I thought that’s cool the Bears have gone all retro with the jersey design …
Then I zoomed in and saw (2025) Mal is holding up a Western Reds jersey ??
I don’t even know what this is ? It has I’m assuming a Western Australia Rugby League badge , but the jersey looks mid 1990’s ?? Is he holding up some Cash Converters merch ? Is this a modern jersey ? If so why does it look like a new version of an old jersey, a retro jersey would have an ARL not WARL badge ??
Very confusing , announce a Bears Sponsorship by holding up a Reds jersey ?? Doesn’t bode well !!
Look at the trouble the Tigpies are having at the moment (a quarter of a century after their merger) due to not having a clearly defined and consistent identity ..
Even just keep the jersey exactly the same , but a modern reproduction (not all cotton and baggy) take the Reds logo and WARL logo off stick a Bears logo on the left , announce it as your training / warm up jersey and hold this up at the press conference if you need more time / to do some more consultation for the playing jersey .. It would be a phone call to a jersey manufacturer asking for a mock up concept design (and possible partnership in the future) ..Maybe a week’s turnaround and you’d at least look professional / well organised and not a confused rabble which is how this looks !!
Hell even get someone who works for the Bears to modify this in photoshop to replace the logos would be better ! Or don’t hold the jersey up - it’s only from my third look I saw Mal is wearing a Perth Bears Cash Converters polo shirt , if he wasn’t holding the confused jersey maybe I would have noticed this on first look !
The Perth Bears have today announced a landmark mega-deal with trusted second-hand retailer and personal finance provider Cash Converters that sets a new benchmark for West Australian sport.
The partnership will make the proudly locally-founded business the front-of-jersey sponsor for the club’s inaugural 2027 NRL season and the following two years.
Perth Bear CEO Anthony De Ceglie said the Principal Partnership will ensure the new NRL franchise is in the very top echelon of all sporting clubs commercially in Australia while setting a new benchmark for a West Australian team.
Cash Converters’ involvement in WA rugby league dates to the mid-1990s, when the company served as the major sponsor for the Western Reds.
Since then, they have been instrumental in supporting grassroots and community competitions and initiatives, as the NRL WA’s main sponsor.
With this partnership with the Perth Bears, Cash Converters will support the club in their community out-reach programs and game-day activations, as well as be the official partners of the Perth Bears podcast.
De Ceglie said the partnership was not just a game-changer for the club, but sport in Western Australia.
“The Perth Bears are the most exciting story in Australian sport thanks to the rise and rise of the NRL under the leadership of Australian Rugby League Commission chair Peter V’Landys and NRL CEO Andrew Abdo,” De Ceglie said.
“Cash Converters has always been incredibly supportive of NRL in WA with their consistent backing of grassroots rugby league.
“This deal is a testament to that dedication and the strength of rugby league.
“The Perth Bears have already broken NRL records commercially and this mega deal ensures our new club is in the very top echelon of teams across the nation – it’s a proud day for the West Australian sporting landscape and for WA-founded businesses like Cash Converters.”
Cash Converters CEO & Managing Director Sam Budiselik said he’s thrilled to join forces with the Bears given the company’s longstanding history with the sporting code and its aligning organisational values.
“Being there for our customers when they need us the most is the heart of what we do and extending that commitment with a new WA team in the national competition, and associated grassroots community programs, felt like a natural fit. We’re proud to stand behind the Perth Bears from the very beginning as they gear up for their first playing year in 2027,” he said.
“This principal partnership represents so much more than our support of WA rugby since the 1990s and having our brand on the front of the jersey reaches a national audience, particularly on the East Coast where we have a strong store presence. This partnership aligns our shared vision and commitment to the local community and the programs that they’re passionate about,” he said.
“Whilst we are a proudly WA founded business, we operate nationally and partnering with the Perth Bears at a time when the sport has seen such rapid growth with even bigger expansion plans enables us to meet more Aussies where they are, whether they are looking for a good deal on a second-hand retail purchase, need a personal loan, or are interested in purchasing luxury products for less,” he said.
Perth Bears chairman Ben Morton said that the Board were delighted to welcome Cash Converters as their principal partner.
He noted the partnership “extends the long running commitment of Cash Converters to the development of rugby league in Western Australia.”
“Our highly anticipated jersey will be unmistakably based on the red and black of the Bears and in doing so we will honour the legacy of the North Sydney Bears in Rugby League – and with Cash Converters on the front of Jersey, we will further unite our Rugby League communities on both the West and East coasts,” he said.
Head Coach Mal Meninga said the sponsorship was more than just a name on a shirt.
“We’ve found a partner in Cash Converters who shares our values and is clearly committed to supporting the future success of the Perth Bears, whilst respecting the history that brought us here,” he said.
I reckon the dogs sponsorship from Ringers Western is worse.
