Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Thunder on the turf, hear the crowd ignite Perk Bears charging in red and black tonight from the try line battles to the lead wide steps we break it down, we bring it home these are the Bare Facts Per Pride Game on, let's attack this is the Bear Facts.
Hey, we are roaring with the bears and a real story shaking up the air Big hits, big hearts, never looking.
[00:00:32] Speaker B: Back Turn it up, tune it in.
[00:00:34] Speaker A: Get the Bear Facts Perth Pride game on, let's attack this is the Bear Facts.
[00:00:42] Speaker C: Hey, Grizzlies, welcome to the Barefax podcast.
[00:00:44] Speaker B: With your host, Rosny Fernandez, Johnny Dacosta and Todd Nelson. And behind the scenes, call our producer who somehow still can't tell Johnny and Todd apart.
[00:00:53] Speaker A: Meanwhile, Roger is still trying to figure.
[00:00:54] Speaker C: Out if Burgundy is just a fancy.
[00:00:56] Speaker A: Name for red and black or she's missing something important.
[00:00:58] Speaker C: Buckle in, folks, as tonight's show is a big one. Here's Rosni.
[00:01:02] Speaker D: Hey, everyone. Welco.
Welcome back to another episode of the bearfacts podcast. We have another great show lined up for you this week, but if you've missed last week's episode, we spoke to Bear's great Greg Florimo. You can check out it on YouTube or wherever you listen to your podcast. Don't forget, you can always find out more on our website, thebearfacts.com au don't forget through our streams. You can send questions in via the chat, then wait for your questions to be answered.
Now let me introduce Johnny and Todd, all the way from over east. Hi, guys. How are you tonight?
[00:01:38] Speaker C: Good, how are you?
[00:01:40] Speaker D: Good, how are you?
[00:01:41] Speaker A: Hey, guys.
[00:01:43] Speaker D: So before we reveal tonight's guest, I do have a few questions. So I'll start with Johnny.
Cool, cool, cool.
What is one rule you could, if you could change to the rugby league games?
[00:02:00] Speaker A: Jeez, that's a. That's straight. There's a punch straight to the face. That one. To make me think I'd probably increase the interchange numbers by 2, as in not players. Just how many more interchanges you can have.
So it's currently. What is a Todd 10.
[00:02:22] Speaker C: Interchange at the moment, I think.
[00:02:23] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah. So I'll change it.
I think it's 10.
I'd give it two more. That's it. Literally the only thing I would do.
So just bring it. Just bring. Give affords a little bit more of a rest because the game's so high pace at the moment with six against. That's it.
[00:02:41] Speaker D: And Todd, what are your next three predictions to come out of the Perth Bears?
[00:02:48] Speaker C: The Perth Bears, the Next three predictions.
[00:02:51] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:02:51] Speaker C: Is that player signings or whatever you.
[00:02:56] Speaker D: Feel maybe like within the year of the Perth Bears being an active NRL team.
[00:03:03] Speaker C: Okay, three things. Is it?
[00:03:06] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:03:07] Speaker C: Hopefully the signing of Tino, Big Tino from the Titans.
But that's just my dream. I just hope we get a forward leader like in Melbourne's first season in the NRL V Glenn Lazarus leading them on the field. So hopefully we can get Tina. Hopefully. Good fight off the Roosters and whoever else is after him. The Storm and get Big Tino. Another two things I'm looking forward to from my own personal perspective is when the merchandise hits, I'm gonna get in a lot of trouble off my wife.
Yes.
And just memberships in general as well. Like I'm just looking forward to just memberships. So yeah, I can't wait to be a member of the Perth Bears.
Look at the packages and just sort of see.
Yeah, just weigh up how much they are and you know, go for it. I can't wait.
Yeah. Excited.
So, yeah, that's my free time.
[00:04:13] Speaker D: Yeah, no, those are good. Talking about the signings, Johnny, what do you think about the current signings? Who are you most excited to see play?
[00:04:24] Speaker A: Liam Henry.
Because I think we've barely seen.
I'm a Bear supporter but I do, I do have a licorice. All sorts.
Skin undertones for the last couple, you know, not a couple, probably 20 years now.
He's just, he's going to be a leader and if we don't land a big fish for our pack, he will develop into one. He's been learning under Fisher, Harris and Leota in a dynastical team.
Big things are, I think are going to come out of him. So that's who I'm most excited about.
[00:05:02] Speaker D: Oh, lovely.
So as we know, tonight's guest is Peter Cummins. A little backstory about him.
