25 years after the state's inaugural first-grade side first bit the dust, the Western Australian government is said to be sending a lure out east to reel in one of the competition's old favourites.
Having hosted ARL and Super League clashes in Perth between 1995 and 1997, the Western Reds made strides towards claiming a small slither of the Western Australian sporting market.
But after the franchise was wound up ahead of the 1998 NRL season, league fans across the Nullarbor have been left without a ticket to the bright lights of the league.
However, in an effort to secure the NRL's 18th license, the Mark McGowan-led government has made contact with the North Sydney Bears about a collaboration that would see both Perth and the ex-top league side earn a place amongst the game's elite.
According to reports from Phil Rothfield ofย The Daily Telegraph,ย WAโs Minister for Sport, David Templeman and the chairman of Venues West, Peter Bauchop have made their way to Suncorp Stadium to speak with key administrators about the duel alliance making a twinned comeback.
With the government-backed bid gaining momentum due to the prospect of NRL contests hosted at HBF Park by a local side, North Sydney's incumbent chairman Daniel Dickson was willing to state on record that the ball had begun rolling on his end.
โThey are obviously attracted to our heritage,โ Dickson toldย News Corp.
โThe path for us was always to go alone but they have reached out and weโll listen to all options.
โWe both have a desire to be in the NRL so anything is possible.
โItโs early days but theyโve been great to deal with.โ
While WA-based league fans will be in raptures about the ability to, once again, turn out for a team in their own backyard, it must also be known that Sydneysiders can expect to see their share of the action.
After being excluded from the NRL following a heated merger with hated rivals Manly in 1999, fans of the red and black Bears have been devoid of a chance to cheer on an elite-level side at North Sydney Oval.
However, as stated by Rothfield, six of the composite team's clashes each year would be hosted at the Fig Tree-lined venue should the fledgling bid's status quo remain.
Despite facing a fight from a second side based out of New Zealand and a shock challenge from Papua New Guinea, key leaders of the Bears' bid are sure to receive more information on their progress when ARLC chairman Peter V'landys and his brass cohort make their way west for Origin II in late June.
Founded on February 7, 1908, the North Sydney Bears were a foundation club and tasted premiership success twice after going back-to-back in 1921 and 1922.
The club with a multitude of former monikers also ended their first-grade rein with seven wooden spoons to their name, the most recent of which came in 1979.
The Bears currently ply their trade in the NSW Cup and act as a feeder club to the Sydney Roosters based across the other side of the Harbour Bridge.
HBF Park in Perth's north has a current capacity of 20,500 with most vantage points coming complete with a seat, while North Sydney Oval is equipped to play host to 20,000 with the picturesque venue's grass hills the major selling point to punters.
