Sport Con: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese backing three clubs to be added to 20-team NRL

A diehard South Sydney Rabbitohs fan, Primer Minister Anthony Albanese has backed Peter V’landys’ plans for NRL expansion, pushing for one new team and the return of two heritage clubs.

Anthony Albanese is pushing for a return of the bluebags. Picture: Tim Hunter.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has backed Peter V’landys’ plans for NRL expansion, calling for the return of the North Sydney Bears and Newtown Jets to the big league.

As first revealed by this masthead last year, V’landys is ramping up plans for fresh growth, with the ARL Commission boss keen to expand the Premiership to 20 teams over the next decade.

Papua New Guinea is the raging favourite to win the NRL’s 18th licence thanks to Albanese, whose government is prepared to commit more than $600 million as part of a ‘soft diplomacy’ strategy to protect the Pacific.

Albanese’s support for an 18th NRL club linked to PNG has not wavered, but the diehard South Sydney supporter also sees merit in foundation clubs the Bears and Jets being resurrected as part of a 20-team league.

Following the success of the Dolphins, the ARL Commission has begun due diligence on further expansion by 2026 or 2027 - and Albanese would relish seeing the Bears and Jets revived as NRL brands.

Anthony Albanese is pushing for a return of the bluebags. Picture: Tim Hunter.

“That would be a wonderful thing to see the Bears in the NRL again,” Albanese said.

“My first preference is to see a team based in Papua New Guinea.

“It’s a matter for the NRL, of course, but having an expansion team in the Pacific would be very positive for Australia’s national interests.

“As the league goes to possibly 20 teams over time, there is a potential for teams associated with the Bears to come back.

“I would also like to see Newtown come back.

“It would be great to see the Jets in the big league again … they (Newtown and North Sydney) are both wonderful brands.”

While his heart is with Souths, Albanese embraces rugby league history and has been seen wearing the mighty Bluebags jumper outside his Sydney home.

In 2022, Albanese’s Labor government committed $2.5 million in funding to the upgrade of historic Henson Park, the home of the Jets.

Newtown dropped out of the premiership at the end of 1983 due to financial struggles and have since remained operational in the second tier amid the flickering hope of one day returning to the NRL.

The Bears’ final season as a stand-alone entity was in 1999, but almost three decades on, V’landys has left the door ajar for North Sydney, who are open to joint-venture talks with a Perth consortium.

Albanese recently confirmed he was in negotiations with V’landys for a historic 18th franchise with Pacific links.

ARL Commission boss Peter V'landys alongside NRL CEO Andrew Abdo (R). Picture: Matt King/Getty Images

“This is a game changer for the relationship with Papua New Guinea,” the PM told this masthead after last year’s NRL grand final.

“We’re definitely behind the NRL bid and, importantly, Prime Minister (James) Murape in PNG is very much behind an NRL team.

“This is a country that will celebrate its 50th year of independence in a couple of years (2025).

“Having PNG participate in the NRL, I can’t think of any better way to get that ongoing relationship and engagement between our two countries.”

Queensland Rugby League boss Ben Ikin, who played in North Sydney’s final 1999 campaign, believes the Bears can be an expansion branding boon for the NRL.

“Finding a way to get their history back into the elite game would be magnificent,” Ikin said.

“There is a dormant fan base that would immediately become re-engaged with the game.

“At the moment, the NRL is talking about getting to 20 teams … well use the Bears’ IP (Intellectual Property), seriously.

“For example, if the NRL is looking to Perth, they can say one of the conditions of getting a licence in that market is you are named the Bears. It’s not difficult.

“There’s a few contenders for an NRL licence such as the PNG Hunters and the Brisbane Tigers, but if the Bears were to come back, it would be wonderful for the sport.”