Bears Turn to Women’s League

This story by Adrian Proszenko originally appeared as Bears Turn to Women’s League on smh.com.au. 

Having missed out on the NRL licence on the Gold Coast, the North Sydney Bears have turned their attention to securing one of the six spots up for grabs for the inaugural elite women’s competition.

The new tournament will kick off in August and games will be staged as double-headers in the lead-up to and during the NRL finals. While up to 14 of the 16 NRL clubs are expected to jockey for a place in the competition, the Bears have revealed their desire to also be considered.

“Women in rugby league is a major priority for the Bears,” club chairman Perry Lopez said. “We see a fantastic opportunity for our fans to have a great game-day experience around the women’s competition, the under-20s competition, Jersey Flegg and the Intrust Super Premiership.”

The NSWRL is seeking expressions of interest for women’s teams. The Bears will look to enter a team in what they view as an important first step towards involvement in the NRL’s elite competition.

“We’ll be working hard to secure a spot,” Lopez said. “Women playing elite rugby league is a great story and we want to be a part of it.”

Bears fans were crushed by the NRL’s decision not to award them the Gold Coast licence. The Bears haven’t given up their dream after the Titans were handed to a consortium comprising Darryl Kelly, Rebecca Frizelle and their families.