He's a true pillar of rugby league in WA and a passionate leader both on and off the field. Peter is a life member of the Fremantle Roosters Rugby League Club and an inductee in the WA Rugby League of Hall of Fame. He's been a steady, fast supporter of grassroots rugby throughout his company Cash Converters, which has been a long history of backing the sport and sponsoring the Western reds in the 1990s to now being a major sponsor of the Perth Bears.
Peter currently serves as an inaugural board member of the Perth Bears, helping to shape the future of rugby league in WA beyond sport. He is the Executive Deputy Chairman of Cash Converters International, overseeing a global brand with over 750 stores across 15 countries.
He is also the founder of Game Gear, a company dedicated to making rugby league safer for players at all levels.
Peter's commitment to rugby league and community is inspiring and we are excited to have him share his thoughts and stories with us tonight. So please welcome Peter Cummins.
Hi Peter. Thank you for joining, Peter.
[00:06:24] Speaker B: My pleasure.
[00:06:26] Speaker D: So firstly, I'll ask you new questions if that's all right.
Yep, I just got two. I've got firstly, how did you get into rugby league? What made you want to start the rugby world?
[00:06:44] Speaker B: So my parents were 10 pound poms.
They came to Australia in 1950 and they're from Yorkshire and from Hull which is rugby league heartland. So there were two teams in Hull. There was the Hull Club and Hull Kingston Rovers.
Dad was a Hull Kingston Rover fan.
When they came to Perth they looked around to see if they played rugby league and as we know from our history, it started in Perth in 1948. So as a young tacker I used to go and watch Fremantle play which was the club dad supported and just naturally fell into the game from there.
[00:07:26] Speaker D: Very nice. And what is your first memory of playing rugby league?
[00:07:34] Speaker B: Just how much fun it was.
I love the, the competitive nature of the game and I love the team element of it.
Even as a kid you run around there and get bashed for 30 minutes or whatever it is and after the game with your teammates and you know, having a drink and no maccas in those days but nonetheless we had a great time.
[00:08:02] Speaker D: Oh lovely. So that will be all from me at the moment. I'll pass you on to Todd and Johnny to talk more about your careers.
[00:08:11] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:08:11] Speaker C: Peter, now you've been heavily involved with rugby league in wall, is it? I'd have to say it's fair to say that if you weren't around rugby league would, would have probably struggled like you were sponsored, major sponsor of the Western Reds. Perth Reds. And then from the end of was it 97. So that's 28 years you've flown the flag for rugby league in wall.
I think that's Q days for you.
[00:08:46] Speaker B: Yeah.
After the Reds collapsed, rugby league took a bit of a nosedive in Western Australia. The support for the game dropped off and you know, the very hard find sponsors. And in those days it was the West Australian Rugby League. We weren't part of the nrl so to survive we had to raise our own revenues and I think Cashies was probably a lone sponsor in those days which got the game back up on its feet and kept it going during those dark periods.
Until eventually the NRL took over WA Rugby League and then started to provide funding for the game in Western Australia.
But there was a long period of time there that we kept it going effectively.
[00:09:45] Speaker A: And did you always have belief, Pete, that you know, the time was coming that Perth WA would get that NRL franchise again?
[00:09:56] Speaker B: Yes, it was and has been a dedicated group of rugby league die hards in Perth, as you get in most places.
We always kept that hope. And we also had another failed bid back in the 2000s when we're led to believe that they were going to expand the game again. And we started up the West Coast Pirates and put a lot of time, effort and money into that. And we funded an SG Ball cup team out of Perth called the Pirates and they played for I think about three seasons and were trying to create an elite pathway program for our kids. And that didn't eventuate either. So that was another sort of stomach punch.
But then eventually, as we know, the NRL called for bids and I was part of a group that put a bid in for the NRL license. Unfortunately, that didn't eventuate. But nonetheless, the NRL did the right thing and created the Perth Bears, for which I'm eternally grateful.
[00:11:09] Speaker C: So, Peter, was it always a plan of yours to be the major sponsor if WA ever got a NRL team?
[00:11:19] Speaker B: Look, sport, particularly for us, rugby league is rugby league. People are sort of our customer base. And there was a very good sponsorship for us when it was the Western Reds.
You know, we've got 160 odd stores around Australia and we sold Western Reds merchandise out of our stores all around the country and we, our franchisees created supporter clubs on the east coast and we really got behind it and it was a very good business decision for us back then. And I think this time around it's going to be even better. I think, you know, the support that we'll get on the east coast as well as the west coast is going to be quite significant. And as a business, we'd like to be part of it. And it turned out we are.
[00:12:11] Speaker A: Yeah. And cash converters as well as you, Peter, you're synonymous of rugby league in Western Australia. It only feels right to have you both involved, not just as a major sponsor, but obviously as an inaugural board member.
