North Sydney Bears confirm return to NRL as Western Bears

The Bears’ 25-year absence from the NRL is soon to be over after the inauguration of the Western Bears was made official on Friday.

The North Sydney Bears lost their NRL license in 1999, but are expected to return as the competition’s 18th team in the coming years.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Westen Bears confirmed as NRL’s 18th team.

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The team, which will be based out of Western Australia, is expected to join the NRL in 2027.

Their submission still needs to be finalised ahead of the August 14 deadline, but it looks almost certain to be ratified.

Officials included in Western Australia’s bid for a team closed out months of negotiations with North Sydney on Friday to confirm the joint venture.

It’s understood they considered the ‘Perth Bears’ as the team’s name, but opted for Western as a nod to the state’s first NRL team.

The Western Reds spent two years in the competition during the 90s before defecting to the Super League.

Papua New Guinea is still expected to join the competition, but will now become the 19th team, a year after the Bears’ return.

The Western Bears will wear the old North Sydney colours, according to 7NEWS Sydney’s Andrew McKinlay, and could play at least one token home game at their spiritual home in New South Wales, which would likely be against arch rivals Manly.