Pitch battle: Cricket NSW stumps Bears’ plan for historic return match

A romantic and historic return to North Sydney Oval by rugby league’s newest team, the Perth Bears, is being blocked by Cricket NSW, potentially denying their fans a perfect entry into the NRL next season.

The Bears can’t play premiership matches at their spiritual home of North Sydney Oval because it’s not fit for the NRL.

However, they are aiming to play their historic return match – a trial – at Bear Park in late February.

It’s a no-brainer, considering how long the rusted-on Bears’ faithful have clung to hope that their team may one day return.

Negotiations between the Perth Bears, the NRL, Cricket NSW and the local council have been going on for weeks. And it’s not looking good for the Bears.

The NRL had a meeting with Cricket NSW, who told them they would need to reschedule some Sydney grade cricket matches to accommodate the trial and the cost to take the pitch out and put it back in would be close to $200,000. It is not clear who would pay the bill, but it appears the Bears believe they will be on the hook.

The machinery that does the relocating of the pitch is in Adelaide and needs a specialist team to operate it. It’s a time-consuming task: taking pitches out and putting them back is a five-week operation. The grass needs time to bed down after the pitch is removed and reinstalled.

Considering the trial would be on the weekend of February 20-21 and club cricket’s schedule is limited after this, the Bears and NRL think it would be reasonable to just reschedule the remaining fixtures to avoid having to bring the crew from Adelaide to Sydney to put the pitch back in.

Cricket NSW is not interested in this proposal. It has shut down talks with the Bears.

Cricket NSW was approached for comment.

A glance at the cricket fixtures impacted by the NRL trial proves how silly this stand-off is. They won’t draw a crowd and could be moved to one of the many cricket grounds across Sydney.

Cricket Australia also has no fixtures scheduled at the ground.

As I understand it, Cricket NSW has a contract over the venue with North Sydney Council, so this would be an act of goodwill to welcome the Bears back – a huge moment for the local community, but also rugby league in general.

NRL executive chairman Peter V’landys has been pivotal in the Bears’ return and knows the importance of the Norths heritage, not to mention the huge ratings it would deliver for Foxtel/Kayo Sports.

Images of a packed North Sydney Oval would have even rival fans, maybe not from Manly, a little emotional.

Bears roll out the red carpet for Burton

Bears recruit Toby Sexton will be trying to woo his former Bulldogs halves partner Matt Burton to join the NRL newcomers when Burton drops in to Perth on Sunday for a tour of the city and club.

Burton, who is free to negotiate with rivals, will be floored on his trip by a $6m four-year deal to join the Bears.

Through smart negotiating by his agent he is looking at a deal worth $1.1m a year without ratchet clauses. With the clauses, to cover pending salary cap increases, it is worth $1.3m a year. And when you add third-party allowances the Bears have and the deal is worth $1.5 million a year.

Sexton and another Bears 2027 recruit, Canterbury back-rower Josh Curran, will both be selling the Perth dream to him when he lands at his potential new home.

The Bears will roll out the red carpet, with coach Mal Meninga playing salesman and tour guide. But it will be the former Dogs who may have a significant input.

Sexton has been in Burton’s ear for some time. He is known to be keen to have his old halves partner by his side. The Dogs are comfortable with Burton finding out his worth and know that he loves the club he is at.

Walker eyes PNG move

The PNG Chiefs interest in Sam Walker doesn’t suit the Sydney Roosters.

But what is of interest – the Chiefs have been aware for several months that Walker has had an interest in joining the Port Moresby-based club for some time. Walker’s girlfriend Bella recently holidayed in Europe with Kiana Flanet, the girlfriend of Chiefs recruit Connor Watson

The premiers are still determined to move in a different direction next season and don’t want to be a holding pen for Walker in 2027.

Walker, who is contracted to the Roosters next season but is free to join another club after negotiations broke down last week, doesn’t have to leave and finding a new home isn’t straightforward.

The best possible option is the Bulldogs, but that can’t happen without an early Matt Burton departure.

And the Dogs told Walker’s agent they are not in the market for him.

The Queensland Reds rugby franchise has been engaging in discussions about Walker, but it would appear to be a long shot to get him to switch codes.

That may in part explain the interesting sights at Rugby Australia’s agents accreditation day – revolving around Walker’s agent Clinton Schifcofske. He was in and out of the meeting with regularity.

The other agents were taking note and wondering if something was cooking with Walker and RA.

What we have been told is that the idea of Walker as the Wallabies World Cup No.10 has been floated. He was a gun in schoolboy rugby. We checked with his management and, so far, there has been no bite from RA.

I had a brief chat with Walker at Kangaroos training this week. He was last one off the training paddock and, in typical Walker fashion, he came and said hello.

He didn’t spill any secrets, but he appeared very happy despite the obvious drama he has been dealing with.

Ultimately, he will be fine financially, no matter where he ends up. The concern is he needs a club that can help his career prosper. Even great halfbacks need strong packs.

Titans wild about Harry

Gold Coast part owner Matthew Johns has distanced himself from the thought that he is the mastermind trying to lure Kangaroos and Storm hooker Harry Grant to the Titans.

Whoever is pulling the strings has a sharp mind – the attempt by the Titans to swap Cooper Bai for Melbourne’s Trent Loiero is a smart one on the playing level and beyond. Trent’s sister Brooke is Grant’s partner.

Johns has a tight relationship with Grant and his family thanks to his son Cooper’s friendship with the Maroons star.

