WA Premier tells NRL supremo Peter V’landys to shut his mouth
WA Premier Roger Cook has told NRL Supremo Peter V’landys to zip it after suggestions sensitive information has been leaked.
Western Australia Premier Roger Cook has told NRL supremo Peter V’landys to “shut up” in a serious twist to the saga behind the code’s expansion plans for Perth.
Plans for an NRL club to be based out of Perth have been in a spin since V’Landys in October tore up offers from a private consortium, headed up by Cash Converters executive deputy chair Peter Cumins, to take up the 19th NRL franchise license in a partership with the North Sydney Bears.
The NRL then pivoted towards a preferred proposal for a Perth-based team owned by the Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC).
That project, as made abundantly clear by the NRL, was dependent on the WA government shelling out cash to support the plan.
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According to reports, the NRL had hoped to be able to announce the identity of a 19th franchise in December when it was announced a team based out of Papua New Guinea — thanks to a staggering $600m package from the federal government — will be the 18th team, entering the competition in 2028.
As reported by Code Sports last week, the NRL’s wish list from Cook’s government includes a $120m investment in the NRL and a further commitment of at least $200m to upgrade Perth’s rectangular HBF Stadium to a 27,000-seat venue.
Talks between the NRL and the Cook government have been put on hold as the Premier heads into next month’s state election.
However, Cook on Tuesday told Triple M Breakfast’s Xav and Katie on 92.9 that he would rather their private cnversations remain private.
“He’s a tough bugger, Cook said of V’landys.
“Look if he could just shut up for a little while…. You ring him up and say how are you and the next day in the Daily Telegraph, you get ‘The Premier asks about my health’.
“They (NRL) are a funny mob to deal with.”
Cook said there was a long way to go before any greement was reached, but said it would be great for his state to secure an NRL team.
“WA is the only state that can put the N in NRL, it’s not a national comp until you get a WA Side, but we aren’t talking about this year, next year or even the year after that, this is a long term plan,” Cook said.
He went on to say: “We’re open to that idea (the Bears joining the NRL as a WA-based team.
“That gives us a player base, a membership base and resource base. It would start us off well.
“But again, look, everyone is getting a bit bent out of shape, ‘Why are you talking about this during an election campaign?’
“We’re not talking about it. We’re having some conversations with the NRL, if they work out some point in the future.”
NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo said last week the league intended to resume discussions shortly after the election is held. Cook’s Labor party is expectd to win in another landslide victory.
“Once that election is finished we will re-engage with the government and hopefully put a business case to the (ARL) Commission which will provide certainty for the next couple of years,” Abdo told AAP.
“Nothing has been finalised and we need to work on it.
“It won’t be rushed, it would be something the commission needs to be very, very clear on. We are doing that work.
“These decisions are really important because they fall decades into the future. We want to make sure we have all the analysis done.”
V’landys told Code Sports last week he was confident a deal would be struck that would see the Bears in the NRL.
“I would love to see the Bears back in the competition, absolutely,” V’landys said.
“I won’t go into exact details, but the talks with the WA government have been very positive, so I have no concerns at all.
“I have been talking to the WA premier and I am very comfortable and confident with where we are at.
“The Bears will be at the front and centre of this. I am very conscious of that.
“There’s no concerns with the Bears, I’m confident they will be a part of the new expansion team.”
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