Rugby League’s Western Expansion Faces Its Ultimate Test as Newspaper’s Relentless Campaign Fails to Make an Impact Amid Origin Rating Surge

The crowd at Perth’s HBF Park for the NRL clash between the Dolphins and Knights this Saturday arvo is set to be a compelling indicator for both factions in the ongoing code battle across Western Australia.

To be clear, this rivalry isn’t being fuelled by the AFL or either of its WA-based teams.

The Dockers and Eagles hardly seem concerned about their supporter bases being siphoned off by the Perth Bears anytime soon, as they coexist amicably, just like in every other capital city in Australia.

In contrast, rugby league finds itself in a struggle to capture the attention of a Perth newspaper that aligns with the AFL and is doing its utmost to diminish interest in the NRL’s ambitions in the region.

The West Australian, which faced backlash last year over its treatment of the dismissed West Coast coach Adam Simpson, seems reluctant to acknowledge the existing presence of the 13-player code, even as rugby league’s popularity rises in the city.

State of Origin II attracted around 57,000 fans to Optus Stadium—a venue with a capacity of 62,000—on a Wednesday evening amid heavy rain.

While a number of fans made their way from interstate, approximately 47,000 were locals from Perth.

In that same venue on Thursday night, just 37,570 turned up to watch Fremantle triumph over Essendon. The following Sunday saw 43,803 fans come out to witness West Coast take on Carlton.

Catch the 2025 NRL premiership live and free on Nine and 9Now.

In Thursday’s edition of the West Australian, the blockbuster Origin match merited only a brief report buried at the back of the sports section, right next to ads promoting sex services.

Conversely, the paper dedicated a two-page feature to previewing the Dockers’ game against the Bombers on the same day.

In the lead-up to Origin, the newspaper made little effort to promote the rugby league spectacle.

In fact, it mocked the event with an ad that appeared on Origin game day saying, “State of Origin is back… WA’s Dockers vs Victoria’s Bombers, Thursday night at Optus Stadium”.

Over Monday and Tuesday, the paper could manage just one small preview about the match. Moreover, Channel Seven’s news segment failed to mention the game at all on the Tuesday night bulletin.

Nonetheless, broadcast statistics indicate a robust interest in rugby league across WA.

The exclusive live broadcast on Nine attracted 190,000 viewers from Perth, with a nationwide audience of 3.751 million, which represents a 17.5% increase compared to last year’s Game Two viewership. This was the highest ratings for Origin II since the series in 2015.

Despite these strong indicators, West Australian editor Chris Dore insists that rugby league holds no interest in the city.

“Mate, the fixation on how The West covers league is absurd,” Dore stated to The Sydney Morning Herald.

“No one outside of rugby league reporters in Sydney cares. The fact is rugby league is not a mainstream sport here.

“Just the facts. Good on them for giving it a go here. We have no issue with the game, despite the ongoing noise from [Peter] V’landys’ supporters in the Sydney media about our coverage. It’s just never going to be a mainstay here.

“Being a Queenslander myself… If we had an audience for league here, it would be covered. Do you think a rugby league match between two out-of-state teams is more pertinent to WA readers than what we chose to fill the precious space in our sports section?”

Regardless of Origin, the NRL is set to establish its presence in Perth with the arrival of the Bears.

On the day the new franchise was announced, the West Australian ran a front-page story titled “Bad News Bears,” criticising the league’s efforts to penetrate the city.

This stands in stark contrast to the narrative when Perth hosted Origin matches back in 2022 and 2019, where the local paper actively promoted the games and even declared, “Why the time is right for rugby league to establish a foothold and launch a new NRL team in Perth.”

The newspaper’s anti-rugby league stance may stem from a feud between billionaire Kerry Stokes of Seven West Media and ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys, or it could merely be Seven attempting to safeguard its AFL product.

Tune in for the 2025 State of Origin series exclusively live and free on Nine and 9Now.

V’landys tapped Anthony de Ceglie, a former news chief at Channel Seven and editor of the West Australian, to serve as the inaugural CEO of the Perth Bears.

This hiring of a long-time Seven news executive may have provoked Stokes.

De Ceglie is optimistic about the Bears’ potential for success and is determined to overcome the newspaper’s steadfast dismissal.

“The Perth Bears are eager to earn the respect of sports enthusiasts in WA and secure our place in the sports pages of The West Australian alongside AFL teams,” De Ceglie remarked on Wednesday.

“If we can win on the field and engage with fans off the field, while establishing a club that embodies solid values, then hopefully the newspaper will have no choice but to cover us.

“Should we succeed in these areas yet still be overlooked, then the real loss will be for the readers.

“It’s not that Perth is strictly an AFL region; rather, it’s a versatile sports state. West Australians cherish a variety of sports, including Aussie rules, tennis, basketball, and NRL. They are supportive and passionate no matter the sport. There’s nothing preventing one from supporting both an AFL and an NRL team.”

This sentiment resonates with former WA cricket star Mitchell Johnson.

“Rugby league absolutely has a place here,” Johnson shared with Wide World of Sports’ Freddy and the Eighth this week.

“We have numerous fans from New South Wales, Queensland, and New Zealand here who love their footy and want to watch it.

“When I visited in 2019 to watch (Origin), the turnout was incredible; everyone was eager to be there. Having the Perth Bears here would be fantastic; it’s exactly what we need.

“AFL dominates discussions here, and every paper I pick up is all about the AFL… I believe having NRL here would be beneficial for Perth. We truly need it.”

Even without a club established in Perth yet, the NRL is drawing considerable attention in the state.

An earlier doubleheader this season featuring the Sharks, Sea Eagles, Rabbitohs, and Cowboys saw 31,347 fans come out to Optus Stadium, surpassing most NRL crowd numbers in Sydney.

This Saturday, the Dolphins and Knights will play at HBF Park, which is earmarked to become the Bears’ first home ground.

With a capacity of around 20,000, if the venue is buzzing for this Saturday arvo’s matchup, it’ll serve as another testament to rugby league’s growing popularity in the WA capital.

While The West Australian may wish to overlook it, rugby league is making its entrance.