US EditionRugby League Legend Mal Meninga Set to Be Inaugural Coach of NRL Expansion Club Perth
- Mal Meninga has been appointed as the first head coach of the Perth Bears as they prepare for their NRL debut in 2027.
- Last month, the Western Australian Government finalized a $65.6 million agreement with the body governing the NRL to award the Bears the league's 18th license.
- Meninga will step down immediately as Australia coach, ending a tenure with 26 wins from 29 Tests and two World Cups, to focus on building the new club’s roster and culture.
- At a Sydney press conference, Meninga confirmed his three-year contract with the Bears and described the role as one of the greatest opportunities of his career.
- Meninga’s appointment signals strong leadership for the Perth Bears as they prepare to enter an AFL-dominated market and aims to build a competitive, community-supported team from day one.
27 Articles
27 Articles
Mal's Mission: How Meninga plans to poke the Bears
Mal Meninga will step down from his role coaching Australia to join the new NRL franchise in Perth. (Jono Searle/AAP PHOTOS) By George Clarke After unveiling Mal Meninga as the Perth Bears’ inaugural head coach, the club’s chief executive says criticism of the NRL’s start-up franchise is proof they are on the right track to winning new supporters in the AFL-made West. At a press conference at League Central in Sydney on Friday, Meninga signed a …
‘A Great Privilege’: Meninga Locked in as Perth Coach
The Perth Bears hope the presence of Mal Meninga will give the NRL’s 18th team immediate cut-through in an AFL-dominated city after unveiling the Immortal as the head coach of the start-up franchise. At a press conference in Sydney on Friday, Meninga was locked in as the Bears’ inaugural coach on a three-year deal. It is his first foray into club coaching in more than 25 years. Meninga has renounced his role as coach of the Australian Test team …
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