MITCHELL JOHNSON: NRL needs to be doing more to help the Perth Bears be successful after PNG signings

There’s always excitement when a new team enters a competition.

Fresh identity, new fan base, different market, it’s what keeps a league evolving. But with the Perth Bears, there’s a question sitting just under the surface that needs to be addressed.

Why does it feel like some teams are being set up to succeed, while others are being asked to prove themselves first?

There is a stark difference between how the NRL’s two new teams, the PNG Chiefs and the Bears, are being set up.

Because if this is going to work, and it can work, neither team can be treated as a side project or a “let’s see how it goes” experiment.

The Bears also need backing. Real backing.

And when you look at what’s being built at the Bears, led by one of Australia’s greats in Mal Meninga, it becomes even more appealing.

This isn’t just a team starting from scratch. It’s a genuine opportunity for players to be part of something from the ground up, to grow, to lead, and to shape the future of a club.

If the NRL wants expansion to succeed, then every stakeholder — administrators, broadcasters and existing clubs — have to buy in.

Then you look at what’s being discussed around the Chiefs, and the contrast becomes hard to ignore. A funding model reportedly north of $600 million, backed by Australian taxpayers, combined with tax-free incentives for players. That’s not just support; that’s a significant advantage.

Add to that the early signings of big-name players Jarome Luai and Alex Johnston for the 2028 season, and it’s clear how powerful that model can be when it comes to recruitment.

Meanwhile, the Bears are expected to build for 2027 under standard salary cap rules.

From a player’s perspective, it becomes an interesting decision. On one side, there’s financial security, tax advantages, and immediate reward.

On the other, there’s something harder to measure, the chance to help establish a club and to work under someone like Meninga, which for many is a once-in-a-career opportunity.

Money or footy legacy? That’s the choice. And it’s a reflection of modern sport with modern problems.

Yet the distance narrative still gets rolled out every time Western Australia is mentioned. Travel. Time zones. Isolation. We’ve heard it all before.

But the game has changed. Sport has changed. Athletes are full-time professionals with access to recovery, charter flights, and high-performance support that didn’t exist 20 years ago.

Distance isn’t the problem anymore. Mindset is.

If the NRL competition wants to call itself national, then it has to start acting like one. That means investing in markets that aren’t traditional heartlands and giving them the same tools to succeed. Not just financially, but structurally, pathways, scheduling fairness, and genuine promotion of the club.

The truth is Perth is not a gamble. And just imagine what it could become if it had the same level of financial backing as the PNG start-up.

Perth is a major city. Strong economy. Growing population. A proven sporting market that turns up when given something to believe in. But support doesn’t build itself overnight. It needs time, and it needs trust.

If the Bears are constantly compared to established clubs without being given the same level of support, then we’re not setting them up to compete, we’re setting them up to chase.

And fans can see that. Players can feel it too. Recruitment becomes harder if there’s a perception that one club has to fight for everything while another is given a clearer runway.

In a salary cap competition, those little advantages matter. They shape rosters, culture, and ultimately results.

This isn’t about handouts. It’s about alignment. If the NRL wants expansion to succeed, then every stakeholder — administrators, broadcasters and existing clubs — have to buy in.

That means promoting the Bears properly, building rivalries, and making sure their entry strengthens the competition rather than stretching it.

A strong Perth side doesn’t weaken the league. It makes it better, with more eyes, more engagement, and more relevance as a national competition. That’s the whole point of expansion.

The easy thing to do is fall back on history. Point to what didn’t work before and use it as a reason to be cautious now. But progress in sport doesn’t come from protecting the past — it comes from building something stronger for the future.

The Perth Bears aren’t just another team. They’re a test of whether the NRL is serious about being truly national.

And if it is, then the approach must be clear: back them properly, remove the excuses, and give them every chance to succeed.

Anything less, and we’re just repeating the same story — expecting a different ending.