The Perth Bears have unveiled the jersey they will wear during their historic first NRL season, but the red-and-black design has already sharply divided footy fans.
The expansion club revealed its inaugural home strip on Friday ahead of its 2027 debut, with the jersey paying tribute to both the North Sydney Bears and Western Australian rugby league.
Built around the slogan ‘Two histories, one future’, the design features distinctive horizontal hoops inspired by the jersey North Sydney wore when it became a foundation club in 1908.
The strip is reportedly worth $6million a year in sponsorship, making it arguably the most valuable club jersey in Australian sport and almost twice as lucrative as the average NRL kit.
However, some fans immediately compared it to the colours worn by A-League soccer club Western Sydney Wanderers.
‘So it’s a Western Sydney Wanderers top,’ one wrote.
Premier of Western Australia Roger Cook presents the Bear jersey alongside Bears CEO Anthony De Ceglie
Bears head coach Mal Meninga beams as the expansion club’s new home jersey is launched
Former Bears player Billy Moore was one of several former players at the launch in Perth
‘The Western Sydney Wanderers want their jersey back,’ another added.
One Bears supporter quickly defended the colour scheme and pointed out that North Sydney had worn red and black for more than a century.
‘That was their colour scheme long before the WSW were ever even thought of, champ,’ they replied.
Other supporters believed the new jersey bore a strong resemblance to the red-and-black hoops worn by New Zealand rugby union side Canterbury in the National Provincial Championship.
‘It’s giving Canterbury NPC,’ one fan posted.
‘Giving Crusaders vibes,’ another said.
A third added: ‘Close, pretty identical to their NPC side Canterbury.’
‘Screams Crusaders,’ another added.
The new red-and-black strip divided footy fans, with several critics comparing it to jerseys worn by rival sporting clubs
The jersey was unveiled from the WACA light towers before prominent guests including Peter V’landys
Some fans claimed the red-and-black hoops made the Bears’ new jersey resemble a Western Sydney Wanderers football strip
Several critics questioned whether the Bears had missed an opportunity to create a more distinctive identity for the NRL’s newest club.
‘I understand the sentiment to the old Bears, but the creative minds who came up with this need talking to,’ one wrote.
‘It’s not really the Bears though is it,’ another said.
‘Definitely a union jersey,’ a third added.
Cash Converters features prominently on the front of the strip, marking the sponsor’s return to a Western Australian rugby league jersey for the first time since the Western Reds folded in 1997.
That connection prompted one fan to deliver a brutal assessment of the new design.
‘Put it this way, if I had one, I’d be taking it straight to Cash Converters and sell it straight away,’ they wrote.
Another questioned why the club had chosen such a traditional look for its highly anticipated arrival.
The Perth Bears’ inaugural jersey reportedly carries $6million in annual sponsorship, making it one of Australian sport’s richest playing kits
‘Did any thought go into this? It’s like an old rugby hoops jersey. Build something special, go outside the norm,’ they said.
However, the design also received plenty of support from fans who appreciated its links to North Sydney’s proud history.
‘I personally like the Bears’ red jersey with the black rings at the top. It has got a lot of heritage, however,’ one wrote.
‘Actually don’t mind it, it is nicer than the Dolphins original jersey, as per usual though the sponsor logos take away from the jersey,’ another said.
One supporter predicted the Bears could endure a difficult opening season but would at least look impressive doing it.
‘It’s a pretty mad jersey. They’ll be cellar dwellers but at least they’ll look good,’ they wrote.
Another praised the club’s forward-facing bear logo, saying: ‘That emblem is tough! My brother was a big time Bears fan way back.’
Coach Mal Meninga said the emblem represented the identity the club wanted to establish on and off the field.
‘It’s a forward-facing bear because bears stand up when they are challenged,’ Meninga said.
‘When they are confronted, they move forward. That’s the attitude, that’s that boldness that we love about the bear itself. We talk about that to the players, being bold and being courageous.
‘That’s what the bear logo represents to us – that when we’re facing the challenge, we’re going to confront it.’
Even the eight teeth visible in the emblem carry historical meaning, acknowledging North Sydney’s foundation year of 1908 and its eight NSW Cup premierships.
The jersey was unveiled from the light towers at the WACA in Perth before dignitaries including ARL Commission executive chairman Peter V’landys, WA Premier Roger Cook, former Bears forward Billy Moore and former Western Reds prop Mark Geyer.
A simultaneous event was staged in North Sydney as the club sought to reinforce its connection with supporters on both sides of the country.