Do some research on the Salerno family (the founders of Ringers), the group called the ‘Ideal Human Environment’ and a sexual abuse of a teenage girl by James Salerno Snr.
Cashies may as well directly fund the gambling and drug/alcholo industries. Over half the stuff sold to them probably has the cash go one way or the other.
It was exactly about the pay day loans. Gambling takes money people have and can’t afford to lose. Pay day loans exploit them further and takes money they don’t have from them and hits them with interest to keep them in the hole. It’s ridiculously predatory.
There are at least 3 within 10 minutes drive of me in Brisbane. One of them actually sells used goods rather than just offering desperate people exploitative loans.
The only thing that was reported was that they didn't nominate a fee, but there was a lot that went unreported, like how their bid document outlined an entirely new club identity when PVL specifically brokered it with the purpose to bring back the Bears.
Disagree there, there needs to be a more concrete link to Perth other than just being a transplanted Sydney team - if they’re so hellbent on just using Red and Black, then there’s also the Reds’ Super League jersey they can take inspiration from. But without some sort of link back to the Reds, the Bears being in Perth feels like nothing more than a cynical exercise to please a few NSWRL old boys
In unrelated news, Lachlan Lewis has just been signed by the bears.
Cody Walker just fell to his knees on the way to the sheds at halftime
Hide your Bluetooth speakers!
I lent him my full DJ sound system 3 weeks ago. Has anyone seen it?
May as well bring back the Reds colours as their away strip for the nostalgia now
I’m hoping that’s the plan, they need some Reds representation beyond the sponsor
I thought that’s cool the Bears have gone all retro with the jersey design …
Then I zoomed in and saw (2025) Mal is holding up a Western Reds jersey ??
I don’t even know what this is ? It has I’m assuming a Western Australia Rugby League badge , but the jersey looks mid 1990’s ?? Is he holding up some Cash Converters merch ? Is this a modern jersey ? If so why does it look like a new version of an old jersey, a retro jersey would have an ARL not WARL badge ??
Very confusing , announce a Bears Sponsorship by holding up a Reds jersey ?? Doesn’t bode well !! Look at the trouble the Tigpies are having at the moment (a quarter of a century after their merger) due to not having a clearly defined and consistent identity ..
Even just keep the jersey exactly the same , but a modern reproduction (not all cotton and baggy) take the Reds logo and WARL logo off stick a Bears logo on the left , announce it as your training / warm up jersey and hold this up at the press conference if you need more time / to do some more consultation for the playing jersey .. It would be a phone call to a jersey manufacturer asking for a mock up concept design (and possible partnership in the future) ..Maybe a week’s turnaround and you’d at least look professional / well organised and not a confused rabble which is how this looks !!
Hell even get someone who works for the Bears to modify this in photoshop to replace the logos would be better ! Or don’t hold the jersey up - it’s only from my third look I saw Mal is wearing a Perth Bears Cash Converters polo shirt , if he wasn’t holding the confused jersey maybe I would have noticed this on first look !
They really don’t
The Perth Bears have today announced a landmark mega-deal with trusted second-hand retailer and personal finance provider Cash Converters that sets a new benchmark for West Australian sport.
The partnership will make the proudly locally-founded business the front-of-jersey sponsor for the club’s inaugural 2027 NRL season and the following two years.
Perth Bear CEO Anthony De Ceglie said the Principal Partnership will ensure the new NRL franchise is in the very top echelon of all sporting clubs commercially in Australia while setting a new benchmark for a West Australian team.
Cash Converters’ involvement in WA rugby league dates to the mid-1990s, when the company served as the major sponsor for the Western Reds.
Since then, they have been instrumental in supporting grassroots and community competitions and initiatives, as the NRL WA’s main sponsor.
With this partnership with the Perth Bears, Cash Converters will support the club in their community out-reach programs and game-day activations, as well as be the official partners of the Perth Bears podcast.
De Ceglie said the partnership was not just a game-changer for the club, but sport in Western Australia.
“The Perth Bears are the most exciting story in Australian sport thanks to the rise and rise of the NRL under the leadership of Australian Rugby League Commission chair Peter V’Landys and NRL CEO Andrew Abdo,” De Ceglie said.
“Cash Converters has always been incredibly supportive of NRL in WA with their consistent backing of grassroots rugby league.
“This deal is a testament to that dedication and the strength of rugby league.
“The Perth Bears have already broken NRL records commercially and this mega deal ensures our new club is in the very top echelon of teams across the nation – it’s a proud day for the West Australian sporting landscape and for WA-founded businesses like Cash Converters.”
Cash Converters CEO & Managing Director Sam Budiselik said he’s thrilled to join forces with the Bears given the company’s longstanding history with the sporting code and its aligning organisational values.
