High Steaks: Anthony De Ceglie talks about leaving Seven and his plans for Perth Bears
The new boss of the Perth Bears opens up about his tumultuous departure from Channel 7, the bitter media pile-on that followed and his radical plans for the reborn team. Watch the High Steaks video.
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The newly appointed boss of the Perth Bears NRL franchise has spoken for the first time of his tumultuous departure from Channel 7 – and the bitter media pile-on that followed.
Anthony De Ceglie quit the Seven newsroom last month to take up an offer from his close mate, independent commission chairman Peter V’landys, to become chief executive of the Bears.
De Ceglie, 39, has bold plans for the Bears, including creating a documentary in the style of Welcome to Wrexham showcasing the comeback of North Sydney and the NRL’s arrival in Perth.
We caught up at Norths League club last week to discuss the controversy around his new appointment given he has had no genuine rugby league experience, and the backlash around his exit from the TV network.
“I learnt a long time ago to ignore the noise. At the end of the day, I’ve always been the sort of person to take bold steps, take risks and swing for home runs,” De Ceglie says.
“It would be pretty ironic if I was to complain about criticism when I’ve been an editor of a tabloid newspaper.
“I don’t think I’d do anything differently. You’ve got to take chances and you’ve got to be prepared to fail.”
He insists has no regrets.
“Not at all,” he said. “I had 6½ years at Seven West Media and cherished every minute of it.
“The opportunity in the NRL came at the right time in my life – that why I left.”
The whispering campaign against him has been vicious, with his decision to introduce horoscopes and satire into the nightly news bulletins brought up as examples of a leader who was out of his depth rather than innovative.
If De Ceglie is hurt by the criticism he is not showing it. He’s upbeat, buoyant and confident as we sit down for a steak in the club bistro.
To hell with the knockers. It’s full steam ahead on this next assignment.
De Ceglie’s appointment for the Perth Bears gig was always going to be a controversial one, given his lack of an NRL background.
Your columnist was shocked at the absence of due diligence and the fact the chief executive position was never advertised.
It came about when V’landys and De Ceglie were both at the Sydney wedding of talent agency boss and mutual friend George Moskos.
“We were talking about the Bears,” De Ceglie said. “And I said to PVL, ‘you need someone in the job who knows Perth’.
“Nothing works in Perth unless you know the city.
“As we were talking, I told him I might be interested in being part of it. So he told me to go and see Andrew Abdo if I was serious, which I did. It all came from there.
“I’m not going to let the criticism hold me back from doing something I find extremely exciting. This is an opportunity of a lifetime for rugby league.
“I fell in love with rugby league when I was deputy editor of The Daily Telegraph.
“When you’re an editor in chief or news director you become very good at having knowledge about a lot of things, rather than being an expert in any one specific thing.
“I can’t wait to become a rugby league expert.”
This is a massive job in a parochial AFL city where De Ceglie’s old boss Kerry Stokes owns the AFL TV rights and the West Australian newspaper.
The paper has been a huge critic of the new venture from day one. When the team was confirmed the front page headline screamed Bad News Bears and described them as a dud second-division team.
Last Saturday when NRL legend Mal Meninga was appointed coach, there was no mention of it. Not even a brief.
“If we’re winning matches and fans are turning up to our games, then they’ll have to cover it. And if they don’t, the only people missing out will be their readers,” De Ceglie said.
He has plans outside of more traditional sports media practices to win fans over from AFL.
“I actually think the Perth Bears could become the most innovative and most media-savvy sporting club in Australia, doing it from the ground up with an open-door policy to have access to the coaches and the players for the fans and the media like they do in major sports overseas,” De Ceglie said.
“We’re starting from scratch and can do that.
“I’m also thinking about a documentary. Could we become Australia’s version of Wrexham? I think it’s a no-brainer for us with the comeback of North Sydney and Perth.
“There are endless possibilities.”
This new job is not just about getting a rugby league footprint into Western Australia. Having the old North Sydney Bears and their tens of thousands of diehard fans back is a huge part of it.
“The most crucial role I have is protecting the legacy and history of the North Sydney Bears and bringing them together with league fans in Western Australia in a respectful marriage,” De Ceglie said.
“The Bears are such an iconic part of rugby league. We want their fans to feel and know that this is their club too.
“The same way we want all the WA people … to be very much an equal partner.
“It’s a coast-to-coast rugby league marriage for one cause.”
The conversation turns to old North Sydney Oval. The Bears played their last game there against Melbourne Storm in 1999. Just 7241 fans turned up.
De Ceglie is already talking about lobbying for government funding for ground improvements.
“I think we can definitely play games there,” he said, “whether it’s trial games or official NRL matches. That tradition is very important to us, even in an era where the strong clubs are playing out of the bigger stadiums. It will have a presence and place in what we do.
“Everything we do will involve the Bears and it’s appropriate they have representation on the board.”
However, winning the battle in Perth is the biggest challenge. Its AFL teams, The West Coast Eagles and Fremantle Dockers own the city over winter.
“Is there room for another major sporting franchise in Perth? One hundred per cent there is,” De Ceglie said. “It’s a no-brainer. There’s nothing to say you can’t be an AFL and NRL fan and vice-versa. People want to watch sport.
“You asked me what do I know about rugby league … what I do know a lot about is Western Australia and I can tell you there is a huge appetite for this.”
De Ceglie believes the appointment of Meninga and the delights of living in Perth will be a huge attraction for players. He says the support from other NRL clubs and officials has been overwhelming, something rare in the snake pit and cutthroat world that is rugby league
“Perth makes rugby league legitimately a national competition. A strong Perth makes for a strong NRL.
“I honestly believe in the first five years we can be in the top five NRL clubs commercially.”
Finally, we talk about his old boss. He insists Stokes was supportive of his decision to take the Bears job.
“When I resigned Kerry listened and was very supportive and actually gave me advice on how to succeed,” he said.
“One important thing I’ve learnt from Kerry is his greatest characteristic is to listen to others and that’s something I try to do.
Kerry is actually a life member of the South Sydney Rabbitohs. AFL is his sport but he has a long history with the NRL.”
Do you have a story for The Daily Telegraph? Message 0481 056 618 or email tips@dailytelegraph.com.au
Originally published as High Steaks: Anthony De Ceglie talks about leaving Seven and his plans for Perth Bears
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