And when you got that call to be on the board, how did that feel? And what's, what's the big plan there?
[00:12:36] Speaker B: It felt terrific, to be quite honest. I first met Anthony De Sigli and we had a chat about it and you know, from my perspective, I've been a Very successful businessman and rugby leagues of business as well as a sport. And I thought that I could add some value from that regard. And also with my sort of close ties to grassroots rugby league in Western Australia, it seemed that I could add some value there. So I was really chuffed when I got invited to join the board. And it's been terrific from day one.
[00:13:16] Speaker A: Yeah.
We have a question in there seem it's from Matthew Heath.
He asks. There seems to be a very local, vocal, sorry, minority of people in the Perth Bear. Social media groups say the best are an east coast transplant.
And how do you feel about that? I don't think it feels like that task, but how does it. How do you feel about that, Peter?
[00:13:43] Speaker B: That's not the case most definitely. And it doesn't feel like that for me. I think what doesn't help from.
For those people that aren't closely involved is that we don't get a lot of press coverage at the moment for the Perth Bears. Most of the press coverage comes from the east coast.
And so that sort of gives it that.
That feeling. But once we get up and running and we start having games in Perth and reporting out of Perth and you know, being able to watch the game on Fox and nine and whatever, I think that that element will disappear. But certainly from.
From the board's perspective and everybody that's been engaged by the club, that's not the case.
I think it'll be a West Australian club with there's terrific history and support and engagement with the North Sydney Bears, which I thought Billy Moore put it really well when I first met him was it's like a marriage, you know, it's two families coming together to make a new family.
And that's how I see it and that's how I feel about it. And everybody that I deal with seems to be on the same page. So I can understand why some people may feel that way, but it's certainly not the case.
[00:15:09] Speaker C: There was another question from rock tumbler Peter.
Did you guys have any major hurdles in getting the merger over the line? Like this is probably a bit before you joined the board. So do you know of any issues they may have had?
[00:15:27] Speaker B: Look, you know, I'm not the spokesman for the club, so I prefer not to make any comments in that regard. But we have a great relationship with the North Sydney Bears and it's all extremely positive.
[00:15:42] Speaker C: Yeah, it's good, Peter.
[00:15:45] Speaker A: One of the things we're most excited about is the WA pathways and things like the Harmony cup, which just was held over the Weekend from all reports. Amazing, amazing turnout.
The numbers seem to be increasing again in Western Australia with rugby league juniors.
How do you foresee the pathways growing to. To a point where there's the Bears are getting those juniors coming through the grades and what's your expectations there?
[00:16:20] Speaker B: Look, it's certainly one of the intentions of the Perth Bears and I think Mel's talked about this, so I'm only quoting him, but we'll have a Perth Bears academy in Perth so that West Australian rising talents get the opportunity to be well coached, well trained, brought along physically to be able to play at a elite level and will certainly have games organised for them to show their wares. So I think the local boys and girls for that matter are going to get a fabulous opportunity and then they can compete with those elite pathway programs from Brisbane and North Sydney. It's going to be terrific.
[00:17:07] Speaker C: And the local competition's grown for this season. Peter. We've four new teams in the competition.
[00:17:14] Speaker B: Yeah, we're back to 10 first grade teams which is, which is terrific.
The last time when we had the Western Reds we had a fairly significant influx of players that came to Perth hoping to get on the roster and that strengthened the local competition significantly.
And you only get better by playing against better players and better coaching and that sort of thing and that that'll all flow from the Perth Bears. So I'm really excited about the opportunities for West Australian players particularly.
[00:17:53] Speaker A: I think we all are, Pete. I think we all are. We can definitely see that it's only beneficial for the game and we can see that there's been an excitement build ever since the Perth Bears were announced for rugby league and winners in Western Australia.
It's so good. People need to remember it's the third biggest rugby league state and it's got talent there. We just need to nurture those green shoots.
[00:18:16] Speaker B: Well, if you think about it, Perth's got a population of Western Australia of around 3 million. I think there's no club in Sydney that has 3 million potential people in their target market for support and for players. So we've got got plenty of scope there to identify and develop talent.
Rod Fielding was telling me the other day that there's been 18 West Australians in the last 30 years that have played.
This is male and female played NRL that started their career as a junior in Perth. So we do have the capacity to develop talent. But in the past they've always had to leave Western Australia to go and prove themselves on the east coast and get into an NRL team. So it's Going to be really terrific for young players here in Perth to not have to leave the state to test themselves and get the opportunity to play at the top level.
[00:19:28] Speaker C: And with yourself, Peter, like you've been heavily involved in playing in rugby league in WA as well. Like you've won two premierships with the Fremantle Roosters.
