Category: NRL

• Bears to enter competition before PNG expansion side
• Club will wear red and black and play home games at HBF Park

Peter V’landys insists the Perth Bears can be immediately competitive, adamant their link with North Sydney will set them up for success on entry to the NRL in 2027. The league confirmed on Thursday Perth would become the 18th franchise, joining the competition one year before Papua New Guinea’s 2028 admission.

The announcement ends a long push from Western Australia to have a team in the competition, after the Western Reds were killed off in the Super League war. The Bears link will also revive the moniker of one of the league’s foundation clubs, after North Sydney’s exit following the failed merger with Manly in 2000.

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All 12 Super League clubs take the field at St James’ Park but away from the pitch the structure of the sport in England is under discussion

There are some weekends when Super League’s profile feels elevated and this is one of them. The 18th edition of Magic Weekend, with all 12 teams playing in the same venue over two days, returns to St James’ Park with the event being played out to a backdrop of excitement and uncertainty.

On the one hand, this has been an encouraging start to 2025. Attendances are up, viewing figures are trending the right way and there is the prospect of the best-attended Ashes series in a generation this autumn, with two of the three venues already sold out.

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• Teenager stars in win over Cronulla on return to first grade
• ‘It’s been pretty difficult,’ says Wests playmaker of contract situation

Lachlan Galvin has described the last fortnight of his life as “difficult” and “tough” after the wantaway five-eighth made a triumphant return to Wests Tigers’ NRL side.

Galvin claimed he was undaunted by making his first grade comeback – after a six-day exile in NSW Cup – at a packed Leichhardt Oval as he starred in the Tigers’ 20-18 golden point win over Cronulla on Sunday.

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• Aunty Joy Murphy Wandin was to perform before NRL Anzac Day clash
• Club say was ‘miscommunication’ over decision to call off ceremony

Melbourne Storm are under fire after being accused of cancelling a Welcome to Country at its Anzac Day NRL match at the last minute, leaving an Aboriginal elder “broken-hearted”.

Wurundjeri elder Aunty Joy Murphy Wandin said she was informed by the club on Friday afternoon that she was no longer required to address the crowd before the match at AAMI Park.

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• ARLC agrees in principle to Western Australian government proposal
• Clubs and Rugby League Players’ Association still to sign off deal

The NRL is set to expand into Perth after the Australian Rugby League Commission agreed in principle to a revised proposal from the Western Australia government for an NRL team.

The ARLC has signed off on an increased offer from WA Premier Roger Cook, which has salvaged plans for the Perth Bears concept to enter the competition in 2027.

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• Australian powerbrokers ready to purchase 33% stake
• London club also favoured to play in a 10-team format

Any potential deal for the NRL to take control of Super League depends on the continued presence of French clubs in the British game, with Australian powerbrokers likely to abandon plans to purchase a stake if Catalans Dragons and Toulouse are ejected by clubs leading a review into the sport in the UK.

British rugby league is on the verge of a hugely critical period. There is an increasingly hostile power struggle developing, after a number of clubs – spearheaded by Leigh Leopards and Batley Bulldogs – successfully removed Simon Johnson as the the Rugby Football League chair, and installed as his replacement the governing body’s former chief executive Nigel Wood.

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• ‘Nothing like this will ever happen again,’ says Charlie Gallico
• Much-loved retired panelbeater filmed shoving nine-year-old

South Sydney’s mascot has apologised for pushing a child during an NRL match against the Cronulla Sharks. Charlie Gallico, while dressed as mascot Reggie Rabbit, was filmed shoving a nine-year-old boy while moving through the players’ tunnel at Sharks Stadium during their round three fixture.

Gallico, 81, issued an apology on Tuesday following an investigation by the club into a complaint made by the child’s mother Caroline Agius.

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• Kodi Nikorima and Mark Nicholls withdraw to stay close to family
• Kenny Bromwich also pulls out from facing Rabbitohs in Sydney

Dolphins duo Kodi Nikorima and Mark Nicholls have withdrawn from the clash with South Sydney as Cyclone Alfred makes a beeline for the southern Queensland coast.

