How Perth won an 18-year battle for NRL readmission
Scott Bailey |
It was only a month ago that rugby league’s truest believers in Perth began to lose all hope.
That after an 18-year battle for readmission, Western Australia’s chances were about to be blown up as negotiations between the NRL and state government fell apart.
With the clock ticking on a deal being done and accusations of treating the state as a cash cow flying across the country, Western Australia again looked likely remaining in the rugby league wilderness.
“That’s when I thought, ‘Oh my God, I think this might be over’,” NRL WA chief executive John Sackson told AAP.
“That was where I felt the most lost. I thought it was done, that it was over.
“And I thought if that was the case it would be years before things were reignited again.”
Sackson has helped lead the charge for Perth’s return to the NRL for 15 years.
The former Sony Music Australia managing director has headed up NRL WA since 2010, which now houses 10 full-time employees.
For years, Sackson has attempted to sell the vision of a Perth side to anyone who would listen.
It’s a compelling argument based on close to comparable participation numbers with Victoria, friendly time zones, and a long list of willing sponsors.
Games in the state have regularly sold out, with the locals among a 60,000-strong crowd at next month’s State of Origin clash at Optus Stadium all viewed as potential NRL converts.
“Those great benefits have existed for some time,” Sackson said.
“We’ve all been in the trenches here. Every column inch, every minute of radio time or every registration was a means to an end.
“We had to strengthen the foundations of the game to make it more appealing to decision makers in Sydney to look upon Perth more favourably.
“But it was just a matter of getting the timing right.”
Perth’s rugby league’s devotees have seen more false dawns than they care to remember.
Killed off by the Super League war in 1997, a plan for rugby league’s return to the west was first hatched by Sackson’s predecessors at a meeting in December 2006.
The Western Reds were revived, initially through entry to the third-tier Ron Massey Cup in NSW before shifting to the U18s SG Ball.
At that stage the goal was a 2011 return to the NRL. Then it was 2013. Then later still.
Eventually the Reds became the West Coast Pirates, and a vision for 2020 was on the cards. Until it wasn’t, and COVID-19 eventually killed off the pathway club.
“Every time expansion was mentioned, everyone would rev their engines,” Sackson said.
“There would be stories and media polls as to who should get it, and Western Australia would hands down win those polls.
“Every bit of positive press or comment from a high-profile identity, you would get your hopes up, you would feel fantastic.
“And then a decision would be made to turn your engines off and expansion would be put on the backburner.”
Even this campaign has been clouded with doubt, a wild rollercoaster of uncertainty.
When the NRL announced plans to go to 18 teams early last year, Perth were the clear favourites with Cash Converters boss Peter Cumins leading a consortium.
The deal to join with North Sydney and bring back the Bears made the deal seem a fait accompli.
An announcement was expected in September. Then October. Then it was off altogether as Peter V’landys rejected the consortium.
The government entered the fray and rugby league became an election issue, before talks deteriorated and Premier Roger Cook accused the NRL of treating his state as a cash cow.
Days later, when the believers began to lose all hope, last-ditch salvage talks were back on and within weeks a deal was struck for the Bears’ admission in 2027.
“It’s almost surreal,” Sackson said.
“It’s been very close to my heart and I represent the broader game here and stakeholders and fans.
“It’s the silver bullet the game needs here to compete and not just exist.”
Opponents of the Perth bid have previously pointed to the Western Reds’ demise and three drama-charged seasons. But those who were involved in the club believe that is ancient history.
The Reds’ financial model famously left them paying for flights of visiting teams’ first and reserve-grade sides, while the club had no rectangular-stadium available.
Cook went as far as to say this week he was “still scarred”.
Yet rugby league was far less visible in Perth at the time, while the code endured its most volatile era through the Reds’ brief existence.
“Our doors were closed because of the Super League war, nothing more really,” former Reds marketing director Chris Warren said.
“It was a different landscape to how the game is set up now and how the clubs are funded. That was almost non-existent back then.
“But we still sold all the sponsorship out and had a really good following.
“For years I have thought there is no reason why it can’t work. The following is there.”
Sackson is quick to point out this is a new beginning – and the lessons learned from the Reds’ rise and demise.
“The circumstances were different from the Western Reds days, and we’ll take some knowledge from it,” he said.
“But this is a whole new era. It’s a whole new world. I don’t want people to dwell on the past.”
Instead, this is one for the true believers.
“It will do wonders for the game here in terms of participation, and respect from rugby league is going to be elevated,” Sackson said.
“It will be front and centre in the media here, and that drives interest and awareness and growth.
“The big winner is rugby league both locally and nationally because I think Western Australia can bring a lot to the table.
“Perth is getting an NRL franchise. It’s incredible.”
AAP
