Are the Bears finally to come out of hibernation?
Columnist By David Lord, 16 Feb 2012 David Lord is a Roar Expert
- Tagged:
- Central Coast Bears, Greg Florimo, NRL, NSW Cup, Rugby League
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North Sydney Bears stalwart Greg Florimo has lifted the tempo for the recall of his club to the NRL, as the expansion debate hots up.
A foundation club in 1908, the Bears have been defunct since 1999, when they were amalgamated with Manly as the ill-fated Northern Eagles.
That stormy marriage ended in 2002, and the Bears have been playing in the NRL’s second-tier competition – the NSW Cup – ever since.
But tireless Florimo, a Bears Team of the Century centre, has given the newly created Independent Commission a timely reminder.
“Rugby league needs to consolidate its heartland before it looks to expand to the outer reaches of the nation, such as Perth and Adelaide.”
Sure, he’s pushing his Bears barrow now that he’s based on the central coast. His new cause would be known as the Central Coast Bears.
There are vastly more genuine league fans in the geographical gap between Manly and Newcastle, an area that currently has no NRL representation, than there will ever be in Perth or Adelaide.
It’s delusional to think Perth and Adelaide, where most of the population have been weaned on AFL, would have anywhere near the support of the Central Coast Bears.
Does the commission need to be reminded about the disaster the Western Reds were in Perth, and the Adelaide Rams in the Super League?
Both clubs were backed with News Ltd money, but still failed miserably. League will never compete in AFL heartlands, while rugby can chip away with good crowds following the Western Force thanks to the many Kiwis, South Africans, and Brits living in Perth.
Even Adelaide has a fair proportions of rugby followers, judging by the big crowds at the annual IRB Sevens.
But the Bears are ready to rumble.
Bluetongue Stadium in Gosford would be the Bears’ home ground, to be shared with A-League’s Central Coast Mariners. A picturesque setting, with a capacity of 20,000 all seated in comfort with a clear pillar-free view of the ground.
Besides, the Bears over the years have had many fans who regularly follow other clubs. If you put Florimo’s case to the rugby league fraternity I’d venture to say there would be over 90 percent support for the club’s recall.
Some great players have brightened up the rather drab red and black jersey, none more so than arguably the doyen of wingers in either code, Kenny Irvine. How he’s not an Immortal defies description. He was in a class of his own with a record 212 tries, 171 of them with the Bears.
A stream of Kangaroos proudly played with the Bears, among them Brian Carlson, Ken McCaffrey, Billy Wilson, Cec Blinkhorn, Duncan Thompson, Kerry Boustead, Peter Jackson, and Timmy Pickup, along with dual English international John Gray, and Kiwi interntionals Mark Graham, Daryl Halligan, and Clayton Friend.
The Bears are holders of a long tradition, that deserves the chance to be continued at the highest level.
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- Central Coast Bears, Greg Florimo, NRL, NSW Cup, Rugby League
February 16th 2012 @ 3:02am
NF said | February 16th 2012 @ 3:02am | Report comment
Of course Rugby can have a slice of the action yet league can’t in WA/SA no surprise really to hear such response it seems by the like of yourself and others that league cannot expand outside it’s traditional areas yet other codes can. You forgot to mention the volatility of the Reds/Rams situation during the Super-league saga. It is perfectly acceptable for RL to carve a niche in WA when given a proper chance in a stable environment the mid 90′s were far from it and should know that David during the SL-times where no club was safe from the axe.
February 16th 2012 @ 2:03pm
Will Sinclair said | February 16th 2012 @ 2:03pm | Report comment
“You forgot to mention the volatility of the Reds/Rams situation during the Super-league saga.”
Why do people use the Super League war as an excuse for the failure of the Western Reds without acknowledging that it also caused the failure of the North Sydney Bears?
February 16th 2012 @ 2:07pm
Nathan of Perth said | February 16th 2012 @ 2:07pm | Report comment
Because only one of those teams were also getting shafted with the flights and accommodations bill for all visiting teams at the same time.
February 16th 2012 @ 3:18pm
Will Sinclair said | February 16th 2012 @ 3:18pm | Report comment
What’s that got to do with the Super League war? That was the case from day one.
And the Bears were equally shafted by agreeing to move to the Central Coast, having the stadium project there go broke and being forced into a merger with Manly… a merger that was always going to fail.
February 16th 2012 @ 4:40pm
cos789 said | February 16th 2012 @ 4:40pm | Report comment
true. both clubs got a raw deal. But so many did during super league. Thats all history now the NRL needs to expand in the games best interests. Reds and bombers for me
February 16th 2012 @ 3:45pm
apaway said | February 16th 2012 @ 3:45pm | Report comment
It’s a good point, Will, and this may be splitting hairs, but it was probably a case of the “demise” of the Bears rather than a “failure”.
