bears. 'It's a great privilege and responsibility I've been given to be one of the leaders in the formation of the club. 'I'm looking forward getting to stuck into the work that needs to be done to deliver a team that represents WA and is competitive from day one.' Meninga has built a terrific resume working as a representative coach with the Kangaroos, Queensland and Papua New Guinea, but hasn't worked at club level since he left the Canberra Raiders in 2001. Perth Bears CEO Anthony De Ceglie said Meninga's leadership and experience would give the organisation a strong platform to build its culture and identity. 'We're extremely honoured that Mal has signed on to become the inaugural coach of the Perth Bears,' De Ceglie said. 'Mal is not just an Immortal of the NRL but an immortal of the Australian sporting landscape. 'He is an icon whose leadership qualities such as courage, honesty and hard work are rightly renowned across the country and make him the perfect coach to build a brand new team from the ground up. 'I'm sure NRL fans in Perth and in North Sydney will join me in welcoming him with open arms.' The Bears' return to the NRL comes 25 years after their Northern Eagles merger with Manly collapsed .... and a tough task looms for Meninga. Some 14 expansion teams have joined the NRL and its predecessors since 1982, when the league first began to expand out of Sydney. Only two of those teams, the Brisbane Broncos and Melbourne Storm, played finals in their first two seasons. Even then, the Broncos only made it to a play-off game to reach the official post-season in 1989, losing that match to Cronulla. Among the 12 remaining teams, only one - the Auckland Warriors of 1995 - had a winning record in either of their first two seasons, while three picked up the wooden spoon in the same time-frame. EXPANSION TEAMS THAT PLAYED FINALS IN THEIR FIRST TWO SEASONS Brisbane Broncos: 7th (1988), 6th^ (1989) Melbourne Storm: 3rd^ (1998), 3rd^ (1999) EXPANSION TEAMS THAT MISSED FINALS IN THEIR FIRST TWO SEASONS Canberra Raiders: 14th* (1982), 10th (1983) Illawarra Steelers: 13th (1982), 12th (1983) Newcastle Knights: 14th (1988), 7th (1989) Gold Coast/Tweed Heads Giants: 15th (1988), 13th (1989) South Queensland Crushers: 16th (1995), 20th* (1996) Western Reds: 11th (1995), 16th (1996) North Queensland Cowboys: 20th* (1995), 17th (1996) The Warriors: 10th (1995), 11th (1996) Adelaide Rams: 9th (1997, Super League), 17th (1998) Hunter Mariners: 6th (1997, Super League), N/A (1998) Gold Coast Titans: 12th (2007), 13th (2008) The Dolphins: 13th (2023), 10th (2024) ^denotes the team played finals *denotes the team finished last
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mal Meninga denies Kangaroos exit reports as Perth Bears linked to surprise target
Mal Meninga has confirmed he's "very close" to signing on as the coach of the Perth Bears, but denies reports he will have to resign from his role with the Kangaroos this year. Meninga is in the final stages of negotiations to become the Bears' inaugural coach, with ARL Commission (ARLC) boss Peter V'landys expected to announce his appointment in the next 24 hours. Brad Arthur and Sam Burgess were the other leading contenders to land the role but Meninga has beaten them to the top job. Reports from News Corp this week claimed the ARLC would require Meninga to relinquish his role as Kangaroos coach if he agreed to take on the Perth job, meaning Australia would need to find a new coach before this year's Ashes campaign against England in October and November. Speaking on SEN radio on Thursday morning though, Meninga denied that was the case and says he still believes he can lead the Kangaroos in their first Ashes tour in 22 years. "That discussion hasn't taken place - so not quite sure where that'll land," Meninga told SEN. "I believe I can be involved." The league Immortal confirmed that negotiations were at an advanced stage for him to be appointed as the first head coach of the Bears, who are set to enter the NRL in 2027. "I haven't signed yet but we're very close... negotiations have been going great, there's still just a couple of things we need to sort out," he told SEN. Meninga is based in Canberra and his representatives have been negotiating relocation clauses with the NRL, in a strong indication that he's ready to head west. The NRL owns the Perth license and News Corp says league bosses have finalised financial terms with Meninga, paving the way for his appointment. The same report says Arthur and Burgess were both offered roles as assistants to Meninga, with a view to succeeding the 64-year-old in the future. Both men reportedly rejected that proposal after only being interested in taking the top job. RELATED: Family detail as Bellamy tipped for stunning switch to QLD team Nathan Cleary act comes to light after Panthers axe Test player Meninga has not coached in the NRL since his stint with the Raiders ended in 2001. He has enjoyed plenty of coaching success at rep level with the Maroons and the Kangaroos though. And league great Greg Alexander stressed that while Meninga is the perfect man to lead the Bears, he says it will be imperative he's surrounded by experienced coaching staff. "Mal will be the figurehead and obviously the head coach but he'll have to rely on his off-siders to do a lot of the on-ground coaching," Alexander told SEN radio. "So that's pretty important too to get the right assistant coaches around him. Mal will have to build a good team around him but I think we all agree that Mal is the perfect man to take on this role because of his profile." Alexander says landing a marquee fullback or halfback should also be a top priority for the Bears, with veteran commentator Andrew Voss floating Nicho Hynes as a shock target. A major stumbling block would be the fact the former Dally M winner is contracted to the Sharks until the end of 2029. But Voss said the Sharks may consider releasing Hynes if he's unable to help the club realise their premiership potential in the next couple of years. "What if Cronulla again fall short this year? And they make a decision that Nicho is not going to take us to the promised land, that if something else came up and this is 2027 we're talking about," Voss said. "Nicho would be valuable at maybe fullback for the Perth Bears. I'm just thinking... he might be their first captain even. I think there's a lot of good with Nicho Hynes that is more than just the on-field stuff and I think the Perth Bears need a bit of that. I just think he's one that would be in the mix."