[00:19:38] Speaker B: Yep.
[00:19:38] Speaker C: One was a draw.
28 all.
[00:19:40] Speaker A: Was it?
[00:19:41] Speaker C: 28 all.
[00:19:43] Speaker B: 28 all. Yep, yep.
It's actually three premierships.
[00:19:47] Speaker C: I played in three premierships.
[00:19:51] Speaker B: Oh well there you go.
[00:19:52] Speaker C: 1977.
Oh, look at that.
What was that boot in?
What did you receive that boot for, Peter?
[00:20:03] Speaker B: Well, I was the goal kicker for the team and that boot kicked the goal that drew the match to take it into extra time and it was those boot. So I'd thrown them in the bin but somebody dragged them out and and presented it to me at the wind up that year.
[00:20:30] Speaker C: Right.
[00:20:33] Speaker A: And hall of fame Pete inducted into WA Rugby League hall of Fame. Tell us a little bit about that. That's. That's an achievement.
[00:20:42] Speaker B: Yeah, look, I, I played, I think, I can't remember exactly but around 300 first grade games for the Mighty Roosters and represented the state on a number of occasions.
But also for 25 years I was either the president, secretary, treasurer of the Fremantle Rugby Club and so my contribution at club level as a player and an administrator, those people saw fit to induct me into the hall of Fame and I was very, very appreciative of that and took it as a great honour and a compliment for the contribution I've made at the local level.
[00:21:29] Speaker C: So with the Fremantle Roosters do you get down to many of your local games when you got a chance, Peter?
[00:21:37] Speaker B: Yep, yep. I still go along and support particularly when there's a special event on and we have a centurions club for all those that have played 100 first grade games and we have a fabulous lunch once a year and make sure I always attend that and watch the games and yeah, so I'm still seen around the old Frio club even now.
[00:22:00] Speaker C: Good with players in wa. Peter, who? Do you see any that might be ready for NRL in a few years?
Like I know June Butler with Fremantle Roosters was a good player a few years back but I think he's getting a bit older now.
[00:22:17] Speaker B: Yeah, no I do and I think Mel and David Sharp have got their eye on a couple.
They've been to the Harmony cup games for the seniors as well as the juniors and I think they've also identified some pretty talented sort of SG ball cup aged players. So I think it won't be long before we see a local make the grade.
[00:22:47] Speaker C: Good.
[00:22:49] Speaker A: And Pete, as far as legacy goes, Perth Bears, where, where do you envision the club will be?
Inside, maybe not five years, but say 10 years. Where do you want the the club to be and represent in 10 years time?
[00:23:06] Speaker B: Look, I, I think by then the club will be a membership based club not owned by the nrl. That's the stated intention of the nrl. That would be terrific for members.
But I want to see the Perth Bears being, you know, another Penrith or a Melbourne Storm or Sydney Roosters.
I don't want to be the Gold Coast Titans who promise a lot and haven't been able to deliver.
And I think we've got with our relationships with North Sydney Bears and we've got the potential to attract some really good quality people through the system over a period of time and we've got a quality board, quality administration, quality coaching and football staff.
Mel's very, very focused on bringing the right people to the club with the right values.
And if you look at the Melbourne Storm and the way Bellamy has created a culture there, that's the sort of thing we'd like to see at the Perth Bears as well, where it's not just about how good you are at footy but it's how good you are as a person as well.
I think those sort of values, they create that foundation and that culture that will take us forward and then you can't be afraid of success.
And I think that's something else that you build into the team and the people around it. And Mel's got some very strong views on that as well. So you can't do any better than having an immortal of the game as your coach and somebody that's coached Australia and Queensland and you know, we're really privileged to have him and those players that play under him are going to really experience something pretty special.
[00:25:09] Speaker C: We've got another question.
Peter from Rock Tumbler.
What game day story can you share as a free a Roosters player?
[00:25:21] Speaker B: Good.
[00:25:22] Speaker A: Pg. Pg.
[00:25:25] Speaker C: That's what I was thinking.
[00:25:29] Speaker B: I think one makes me laugh and it's relative to the part of the reason why I'm in the game Gear Enterprise was we've all played in the era where you'd get knocked out and the trainer would come along with a sponge and pour a bit of water on your head until you get up and get out there again. And you know, that happened to me once and I can remember not finishing the game and not having Any recollection of who we played, what the score was and ended up in hospital and in observation. And it sort of gave me a bit of a fright about what can happen when you, when you get into a head clash. So that's sort of part of what's driven my interest in this, this Game Gear project.
