I’m a Devoted Bears Fan: One Question Persisted as I Witnessed the Club’s Resurgence in Perth.

“Has it really sunk in yet?”

It’s a familiar query that echoes across the sports broadcasting arena.

As I sit here in a stadium I’ve never stepped foot in, miles away from the city where I’ve lived my entire life, I’m contemplating that very question.

For the past 45 minutes, I’ve observed the premier of this AFL-obsessed state standing alongside the kingpin of rugby league, Peter V’landys, and the smooth-talking CEO Andrew Abdo, as they rave about rugby league and its undeniable charm.

How did we get to this point?

Then, to top it off, he grabs a Steeden and starts kicking it around with kids sporting rugby league jerseys?!

And the reason behind this spectacle? The Bears are back?! In Perth?!

You bet they are!

As Thursday’s announcement unfolded beneath the blazing West Australian sun (a note to the NRL — consider scheduling night matches here in May!), tears of joy were shed at North Sydney Leagues Club. This moment was 25 years in the making, filled with disappointments and dashed hopes — Central Coast, Coffs Harbour, the Pacific. Each dream brought with it optimism, followed by inevitable heartbreak.

Bears supporters have endured their share of anguish. The team I adored growing up in the ’90s had the potential to secure three premierships, but seemed determined to avoid them. In a twisted sort of way, it only deepened our love for the team. Perhaps that’s why the Bears gained a reputation as a second team for many. “Poor buggers just can’t catch a break.”

Well, today, we just did.

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The Bears are back, and they’ve returned in the only way it could ever make sense — a fresh start in the west, with a dedicated fanbase in the east.

I like to think of myself as a realist. When people often ask me, “Who’s your team?” and I reply, “The Bears”, it’s typically met with laughter. I chuckle along, too. You have to; it’s the only way to cope. And cope we have.

We’re here now. Perth — this is your team. No doubt about that. But you’ve just gained a host of friends from the other side of the country whom you didn’t even know you needed. Come round one of 2027, this long-distance relationship will become clear — the perfect union.

Maybe then, it will all finally sink in.