It has been thought that Johns was driving the pursuit of Grant, who is free to negotiate with rivals for the 2028 season.

Johns also has an excellent relationship with the Storm.

The Storm would like Grant to have decided by now on his future, as chairman Matt Tripp is about to head overseas.

Tripp was also hoping front-rower Stefano Utoikamanu would have decided on his future by now.

Negotiations over the next couple of weeks will be more tricky with Tripp away.

None of that is the Titans’ concern, but what is of importance to Johns is that his personal relationship with Grant is not compromised by business.

“Of course I would like to see Harry at the Titans,” Johns said.

“But I sent him a text message outlining the fact that our friendship is more important than anything that may happen in a negotiation and that’s what is important to me.

“Harry acknowledged that and will just have to see what happens. As for his friendship with Cooper and any help that may be, I honestly think that is more of a hindrance than something that can assist us, as is most things that Cooper involves himself in.”

Cleary’s $12m sacrifice

Panthers superstar Nathan Cleary stood to earn at least $20 million in tax-free dollars from the Papua New Guinea Chiefs over the same four-year period he is going to commit to at Penrith.

While he was flattered by the huge and professional play, it was not an agonising decision to say no.

He is not money-driven and, from what this column can gather, he said the Panthers’ $1.7m a year, plus third-party deals his manager would acquire for him, is right for him at the moment.

Cleary has had it made clear to him that he sacrificed about $12m over four years by rejecting the Chiefs.

Cleary would have been earning the equivalent of $4.7 to $5 million a year at PNG, including the money he could have made from third parties.

In effect, combined with third-parties deals that his agent George Mimis could source, it would be the equivalent of $20m.

The Panthers’ money with his deals may be worth about $8 million over that time.

Cleary is looking at doing a two-year extension with a two-year option in his favour.

The Chiefs did make a formal approach and offer to Cleary – they knew it was a matter of importance to state their case the moment he was a free agent from November 1.

PNG made an incredible video pitch, which included the huge offer, to an injured Cleary, who cannot travel as he recovers from multiple surgeries to his legs. The presentation didn’t include the third-party offers, but given what Jarome Luai is making it was not hard to see what he could earn.

It was by far the biggest play in history for a player and it had been incredibly well-thought-out and constructed by Chiefs football manager Michael Chammas.

It was always a long shot.

No surprises to see Farnworth move to Chooks

If season 2027 is tricky for the premiership winning Roosters, with several players leaving, 2028 should be a boom year.

Captain James Tedesco will be playing his final season and there is every chance he will be able to impart his enormous knowledge to Dolphins centre Herbie Farnworth, who is expected to join the Bondi Junction club. If he doesn’t, it would be a huge surprise.

No club does the big signings better than the Roosters. They just about always grab the cream.

The Roosters’ denial of this column’s story last week about interest in Nathan Cleary as a Sam Walker replacement was predictable.

The fact is they reached out to those close to Cleary to ask to be part of the conversation around his future. Maybe they didn’t think it would reach the media.

No club boss wants to be interested in a player and then miss out.

As it is, they were rejected by their premiership winning halfback Walker and they don’t need another recruitment miss.

Munster sweeps the Cup

You almost don’t need us to tell you which Kangaroo won the Melbourne Cup sweep. Of course, it was Cameron Munster who picked Cup winner Point Of Law.

Who else would stand a chance with a scallywag like Munster involved.

Morris going to America

In a week when the Tigers confirmed our story that Ryan Carr would be the club’s new assistant coach, John Morris, the man who lost the job, has taken off to America to do a self-development course.

Part of it will be a leadership and management course at Harvard University.

Morris reached out to the NRL’s American expansion boss John Vellis, who got the former Sharks coach into the NFL’s head office in New York for a number of meetings with key staff, including in rookie player development and concussion management.

He is also visiting the Boston Celtics, the New England Patriots and New York Giants franchises.

“I want to better myself as a person and coach,” Morris said. “The NFL has been very accommodating. It’s important to continue learning and to challenge myself.”

Morris said completing a master of coaching course towards the end of his playing career at the Sharks invigorated his desire for education.

“I was lucky to play under Tim Sheens (Tigers) and Brian Smith (Eels) and I admired how they were so innovative and always looking for different ways to do things to improve performance and gain an edge,” he said.

“The trip will provide access to various high-performing cultures, that I’m sure I’ll learn a lot from and use in my future coaching. Also, my son Cruz, is going into year 11 next year and just signed with the Rabbitohs, so I felt it would be good example for him, seeing me value this education.”

Morris has done no interviews since he left the Tigers.

He was made the scapegoat for the Tigers 2026 collapse. He said the period since his exit from Concord has allowed him to spend quality time with his family, including a holiday in Bali.

“Which was a great opportunity to reset and gain some perspective,” he said. “However, as teams return to pre-season, I definitely have the itch to coach, so the timing of this trip is perfect.”

And ultimately, there is an obvious goal in the NRL.

“I want to be a head coach, however, when the time is right,” Morris said.

“For now, my focus is on working hard on my personal development, to be ready for the next opportunity, whether it’s assistant or head coach.

“I felt my time as head coach at Cronulla was an invaluable experience.

“I was only 38 years old when I took over in 2019 and to play back-to-back finals as a rookie coach was something I am proud of.

“It wasn’t all smooth sailing, as head coaching rarely is, however the adversity I experienced has definitely made me a better coach. I know what it takes to do the job and I’m confident when the right opportunity presents itself, I will be ready.”

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