West Australian
6 days ago
- Sport
- West Australian
Mal Meninga to lead Perth Bears, steps down as Kangaroos coach
Mal Meninga is set to be named the Perth Bears' foundation coach by Friday, a move that will see him resign as Kangaroos coach. The ARL Commission is preparing to announce the Bears' historic first coach after an extensive search that saw Brad Arthur and Sam Burgess eliminated from contention. This clears the way for Meninga, who will lead the NRL's 18th team as they enter the competition in 2027, according to The Daily Telegraph. The NRL, which owns the Perth licence, has finalised financial terms with Meninga, and his representatives have discussed relocation clauses, strong signs that the NRL Immortal is on the verge of taking the job. ARL Commission boss Peter V'landys is expected to confirm the appointment within 24 hours. If confirmed, the decision will require a new Test coach for Australia's Ashes campaign, as the ARLC will not allow Meninga to hold both roles. Meninga, who signed a new deal last year to stay with the Kangaroos through the 2026 World Cup, will step away after a nine-year reign to take on the Perth challenge. He could initially remain in Canberra to oversee player recruitment before the Bears are allowed to sign players from November 1. 'I am certainly interested in helping out in any way I can,' Meninga told The Daily Telegraph last week. 'It would be great to be part of an expansion team, whether that's Perth or PNG, as both regions have great potential if we get the pathways right.' NRL figures have praised the move, with North Sydney legend Billy Moore saying, 'I think Mal could be very important… Having Mal as your figurehead coach is a great thing because he is your brand. You know him. He has credibility. And he is also a good coach because of what he has done for Queensland and Australia.' Wayne Bennett added, 'Mal would be great for Perth. Mal is a legend of our game, he's an Immortal. He would be great from a promotional point of view, too, giving the game some profile over there.' The ARLC is now expected to move quickly to appoint a new Kangaroos coach ahead of this year's Ashes series. More to come.
Perth Now
6 days ago
- Sport
- Perth Now
Meninga set to be named Perth Bears first NRL coach
Mal Meninga is set to be named the Perth Bears' foundation coach by Friday, a move that will see him resign as Kangaroos coach. The ARL Commission is preparing to announce the Bears' historic first coach after an extensive search that saw Brad Arthur and Sam Burgess eliminated from contention. This clears the way for Meninga, who will lead the NRL's 18th team as they enter the competition in 2027, according to The Daily Telegraph. The NRL, which owns the Perth licence, has finalised financial terms with Meninga, and his representatives have discussed relocation clauses, strong signs that the NRL Immortal is on the verge of taking the job. ARL Commission boss Peter V'landys is expected to confirm the appointment within 24 hours. If confirmed, the decision will require a new Test coach for Australia's Ashes campaign, as the ARLC will not allow Meninga to hold both roles. Meninga, who signed a new deal last year to stay with the Kangaroos through the 2026 World Cup, will step away after a nine-year reign to take on the Perth challenge. He could initially remain in Canberra to oversee player recruitment before the Bears are allowed to sign players from November 1. 'I am certainly interested in helping out in any way I can,' Meninga told The Daily Telegraph last week. 'It would be great to be part of an expansion team, whether that's Perth or PNG, as both regions have great potential if we get the pathways right.' NRL figures have praised the move, with North Sydney legend Billy Moore saying, 'I think Mal could be very important… Having Mal as your figurehead coach is a great thing because he is your brand. You know him. He has credibility. And he is also a good coach because of what he has done for Queensland and Australia.' Wayne Bennett added, 'Mal would be great for Perth. Mal is a legend of our game, he's an Immortal. He would be great from a promotional point of view, too, giving the game some profile over there.' The ARLC is now expected to move quickly to appoint a new Kangaroos coach ahead of this year's Ashes series. More to come.
