ROUND 1
Perth Bears 2027 best 17: Full signings and squad tracker, rumours, news, updated team list after every signing
The Bears join the NRL in 2027.
STAFF WRITERS | January 10, 2026 - 5:02pm
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The Perth Bears are set to join the NRL in 2027, and are now officially in negotiations to sign their first squad of 30 players.
Zero Tackle will keep you up to date with their signings, official squad, news and rumours in the lead up to their first campaign. Bookmark this page and come back to check for regular updates and their updated team after every signing.
Current best 17
1. Nick Meaney
2. Sean Russell
3. Siosifa Talakai
4. Chris Vea'ila
5. Luke Laulilii
6. Tyran Wishart
7. Toby Sexton
8. Liam Henry
9. No player signed.
10. Iszac Fa'asuamaleaui
11. Scott Sorensen
12. Marata Nikure
13. Josh Curran
14. James Mcdonall.
Replies
Not even close. Parra by 30+ if that's the team they trot out!
Sean Russell gave Chris Vai'ela a bath in the trials. Russell is their best centre they can't put him on the wing
I'm not sure if many of them have ever started a first grade game. 90% of the bears are bench players
Chiefy, who is their coach again? For the sake of the game, they need to be going ok in the first 5 yrs; and if I was a player and got offered a deal their, I would look at it but having Meninga as coach is a concern. Their strength needs to come form the props and halves...and I cannot see it being a top 8 in the first year or so but footy is a funny game and things can change with one good signing.
Brad Arthur was a favourite for a while, and rightfully so. I think he is the perfect coach for a rebuild as a steady head with experience. Issue is, Perth media are anti NRL, so the NRL thought we need to get them onside and how do we do that? Let's get a top NRL personality to coach them, Mal Meninga. Who is a bad case of i am great and you are not with no sense of humour. Perfect choice.
Meninga was hired to be a charasmatic, respected figure. Not because he is a great coach. Big mistake.
Let's not forget all the gun kids coming through Perth's junior leagues. Hang on a second, there isn't any! I kinda feel the Bears will have a hard time for a long time.
they will feed on ours.
Precisely. Just makes me think someone at NRL HQ - and we all know who - got a very large suitcase of cash from the WA state government for agreeing to this.
They need a gun fullback and another forward who's a big name
Need way more than that, majority of the players signed would be their depth. Even that is rubbish. As Johnny mentioned too, juniors will be hard to come by.
Look at their last two signings. Sorensen and Talakai. Sorensen is a fine signing for culture as the bloke is just a worker, but low upside on field. Talakai i have shared my thoughts on, another very low upside signing.
Maybe they have but why are they not chasing Trai Fuller hard? Build around him for foundation year.
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