[00:26:22] Speaker A: That's good, Pete. The Perth Bears provide this unique commercial opportunity, I guess as far as sporting landscapes and in Australia, I can't remember a team that has based in one area but has a massive fan base in another area, but then automatically attracts a major, well, a minor sponsor, say Budget Direct from Queensland and they have that pathway to then go into WA and you know, put out their brand like that.
As someone that's respected in the commercial world, especially here in Australia, very highly regarded.
How do you see these opportunities? They must be unique.
[00:27:04] Speaker B: Well, they are and they also go the other way for West Australian companies as cash converters, it gives you the opportunity to showcase your brand on the east coast and that's really important as it is for Budget Direct to create a market opportunity in Western Australia.
It's a great platform for them.
So I think Anthony Dasigli has already mentioned that we've signed record sponsorship deals for just about every part of the jumper and I think there's some more to come and that just indicates how companies see the uniqueness and the value of being a one team town, particularly on the the west coast.
And you know, it's still the most watched sport in, in Australia Rugby league and I think this is going to attract even more eyeballs to the game and make it an even more attractive commercial proposition.
[00:28:17] Speaker C: Sorry, you go.
[00:28:18] Speaker D: Sorry.
Yeah, we just had a question come in direct to Peter.
As such a highly respected person in the WA rugby league community, would you consider making some more appearances to help convince the doubters that this is their WA team with some North Sydney history?
[00:28:41] Speaker B: I'd be always happy to get the opportunity to spruit that story on bar for the Perth Bears. I'm passionate about it and believe it to be absolutely true. So if I got an invite, I'd be more than happy to go along to any club in Perth or any function and get up and tell that story.
[00:29:01] Speaker C: Okay. Another question from JGB70.
He asks, have you reached out to comedian Jim Jefferies? He's a longtime Bear supporter.
[00:29:14] Speaker B: I haven't personally, but I know that Daniel Dickson and Gracey and those are very close to him and I can't speak for him, but I'd love to see him at A Perth Bears function performing.
[00:29:30] Speaker C: Okay, I have another question. What has it been like on the Perth Bears board? Like the meetings, the structure and everything like that. Like what's the atmosphere been like amongst everyone?
I think Peter's frozen.
[00:29:48] Speaker A: Thank you.
Frozen temporarily.
[00:29:53] Speaker D: That's all right.
Hopefully he'll come back.
But I think his experience very positive since he talks very highly about his experiences so far.
[00:30:07] Speaker C: He has a lot of experience in rugby league WA and I, I, as I said earlier, he's flown the flag of rugby league over there and kept it alive.
And yeah, it's good to have him involved on the board and with the Perth Bears in that sponsorship capacity and on the board as well for his experience.
So yeah, it's all positive.
[00:30:32] Speaker A: I think like rugby league purists I know definitely up here in Queensland they'll know the name Paul Porky Morgan.
He helped establish the Brisbane Broncos and was a pillar of Queensland rugby league late 70s, 80s, 90s.
Peter Cummins is basically the WA version of Paul Morgan and he's such an integral part of the WA rugby league fabric that it transcends just wa. It's just rugby league fabric. We just need to get that I think straight.
I for one hope that there's some sort of medal as part of the Perth Bears that get given to a best and fairest. If it's not for a NRL great player for a Harold Mats or SG ball or jersey flag, that should be the Peter Cumins medal. What do you reckon, Toddy?
[00:31:27] Speaker C: Yeah, definitely, like he just, he definitely deserves that recogn recognition and yeah, he's, he's done a lot for WA rugby league. I personally till I looked up his bio, I didn't know who he'd played for in wa in Perth in the competition. And Frey has always been a very strong club over there. Like I think last season's the first time having played in the grand Final and you know, five years or so. So they've always been always knocking and leading away in WA rugby league.
[00:31:59] Speaker A: So yeah, hot. Take any club that's got the Roosters as a brand moniker is usually is pretty successful.
Look no further than obviously the eastern sub of Sydney City Roosters or up here in the Gold Coast, Compton Orang Roosters where Rey Walsh comes from and obviously the Fremantle Roosters in Wall street uber successfully.
[00:32:23] Speaker C: We've got on the Central coast we've got a different setup up here. Like we've got the War War Roosters who play in St. George colors but we got the Erin at Eagles that play in the Roosters colors. So yeah it's a bit of a bit different.
[00:32:39] Speaker A: Bit of a mixed bag. Toddy.
So Peter mentioned the Perth Bears Rugby league academy. You know it's been mentioned before by various people involved in the club that this.
When do you think we'll start seeing players go through that academy and be NRL ready? Granted they're probably like 13, 14 year old kids right now but is there an amount of players you'd like to see? Like not a KPI per se but what would be a fair assessment moving forward saying five, six years. How many Western Australian locals you'd like to see in the, in the squad?