February 16th 2012 @ 3:37am
Saikyo Shayne said | February 16th 2012 @ 3:37am | Report comment
Can you please remind me how the Western Reds were a disaster? I’m pretty sure it wss as a result of the Super League wars.
And every Force supporter is an ex-pat pom/kiwi/boer now?
The bears folded because people in NSW don’t support thier clubs by buying memberships (check the numbers) and they either fold or result to using gambling to fund the club.
The CC Bears should sign at least 15k members to prove they can last before even attempting to enter the NRL or buy some more poker machines.
February 16th 2012 @ 11:11am
Jonny G said | February 16th 2012 @ 11:11am | Report comment
most nrl clubs don’t even have membership figures that high. the bears apparently have 7,703, but i’m not sure how many of those are for this year.
February 16th 2012 @ 11:37am
KSI said | February 16th 2012 @ 11:37am | Report comment
Membership numbers have nothing to do with it. Look at South Sydney they had over 20, 000 members last year and their average crowd was about 11,000.
It’s membership with full season tickets that matter.
February 16th 2012 @ 4:22am
Knight Vision said | February 16th 2012 @ 4:22am | Report comment
What a load of rubbish. If men had not looked beyond their own cave or valley mankind would never have survived to be what it is today , and so it is with Rugby League. The code needs to be bold and venture further afield into new untapped markets. There is revenue to be made from places like Perth and Adelaide in the form of sponsorship and media deals. The product is good and with time more and more people will start to love the game. What is the point of having a team in the Central Coast when there is already a concentration of teams in NSW ? The mention of former players to have worn the Bears jersey is touching but this is not an emotional decision that needs to be made its a business decision. Expand or die.
February 16th 2012 @ 4:57am
David Lord said | February 16th 2012 @ 4:57am | Report comment
The NRL can expand after righting a wrong its own house first to a foundation club. The Bears deserve to be recalled for the countless league fans who are clubless between Manly and Newcastle. Perth and Adelaide can wait their turn. Both bombed out at their first attempt.
February 16th 2012 @ 6:08am
Saikyo Shayne said | February 16th 2012 @ 6:08am | Report comment
The Bears bombed out due to thier own incompetence though.
And if you were to use that line of reasoning, wouldn’t the Jets be next in line anyway?
February 16th 2012 @ 8:53am
B.A Sports said | February 16th 2012 @ 8:53am | Report comment
Agree. Good comment!
February 16th 2012 @ 9:21am
The Bush said | February 16th 2012 @ 9:21am | Report comment
Bring back the Jets!
February 16th 2012 @ 2:03pm
Tommygun said | February 16th 2012 @ 2:03pm | Report comment
haha have you been to Newtown lately?!! I don’t think anyone in Newtown would know who the jets are! It’s full of hipsters and arty people… However, if Newtown were to bring back a team it should be called the Newtown Skinny jeans, Newtown side fringes, Newtown vegetarians or perhaps the Newtown perpetual scowls
February 16th 2012 @ 2:17pm
JVGO said | February 16th 2012 @ 2:17pm | Report comment
You are kidding me TG. The hippest item of clothing in Newtown is actually a Jets Jersey. You will inevitably see the Jets logo somewhere in King St.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/encyclopediabotanica/5868867370/in/pool-1697066@N20/
February 16th 2012 @ 3:51pm
clipper said | February 16th 2012 @ 3:51pm | Report comment
I’ve been going through King Street for years and have never sighted a Jets Jersey and believe me you get plenty of time to look as it is one of the most congested streets in Sydney. Do see them playing in the Erskineville oval occasionally though and they still have a club in the back of Tempe somewhere.
February 16th 2012 @ 6:45pm
JVGO said | February 16th 2012 @ 6:45pm | Report comment
You need to open your eyes Clipper. I have lived in Newtown for 25 years, Jets Jerseys and caps are eveywhere. They are a sign you aren’t some blow in or tourist from the eastern suburbs looking for some excitement or (God help us) the new paddington or something.
February 16th 2012 @ 11:06pm
Bearfax said | February 16th 2012 @ 11:06pm | Report comment
Bring back Glebe and Sydney Uni I say. Who’s idea was it to dump these fine old teams. Should have been a Sydney Rocks team too..
February 16th 2012 @ 11:19pm
JVGO said | February 16th 2012 @ 11:19pm | Report comment
Bearfax, if you live in Newtown you can watch Sydney Uni play RL most weekends in winter. You can also watch the Jets at henson Park and maybe Souths or East U20′s at Erko Oval. It is pretty much a RL paradise. AFL supporters are herded into a couple of pubs where they try to feel comfortable together and from my experience (as a slum landlord in the area) anyone with a RU supporters background is easily spotted because they usually mention the term ‘next paddington’ before signing the lease and are usually murdered soon after they move in.anyway.
