Western Australia Premier Roger Cook has hit back at NRL boss Peter V'landys over discussions regarding a potential Perth-based NRL team, telling him to “shut up.”
Plans for an NRL expansion into WA have been in limbo since V'landys rejected an offer from a private consortium led by Cash Converters executive deputy chair Peter Cumins.
The proposal, which aimed to establish a 19th franchise in partnership with the North Sydney Bears, was scrapped in October.
Instead, the NRL shifted focus to a Perth-based team directly owned by the Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC).
However, this plan relies heavily on financial backing from the WA government. Reports indicate that the NRL sought a $120 million investment from Cook's government, along with an additional $200 million commitment to upgrade Perth's HBF Stadium to a 27,000-seat venue.
Speaking on Triple M Breakfast with Xav and Katie, Cook didn't hold back in his criticism of V'landys' handling of the situation.
“Look, if he could just shut up for a little while… You ring him up and say, ‘How are you?' and the next day in the Daily Telegraph, you get ‘The Premier asks about my health,'” Cook said.
“They (NRL) are a funny mob to deal with.”
While Cook acknowledged that WA's inclusion in the NRL would make it a truly national competition, he emphasised that expansion wasn't an immediate priority.
“WA is the only state that can put the N in NRL. It's not a national comp until you get a WA side, but we aren't talking about this year, next year, or even the year after that. This is a long-term plan,” he said.
Cook also expressed openness to the idea of the Bears joining the NRL as a WA-based team.
“That gives us a player base, a membership base, and a resource base. It would start us off well.”
Despite the uncertainty, NRL CEO Andrew Abdo remains optimistic, stating last week that discussions with the WA government would resume after the upcoming election, which is expected to result in another landslide victory for Cook's Labor party.
“Once that election is finished, we will re-engage with the government and hopefully put a business case to the (ARL) Commission which will provide certainty for the next couple of years,” Abdo told AAP.
“Nothing has been finalised and we need to work on it. It won't be rushed. It would be something the commission needs to be very, very clear on. We are doing that work.”
V'landys also remains confident that a deal will be struck to bring the Bears into the NRL.
“I would love to see the Bears back in the competition, absolutely,” V'landys told Code Sports last week.
“I won't go into exact details, but the talks with the WA government have been very positive, so I have no concerns at all."