[00:33:21] Speaker C: Well at the moment you like you look at the WA rugby league and they've always been very strong in there at state level like in the what's it called Combined affiliated States trophy they've they won. They always win here against yeah they all. They lost year before last to like Victoria in the last. I think it was the last two seconds or something like but they always usually win or they're actually always in the final. So it's a very strong lineup. The clubs come and like in the last few years I think there's only been like five clubs in that fuel to go and play competition and now they added Willagy Bears this last season and they went on to win the competition in their first season back after probably about four years out. I think it was.
I could be wrong.
[00:34:22] Speaker A: Could be. It could be an omen.
Could be an omen.
[00:34:27] Speaker C: And they've now they've added another four new teams to you know to the competition so I don't know how the talent will spread out locally with those but you know if they've added them they must be confident they can you know get a good standard and and have the players to fill those gaps.
[00:34:50] Speaker A: So yeah and I don't think it's coincidental that there's been a rise of four extra teams in 2026 as opposed to two 2025. Obviously the Willagi Bears as you mentioned came in in 2025 a lot of it seems to coincide with the Perth Bear. Sure these clubs might have been trying to get back in but now that there's a full time rugby league professional franchise NWA like I'm expecting these numbers to grow. Like not necessarily clubs but definitely players junior participation.
Like I'd be surprised if WA is not back to about that 7,000 junior mark by 2029.
I think they're about 5,000 and a bit at the moment.
Well last time I checked so it's exciting times, mate. It's exciting times.
[00:35:40] Speaker C: It is, yeah, definitely.
It'll be interesting to see how the competition does go with those four extra teams. But as I said, Willagy came in last season 2025 and they won the comp, so it didn't hamper them at all. So we'll just have to see how everyone else goes, the four teams.
[00:36:01] Speaker D: So I just want to say quickly, we're still trying to get Peter back.
He's got some technical dish issues on his side, but, you know, we haven't lost him.
But yes, if you keep, we can talk about maybe how, how you guys feel about the sponsorships.
[00:36:23] Speaker A: I'm excited. Like, as I mentioned to, to Pete before, the commercial opportunities at Perth Bears that Synergy presents is, is enormous. It's. It's an area that has unlimited potential as far as having this new franchise and it's just bringing everyone on board with it. Welcome back, Peter.
[00:36:50] Speaker B: Hey, Peter obviously didn't.
[00:36:52] Speaker C: Yeah, so.
So my question was, before we got cut off, how has the Perth Bears board been like, how's, like, has everyone molded in together? Is it good when you come to meetings? Like, what's the atmosphere like? And are you all aiming for one goal?
[00:37:14] Speaker A: Like.
[00:37:16] Speaker B: Yeah, look, it's. It's terrific the way everybody's come together.
You know, you always have that difficulty with distance.
So some meetings are obviously video conferencing, whereas it's much better if you can all get in the same room. But nonetheless, it's. We're working together as a unit. That's going along very nicely.
[00:37:40] Speaker C: Peter.
Sorry, have you got a base of operations you all operate out of over there, Peter?
[00:37:51] Speaker B: No, not at the moment. We've been operating out of HBF park on temporary, so we're currently looking to relocate into some office space until the redevelopment of the WAC is complete. Where we're going to be operating from in November for training and admin. But the troops are doing a good job under trying conditions, put it that way.
[00:38:22] Speaker A: And how excited are you for November 1st this year? I feel like we're all sort of just waiting for the season to start so it ends, which is a bit of a weird thing, but what's your excitement levels like, Pete?
[00:38:36] Speaker B: No, I'm exactly the same as you. I can't wait for November to come around and see those boys out on the training paddock and in some Perth Bears gear. And, you know, I think that excitement level is pretty much throughout the either club and Western Australia in general. So, yeah, it's Going to be terrific.
[00:39:05] Speaker C: Now, your company, Game Gear.
[00:39:09] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:39:10] Speaker C: Can you tell us a bit about Game Gear and what it. What it involves and.
[00:39:17] Speaker B: Yep. So a couple of years ago now, I was introduced to Graham Matty, who's the designer inventor of the Game Gear helmet, which is.
I don't know if you can see that.
Yeah, okay, that's what it looks like.
And came about because Graham was a believer that concussion is something that can be solved in the. On the sporting field. And he spent a lot of time and a lot of money developing this system, which is.
It's a. It's a whole series of hexagonal shapes.
And I'm not a scientific person, but the theory behind it is those shapes, when you get a whack, disperse throughout each one of those little hexagonal shapes which are joined together.