February 18th 2012 @ 2:44pm
Bearfax said | February 18th 2012 @ 2:44pm | Report comment
I’ll be sure not to say ‘next Paddington’ or frequent those few Oz Rules bars then JVGO.
Good to hear League is thriving so well in inner Sydney.
By the way I hate to say it but I worked in Newtown for about a year recently and quite frankly it is becoming the ‘next Paddington’. King Street must have the best selection of restaurants, book shops, trinkett shops anywhere in the city. A true smorgasbord of delights. Loved the place.
I also love the suburban style of League and must get out to a couple of these lower division matches now that I’ve retired. I was raised in the 60′s 70′s style of suburban matches and loved them…and miss them. Havent been to a League match in years since the SuperLeague debacle…made a total mess of the game in my mind and my enthusiasm.
February 16th 2012 @ 9:25am
soapit said | February 16th 2012 @ 9:25am | Report comment
rubbish, they were challenging for the title a couple of year before the super league war
March 25th 2012 @ 6:35pm
Dr B said | March 25th 2012 @ 6:35pm | Report comment
I am a dedicated Bears supporter. I have not watched a single game since the end of the Mighty Bears. I will never again until they play again. Souths were reinstated because of their argument that they were a foundation club, and rightly so. The bears should be in the comp more then the warriors, dragons, eels, knights, sea eagles, panthers, bulldogs, broncos, cowboys, sharks, raiders, storm, titans, for heaven sake the titans can’t even afford to be in the comp anyway (and im a Gold Coaster)and most certainly before Adelaide and/or Perth. However why can’t we have 2 divisions or even 3 divisions, with a chance of promotion or demotion on performance, and also cheating as the storm did? then everyone can be satisfied, if they clubs can’t come up with enough money then they will never make 1st division anyway because they will not attract the best players. And by the way am I the only person that knows this is the NRL (National Rugby League), as far as I learnt at school New Zealand is not part of our great nation, the New Zealand population count may well be a large part of our population, on second thought Im sure it is, but not Auckland, New Zealand, that is not in our country im fairly certain!
March 25th 2012 @ 11:48pm
Bearfax said | March 25th 2012 @ 11:48pm | Report comment
Sorry Dr B. I am quite sympathetic to some of your statements and do believe that there should be a Central Coast team, but you lost me when you questioned the right of other teams to be there and knocked the New Zealand involvement. In my mind New Zealand should have two teams in the comp and there should be one team for New Guinea. Expansion of the game is imperative to its survival.
As for two divisions, we sort of have that with the VB Cup, in which both Norths and Newtown are competitors, and maybe in time there could be a promotion/relegation system though not at this stage as we’re having trouble just maintaining and developing the code. Certainly a more highlighted and financed second division side bears (excuse the pun) strong consideration. Must admit I miss good second division footy.
As for the Bears at Central Coast and in first division, I’m afraid the central committee seems cold on the idea and Perth and Toowoomba seem the next favoured recruits. But I agree that ignoring the Central Coast is a big mistake.
February 16th 2012 @ 5:52am
Soccerbot3000 said | February 16th 2012 @ 5:52am | Report comment
I have a bit of a soft spot for the Bears, having spent a couple of very pleasant sun-drenched days sitting on the grass at North Sydney Oval watching them lose heavily whilst living in Sydney in the early 90s. The great thing about those trips to watch the Bears, apart from the lovely sunny weather and generally heroic loserdom of the team was that there was plenty of space, no queues at the food stalls or toilets and space to stretch out. Even public transport was pretty manageable.
The reason there was plenty of space was because there weren’t many fans. Even when they starting winning (92 or 93 if memory serves correctly) crowds were still at the modest end of the spectrum. I mention this not to condemn the good League fans of North Sydney, but to point out that golden-tinged memories of a wonderful old sporting club don’t change the fact that not many people actually supported the team back then, and not many will support it if it re-enters the competition.
I’m no fan of ditching traditional teams for the sake of it but there has to be some commercial rationale to expansion, and bringing back a team that never had many fans in the first place hardly seems a positive move.
February 16th 2012 @ 11:14am
Jonny G said | February 16th 2012 @ 11:14am | Report comment
maybe in north sydney, but people in the central coast have been crying out for a team for ages, not to mention that the area is a strong league area that produces quite a few juniors
February 16th 2012 @ 2:07pm
Tommygun said | February 16th 2012 @ 2:07pm | Report comment
Yeah dead right…. In actual North Sydney, due to the location and price of living the wealthier inhabitants of Sydney live there meaning more Rugby and AFL support. However North of Sydney, now we are talking… Bring back the bears!! Just North of Sydney this time!!
February 16th 2012 @ 6:59am
James said | February 16th 2012 @ 6:59am | Report comment
No more nsw teams, it is crazy as it stands. After bne2 and WA maybe “expand” into NSW.
