Peter V’landys has played down suggestions of more trouble at the controversy-plagued Perth Bears involving head coach Mal Meninga and his assistant Ben Gardiner, saying he is confident they will work well together when the expansion team begins their inaugural pre-season next month.
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team → play → season
The NRL-owned Bears are without a chief executive following the sudden exit on Friday night of Anthony De Ceglie, who resigned after losing the support of the club’s board.
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who → own → board
The departure of the former newspaper editor and Seven Network news director was just the latest chapter in a tumultuous foundation period for Perth, who will become the competition’s 18th side in 2027.
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who → become → 2027
David Sharpe, the Bears’ first general manager of football and a close ally of Meninga, quit in April after a fallout with De Ceglie, and the board was moved to bring in an expert to improve the organisation’s culture nearly a year before the club was due to play its first game.
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club → quit → game
The Bears have also struggled to assemble a top-shelf playing squad and there has been continuing speculation of friction between Meninga and Gardiner, who is coaching Samoa at the World Cup and appears regularly on Sydney radio.
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who → struggle → radio
V’landys, the Australian Rugby Commission executive chairman, said he had discussed the issue with both of them and was not concerned.
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he → say → them
“I’ve spoken to both the coach and assistant coach, and they think it’s really been blown out of proportion and they get along fine.
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they → speak → proportion
They are both very professional people,” he said at the launch of the World Cup at Moore Park on Saturday.
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he → say → Saturday
Ben Gardiner is an up-and-coming emerging coach who has done [work] with various clubs, most recent being Penrith.
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recent → come → clubs
I think when they all get going they’ll be a great team.”
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they → think → ?
De Ceglie, formerly a lieutenant of media mogul Kerry Stokes, was hired by V’landys and the Commission in May 2025, a month before the club’s board was appointed.
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board → hire → May
He lasted less than 18 months, with the announcement that he was leaving coming three days after a meeting of Perth directors.
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he → last → directors
De Ceglie’s responsibilities will be taken over in the immediate future by general manager of football Gareth Holmes, once a team manager of the Australian team under Meninga.
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responsibilities → take → Meninga
V’landys said the CEO’s permanent replacement would not be determined by him and the Commission.
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replacement → say → him
“Realistically … that’s a decision for the board.
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that → ’ → board
We are going to let the board decide all those positions.
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board → go → positions
We [appointed] the first one.
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We → appoint → one
After that, it’s really the role of the board,” V’landys said.
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V’landys → ’ → board
“That’s what proper corporate governance is.
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governance → ’ → ?
We’re not going to interfere into what the board wants.
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board → go → what
They’ve got to select their CEO moving forward now and their staff because they are going to be treated autonomous just like any other club.”
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they → get → club
The Perth board is chaired by former Australian government minister Ben Morton and includes ex-federal treasurer Joe Hockey, North Sydney Bears chairman Daniel Dickson, Nine sports presenter and North Sydney director James Bracey and former Western Australia Cricket Association CEO Christina Matthews.
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board → chair → Hockey
Others on it are Jacqueline Johnstone, a former detective and racing investigator now working at the NRL, and Harness Racing Australia chairman John Dumesny.
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Others → work → NRL
V’landys said he was sorry to lose De Ceglie, calling him a “brilliant guy” who has “done his job”.
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who → say → job
He believes the building blocks for success have been put in place at the Bears and that their playing strength is underestimated.
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strength → believe → Bears
“When you build a rugby league club the first thing you’ve got to build is culture.
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you → build → club
The two clubs that have the best culture in my view are Melbourne Storm and Penrith,” V’landys said.
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V’landys → have → view
“If you look at the [Bears] roster there is a great representation from both the Melbourne Storm and Penrith which will build a great culture in the Perth Bears from the beginning.
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which → look → beginning
“I think that Mal Meninga is going surprise a lot of people on his early success.
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Meninga → think → success
He knows what he’s doing.
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he → know → what
I don’t have any concerns.”
Sports news, results and expert commentary.
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I → have → news
The Aporia