And so instead of the force going through your skull and rattling your brain, the force is spread right across those little hexagonal shapes.
Graham was looking for a partner to. To commercialize the design.
And with some other guys, we created Game Gear with the view to securing the license to manufacture and to distribute his product nationally and internationally. And so we did that. And the launch for the product is on the 3rd of February in Melbourne.
We have been putting some helmets out on heads in the interim, but after a soft launch in December.
But the real launch for the product will be in February in Melbourne.
One other element of this Game Gear project is the science is indisputable.
We've had this tested in the New South Wales Crash Lab, and what they can do is they do a what's called a drop test, and they drop a weight onto this helmet and then they can measure the pla, which is the peak linear acceleration metric.
And the way these measurements go, the lower the number, the more that this is protecting you against the acceleration from a hit.
And to give you an example, the typical headgear that's available on the market now, the PLA on industry average is around 500.
The lower the number, the better it is at reducing that acceleration, which causes concern concussion. And our number comes in at a PLA of 50.
So it's considerably better than anything on the market.
It's also the only piece of headgear in Australia that meets the AFL's advanced football headgear standards, which to get into advanced, it's got to be 100 PLA or lower.
And so we're very excited about the. The technology and the science.
What we're trying to do now is prove that that actually does make a difference when you wear it in a game.
And so Game Gear have put up an $800,000 grant through connectivity Traumatic Brain Injury Australia, which operates out of Edith Cowan University.
And the professor there, Lindy Fitzgerald, is pulling this together. She called for applications nationally. A panel of experts reviewed all those applications and on the 3rd of February will be announcing the winner of that $800,000 grant which will fund this medical trial over a two year period.
And there are 600 participants in the trial from the three codes.
And it'll measure what impact that has on the people that wear it compared to the people that don't. They'll be taking blood tests and doing all sorts of tests on the athletes to try and prove the efficacy of this helmet. And if we can, then what I'm hoping is that the, the administrators of the contact sport games will say, like riding a bicycle, wearing a helmet is mandatory.
So that is the longer term vision. But in the interim, we want to get as many helmets on heads as we can, particularly with kids, girls and boys at that young age where they get used to wearing it.
And we've got some elite athletes that have put their hand up, one being Jake Trvojevich from Manly, their captain, who's wearing it currently in training and will wear it during the games. He had some problems last year, if you remember, with concussion.
And we've got other elite athletes in AFL that wear it in training, but eventually we'll get those people to be wearing them in game. So it's pretty exciting from my point of view to hopefully make a contribution to the game and make it safer for kids, men and women to play the greatest game of all as well as afl, footy and rugby.
[00:45:21] Speaker A: That's an amazing initiative, like awesome, truly awesome. And a nicer guy like Jake Travoyage is we've seen the photos of him wearing it at training. People might be asking, Jake, we've never seen that head gear before, but even optically you could tell it's different. It's revolutionary. As you've explained, it's going to be a fantastic sports science, I guess, piece of gear. And I can't wait to see more players wear it and more kids wear it. And I think parents can rest easy that it'll give that extra layer of protection.
[00:46:00] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:46:01] Speaker A: Hopefully puts more kids in the game too.
[00:46:03] Speaker B: Yeah, it's like, do you remember when bicycle helmets came out? People said, I'm not going to wear that. It looks dicky.
[00:46:10] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:46:12] Speaker B: You wouldn't get on your bike without one and you wouldn't let your kid get on his bike without one.
We've got those sort of barriers to break down. But when you see we had some kids up on the Gold coast doing a video shoot for us, and when you see 12 or 13 kids running around tackling each other wearing these, it doesn't look unusual at all. The kids loved it, the parents loved it, and we're making sales, so it's pretty exciting from our point of view. You.
[00:46:46] Speaker C: And you can tell just looking at it too, Peter. You can tell just looking at it.
It's a different material than the standard head gears that are going around. I could just tell by the baubles on it. And it looks like, what, What. So what would you describe that as for?
[00:47:03] Speaker B: Okay, okay. Well, as I said, I'm not a technical person, but I do have a.
The system's injected molded foam, and it's the geometry of the impact structure that is the key to its amazing performance.
There are two key features of the geometry.
The NIA is a lattice sphere of balls.
Spheres have an inherent characteristic of providing progressive resistance to impacts, and it's why balls bounce.
This results in smooth deceleration of an impact, lowering the G force head acceleration spheres maintain their impact deceleration properties at any angle of impact.
The lattice allows the balls to roll with angular impact, further minimizing G force head acceleration.
And we all know that concussion is a head injury that happens when your brain moves or twists inside your skull.
