Will The Bears Hibernate?
By MATT STARKEY
RUGBY LEAGUE REVIEW - 9/2004

The decision by the NRL’s Partnership Committee to continue the competition at 15 teams for season 2006 has placed the future of the North Sydney Bears in limbo following the lack of any sort of framework, direction or criteria regarding admission to Rugby League’s premier competition, via the Central Coast.

Bears’ general manager Greg Florimo took an objective view saying “We’re obviously very disappointed with the decision, but right now we’re not making any quick plans. We’ll wait until we meet together again as a board to discuss our options and go from there”.

“We put a strong proposal towards the NRL though, so we hope at some point in the future they will come back to us and declare what they want in order for the Bears to be included in the competition”.

The Bears are looking at the possibility of having a feeder relationship with an NRL club in order to help give their players a passage to the NRL competition. That club being mentioned is the Melbourne Storm.

“We are hopeful of announcing something in regards to a feeder relationship,” said Florimo.

Florimo is currently focusing on the chances of his Jersey Flegg side in the upcoming semi-finals, even though it has put his bidding team in a very difficult situation.

The Central Coast and Gold Coast bids were the only realistic options presented to the Committee, with the Wellington bid a very distant third. This hasn’t dented the aspirations for another team across the Tasman however, with New Zealand official Andrew Chalmers stating they are a year to year prospect for inclusion and will continue to lobby the NRL.

But the two Coast bids feel bitter about the decision, with both spending considerable time and money in what was seen as a great leveler for the game and a way to re-invigorate the Rugby League landscape in this country.

Both franchises had strong claims with self-funding, existing ground and facilities and strong junior bases to draw from. With the Gold Coast backed by prominent and wealthy businessmen, and the Central Coast supported by the league-loving John Singleton, it seemed as though at least one would be admitted.

League fans and administrators around Australia have been saying for years that another team is required in South-East Queensland, while the Central Coast was working well off the nostalgia effect of reviving the North Sydney Bears, a foundation club.

There is now real concern hovering over Rugby League in these two marquee areas. Both bids have signaled their intention to lure top-line sporting franchises to their respective regions. Carrara Stadium on the Gold Coast is capable of hosting AFL games and the bid team is already looking at booking Melbourne-based clubs for key fixtures next year and beyond.

Despite his unquestionable passion for League, John Singleton is now considering using his Gosford Stadium to persuade the Australian Rugby Union to include it as the fourth Australian Province in the soon to be expanded Super 12 com petition.

This prospect has provided a gloomy outlook on the lower north shore of Sydney surrounding the Bears’ role in feeding juniors to the Central Coast.
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