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February 16th 2012 @ 7:33am
Garmos said | February 16th 2012 @ 7:33am | Report comment
I think the key word here is hibernation. The CC Bears despite all the talk are still short of the mark. It willbe interesting to see what the Comissions take will be on expansion.
I’m from the coast and would like to see a NRL team up here in the future. Just not the bears. Let’s decide on our own ID not one from North Sydney.
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February 16th 2012 @ 7:35am
Crosscoder said | February 16th 2012 @ 7:35am | Report comment
Whilst I also support the Bears to eventually get back in(why i support 20 teams),for many reasons,the new i.C has to see what will be the financial and growth benefit to the game as a whole.
A national code will go a long way toward that ideal.
Let no one be in any doubt,there is a spectator base in Perth for rugby league.The last Souths v broncos game in 2011,was a paid sellout ,but due to some of the worst conditions the gods could muster ,nearly 16,000 brave souls still turned up.
Trials have consistently been well attended.So much for the constant crapola,no one is interested.
And please no one use the Perth Reds circa SL as being the example of failure.Pay all accommodation and travel costs ,then get told you are history due to a peace deal by H/O directive,is hardly indication of failure.And that was nearly 15 years ago.
We now have two bid teams ,one the WARL and one a privtae bid,by people living and breathing the air the Fremantle doctor throws up.Maybe being locals they have a decent idea of the lie of the land.Surveys have been done,the govt believes its a goer,sponsorship is there,as are the expats,and a growing junior base,Gallop has been there for discussions.
It is a nonsense to suggest rl must confine itself to heartland territories,because ru should be left to pick the local cherries.So anyone who wants an NRL team,or who follows the game in Perth, has no other rugby entertainment alternative but to follow the Force.That IMO smacks of the restrictive stuff thrown around in the 40s.
February 16th 2012 @ 7:56am
sheek said | February 16th 2012 @ 7:56am | Report comment
I find it incongruous that Manly-Warringah is the only club representing Sydney’s north harbour region. For this reason alone, North Sydney should never have been culled.
But whether they can come back, & where, remains to be seen. I still think Super League had the right idea – reduce Sydney back to 8, even 6 national clubs. The rest can continue on immortal in the Sydney first division.
To borrow from Australian football, in other words, when the VFL became the AFL, the VFA became the VFL. Why can’t Sydney follow a similar path, & protect some of its long standing clubs thus?
The fact remains however, that all codes need a truly national profile. What the AFL has done as standard-bearer, dictates this. So I would argue at least Perth, & perhaps Adelaide, deserve first opportunity at a leg-up to national status.
February 16th 2012 @ 3:52pm
apaway said | February 16th 2012 @ 3:52pm | Report comment
“Super League” and “right idea” – in the same sentence!
February 16th 2012 @ 8:02am
Sam Brown said | February 16th 2012 @ 8:02am | Report comment
Queenslamd central coast would be a far better idea. NSW Central Coast is only 1.5 hours away from a game max. Qld Central Coast is ages away from Brisbane or Townsville and a dyed in the wool heartland. It would be profitable expansion.
February 16th 2012 @ 9:17am
peeeko said | February 16th 2012 @ 9:17am | Report comment
queensland central coast – totally unworkable – insufficient population
February 16th 2012 @ 10:44am
Pecs McGee said | February 16th 2012 @ 10:44am | Report comment
Ipswich Jets would be fantastic for the comp. Plus people out that way love their rl and there’s enough of a population to make it work. Probably a better option than a central QLD team
February 16th 2012 @ 11:57pm
Queensland's game is rugby league said | February 16th 2012 @ 11:57pm | Report comment
I’d live to see the Ipswich Jets and Logan Scorpions get a spot in the NRL, but I cannot see it happening. The most likely scenario is a team representing Logan, Ipswich and Redland will be given the nod to play in the NRL. I can see a team branded South Queensland representing the three LGAs, with the names of the three LGAs written on the team’s logo.
February 19th 2012 @ 1:42am
Ian Whitchurch said | February 19th 2012 @ 1:42am | Report comment
Qgirl is possibly the only person in Australia not employed as a branch-stacker who thinks LGAs are important.
Heck, I’d bet 85% of league fans couldnt tell you what a LGA is.
Unlike Qgirl, I can see the Ipswich Jets and the Logan Scorpions in the NRL, but it will require tight control of the salary cap and more of an emphasis on retaining and developing talented juniors, especially after they are 22.
February 19th 2012 @ 1:52am
Queensland's game is rugby league said | February 19th 2012 @ 1:52am | Report comment
Ian,
I think people are aware of the council they live in.
February 16th 2012 @ 8:26am
Paul said | February 16th 2012 @ 8:26am | Report comment
All you Central Coasters need to move on, It wont happen.