North Sydney Bears assistant Pete Palmer one game away from helping end 30-year drought

The Wests old boy and junior premiership coach made an appearance on reality TV earlier this year, now he’s one game away from adding a NSW Cup to his resume. Discover his story.

Pete Palmer in his coaching element with the Bears. Picture: Supplied.

The North Sydney Bears are one game away from ending a 30-year New South Wales Cup premiership drought.

If they can, it’ll cap off an extraordinary 12 months for Mackay man Pete Palmer, who has also featured on reality TV series Million Dollar Island.

Palmer is an assistant coach at the Bears, but wouldn’t overstate their grand final chances nor the significance of the occasion when they come up against the Rabbitohs on Sunday afternoon.

“We’re just trying not to get carried away, just trying to get the job done,” Palmer said.

“We all dare to dream, but we’re still 80 minutes away from victory.”

The North Sydney Bears have had a season to remember, finishing atop of the ladder with an 16-8 record. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Palmer’s been an assistant to North Sydney’s NSW cup side for the past three years, having previously coached the club’s under-17s, 19s and 21s.

He’s also worked with the Manly Sea Eagles junior development program.

But his coaching roots can be traced back to Mackay’s very own Wests Tigers.

Between 2009 and 2011, Palmer led the Wests under-15s and 16s to premierships, and the 18s to a grand final.

“It was really strange, I just wanted to help out,” Palmer said on why he began coaching.

“But I really enjoyed it so I continued to pursue it… I guess winning those grand finals was a little bit addictive.”

Pete Palmer (left) now rubs shoulder with NRL premiership coach Trent Robinson. Picture: Supplied.

Palmer mainly played A-grade for Wests and also had a stint with Magpies, but described himself as a “good old typical park footballer.”

He left the Sugar City for Sydney around a decade ago, citing a desire to expand his wings and the need for a change of scenery.

“I thought to myself, ‘if I don’t like it I can always move home’,” Palmer recalled.

As for what his recent Million Dollar Island stint - which involved 14 days on a deserted island with 100 strangers - taught him about coaching?

Pete Palmer on Million Dollar Island Picture: Supplied.

“I often coach my players about having resilience, mental strength, and being able to overcome obstacles, and being on the island I had to put those same practices into place,” he said.

Palmer also works as a firefighter, but he hopes his days in that occupation are numbered.

“It’d be great to be a full-time (coach) one day,” he said.

“That’s always the dream, full-time in the NRL system.”

“It’d be great to get some success (with the Bears) and hopefully some opportunities come off the back of that.”