Kenny Bromwich, who was slated to be 18th man, has also pulled out of Friday night’s clash in Sydney. Sean O’Sullivan comes into the side to replace Nikorima while prop Josh Kerr is on the bench in place of Nicholls.

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• Raiders 30-8 Warriors
• Green Machine put rivals on notice with five-try demolition

Life without Jarome Luai and James Fisher-Harris is off to a great start for defending premiers Penrith, who wrapped up the NRL’s second Las Vegas visit with a thrilling 28-22 win over Cronulla.

The Panthers had their wobbles at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday (AEDT) as they took their first steps without Luai and Fisher-Harris - undoubtedly the two most important players they have lost in five years as NRL heavyweights.

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• Panthers star backs partner’s team after Marty Sheargold’s comments
• Penrith face Cronulla Sharks in NRL gala in Las Vegas on Saturday

Nathan Cleary says it’s “sad” Mary Fowler’s Matildas are still targeted with “unnecessary” trolling after a radio host was widely condemned for on-air comments about Australia’s women’s football team.

Marty Sheargold and Triple M mutually agreed to part ways earlier this week after a tirade during which he likened the Matildas to “year 10 girls” and said he would rather “hammer a nail through the head of [his] penis” than watch their Asian Cup campaign.

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• White Ribbon ends affiliation after league’s ‘tone deaf’ offer
• Andrew Abdo insists NRL remains committed to inclusion

The NRL has defended the decision to invite Donald Trump to its Las Vegas fixtures after an anti-domestic violence charity severed ties with the league over what it called a “tone deaf” offer.

White Ribbon penned a letter to the NRL this week that ended a partnership dating back to 2008, citing the league’s decision to associate with “well-known perpetrators of abuse and violence against women”.

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• Dally M Medallist named in interim coach Jess Skinner’s starting side
• Australia face Lionesses in historic women’s rugby league international

Olivia Kernick has won back her Jillaroos jersey, after the Dally M Medallist was called back into Australia’s back row for their Las Vegas Test against England. Controversially axed from the squad for the Pacific Championships last year despite being the NRLW’s best player, Kernick has been listed to start in the US.

The 24-year-old is one of two new faces to the Australian side that beat New Zealand in last year’s Pacific Championships final, replacing the unavailable Millie Elliott. Quincy Dodd has also been called onto the bench, in place of fellow hooker Keeley Davis.

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• Two players and toy baseball bat involved in hotel incident
• Duo set to be named to face New Zealand Warriors on Sunday

The NRL has been dealt its first off-field behavioural issue in Las Vegas, with Canberra forwards Morgan Smithies and Hudson Young forced into explaining their actions after clashing on the opening night of the Raiders’ camp.

The two players fronted the media on Monday (Tuesday AEDT) to apologise after becoming involved in an altercation with each other after a night out, when a hotel mix up left one of them without a room.

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• St George Illawarra defeat South Sydney 46-26 in Mudgee
• Sione Finau helped from field after starring with four tries

St George Illawarra have claimed a 46-26 Charity Shield victory to leave South Sydney coach Wayne Bennett with more questions than answers as he attempts to save the Rabbitohs’ NRL season before it has begun.

After a week in which Cameron Murray was ruled out for the rest of the year and Latrell Mitchell was sidelined for the first six weeks of the season, Jamie Humphreys emerged as a beacon of light for the Rabbitohs on Saturday.

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• Record revenue, crowds and viewing figures announced at AGM
• Game ‘never been stronger’ financially, says Peter V’landys

The NRL has lauded the 2024 season as the most lucrative and successful in rugby league’s 117-year history in Australia.

Boasting record revenue, crowds and viewing figures, the NRL says rugby league is now the most popular sport in Australia and the Pacific.

Attendances – total: $4.79m - up 3.8%

TV viewership – total: $200.5m - up 8.6%

Participation – total: $1.03m - up 20.6%

Asset value – total: $322.4m - up 24%

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