“Being there for our customers when they need us the most is the heart of what we do and extending that commitment with a new WA team in the national competition, and associated grassroots community programs, felt like a natural fit. We’re proud to stand behind the Perth Bears from the very beginning as they gear up for their first playing year in 2027,” he said.
“This principal partnership represents so much more than our support of WA rugby since the 1990s and having our brand on the front of the jersey reaches a national audience, particularly on the East Coast where we have a strong store presence. This partnership aligns our shared vision and commitment to the local community and the programs that they’re passionate about,” he said.
“Whilst we are a proudly WA founded business, we operate nationally and partnering with the Perth Bears at a time when the sport has seen such rapid growth with even bigger expansion plans enables us to meet more Aussies where they are, whether they are looking for a good deal on a second-hand retail purchase, need a personal loan, or are interested in purchasing luxury products for less,” he said. Perth Bears chairman Ben Morton said that the Board were delighted to welcome Cash Converters as their principal partner.
He noted the partnership “extends the long running commitment of Cash Converters to the development of rugby league in Western Australia.”
“Our highly anticipated jersey will be unmistakably based on the red and black of the Bears and in doing so we will honour the legacy of the North Sydney Bears in Rugby League – and with Cash Converters on the front of Jersey, we will further unite our Rugby League communities on both the West and East coasts,” he said.
Head Coach Mal Meninga said the sponsorship was more than just a name on a shirt.
“We’ve found a partner in Cash Converters who shares our values and is clearly committed to supporting the future success of the Perth Bears, whilst respecting the history that brought us here,” he said.
Trusted? Cash converters are predators
Scamming struggling family’s is this a good sponsor
No better, no worse than the gambling companies on every one of our jerseys and stadiums
At least with cash converters you’re guaranteed something in return
Fair point
Somthing stole/broken, but something nonetheless
Lottoland was one of the worst
Somehow they’ve managed to pick up the only sponsor more exploitative than the gambling companies.
I reckon the dogs sponsorship from Ringers Western is worse.
Do some research on the Salerno family (the founders of Ringers), the group called the ‘Ideal Human Environment’ and a sexual abuse of a teenage girl by James Salerno Snr.
This is a dead shit take lmao
Mate pay day loans are way worse than gambling, and I say that as someone who hates gambling being involved in the game.
Cashies may as well directly fund the gambling and drug/alcholo industries. Over half the stuff sold to them probably has the cash go one way or the other.
you think hock shops are more exploitative than gambling companies? fuck me dead bro
it's more about the pay day loans
It was exactly about the pay day loans. Gambling takes money people have and can’t afford to lose. Pay day loans exploit them further and takes money they don’t have from them and hits them with interest to keep them in the hole. It’s ridiculously predatory.
You meant the ones they no longer provide?
https://cdn-api.markitdigital.com/apiman-gateway/ASX/asx-research/1.0/file/2924-02950020-6A1265867
yeah I know and they are not worse than gambling companies
“trusted” by who?
What do they convert the cash into?
crime
meth
Yeah the cashies!
I didn't know cash converters were still going
I didn't know Cash Converters existed anymore. I don't think I've seen one in QLD for about a decade.
Dodgy business but probably not quite as bad as having a gambling company front and centre.
There are at least 3 within 10 minutes drive of me in Brisbane. One of them actually sells used goods rather than just offering desperate people exploitative loans.
This feels like Parra making James Hardie their sponsor.
we should do smiths crisps next
At this point they've signed more sponsors then players
It was always going to happen.
That's cool. How much do I get if I trade in the Wests Tigers?
You owe them $10
The reds are back
I honestly thought this was a joke initially. Even when I clicked on the link I still thought it was a joke.
Does this mean you can take a burnt out league player into cash converters and get cash for him?
TLDR
Someone explain what benchmark its set
Do the Bears get special rates at Cashie if they want to buy/sell players?
And still the unanswered question remains Why did the consortium lead by this company not get the licence when they bid for it?
The only thing that was reported was that they didn't nominate a fee, but there was a lot that went unreported, like how their bid document outlined an entirely new club identity when PVL specifically brokered it with the purpose to bring back the Bears.
God damn that’s an ugly jersey made worse with that billboard style ad plastered on the front.
What a shame the bears had one of the great jerseys
It’s an old Western Reds jersey, with the old ARL badge replaced by a vintage WARL badge
But on that note, Perth should do a Reds inspired jersey, whether as an away kit or an alternate/clash jersey
There's no shortage of past Bears jerseys they can draw on for alternates.
Disagree there, there needs to be a more concrete link to Perth other than just being a transplanted Sydney team - if they’re so hellbent on just using Red and Black, then there’s also the Reds’ Super League jersey they can take inspiration from. But without some sort of link back to the Reds, the Bears being in Perth feels like nothing more than a cynical exercise to please a few NSWRL old boys
Sometimes things are just as they should be
Cash Converter’s aka Junkie Mecca.
Free contraband for all da boyz