So instead of that force making your brain go like that, this will spread that force throughout these spheres and you won't get the same amount of movement inside your head which causes that concussion. So that's the science behind it.
And we're. We're locked and loaded and ready to go.
[00:48:30] Speaker C: Very good.
[00:48:31] Speaker A: Can't wait. Can't wait, Pete. And there was a QR code for listeners watching this podcast, but if you're listening and not watching the video game Gear, AU is the web page to go to, and yeah, you can purchase this revolutionary headgear dropping very soon.
[00:48:51] Speaker B: Yep, there's a.
A promo video on the.
On that website, which runs for about three minutes, and it gives you all the technical descriptions and you get to meet two of our ambassadors. Christian Welsh is our rugby league ambassador, and he's.
He was telling me that he's had eight concussions recorded on his medical records, but he reckoned that he had a lot more than that.
And, you know, he's absolutely supportive and behind this. So it's good to get people that have played the game and Understand what some of the challenges are, to take the time to get involved and understand what it can do for the game and the players and get out there and promote it for us.
[00:49:47] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:49:48] Speaker C: And will you be releasing it in different colors, Peter?
[00:49:52] Speaker B: Yeah. So, yep, as we get into this, you can. If a club wanted to buy enough helmets for all of its players, we can have it. Have a.
The club emblem put on the front, you know, your. Your logo. You can have them in different colors.
That's the standard model at the moment.
And so, yeah, it's.
It's going to be an exciting opportunity.
[00:50:22] Speaker A: That's awesome.
This is. This is potentially going to be really revolutionary because you taught, you go to junior games, and probably the one thing that stops rugby leagues for its numbers really exploding is, you know, just concerned mums, I guess, and parents that they don't want their kids to get injured. Broken bones is one thing, but. But a head injury is a different kettlefish altogether that you start getting to some very serious territory. And it does withhold people from putting their kids into that sort of contact sport. But a product like this, which has potential to revolutionize the safety in the impacts.
Amazing.
Like, that's awesome.
[00:51:04] Speaker B: It breaks your heart when you see some of the, you know, stars of our game, Spud Carroll and Steve Mortimer and to some extent, Wally Lewis, that are suffering from the cte, which is, you know, from a significant number of concussions.
Nobody wants to see that. And then, you know, when I go to games now, and particularly when you watch the ladies play, they play as hard as what the men do, and it's a very physical game. And then you see them off there feeding their kids and, you know, doing their mum job. And I think to myself, gee, if this. This could provide some safety for them as well. It's fabulous.
[00:51:50] Speaker C: Definitely.
[00:51:53] Speaker D: I just want to pop in. I think this is absolutely amazing. The headgear is a must, seeing how competitive these games get on the field.
We just had a question from one of our viewers. It was a bit long, but basically, to summarize, they just was wondering, what successes do you see the Perth Bears having from their starting next year? What do you hope to see them achieve?
[00:52:20] Speaker B: Well, me personally, I'd love to see us turn HBF park, which is a fabulous little rectangle stadium we have in Perth that holds about 20,000 people right on the ground. Turn that into a fortress where visiting teams are knackered after a long flight and come up against 20,000 dedicated Bears fans, creating a huge atmosphere and players lifting and, you know, if you can win your home games, you can go a long way to making that top eight. And you know when you look at the list that Mel's putting together now, there's some very handy players there and he's still working hard to improve the list. So that's what I'd like to see. That Bears Den at HPF park being a ferocious place to go and play for a visiting team.
[00:53:21] Speaker C: Certainly confronting.
[00:53:24] Speaker B: Yeah, you've been there haven't you? It's terrific when it's.
[00:53:27] Speaker C: Yeah, I went there for the Dolphins Knights game. There's a bit at the. One of the ends I think might be southern end called the Shed.
[00:53:35] Speaker A: Is it?
[00:53:36] Speaker B: Yep.
[00:53:38] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:53:38] Speaker C: And there's a lot of fans up there screaming and I thought oh that's a good spot to go to. So.
But I enjoyed it. It's a nice, very nice ground. Like yeah, like if it was packed out it would be a great atmosphere. Sensational atmosphere.
[00:53:57] Speaker B: So from, from the East Coasters perspective do you see fans traveling to Perth to watch the, the Bears play?
[00:54:08] Speaker A: Definitely.
[00:54:08] Speaker C: I think that first game is just. I don't know what you guys on the board are going to really do. Like is it going to be like members first or you know it's going to be packed out, you know like. So yeah, I'm looking. I think you'll get one of many who wants to go over.
[00:54:27] Speaker A: So yeah I'll be going over and I think you'll get definitely a lot of people go over for the event games. So we believe send Manley out there, put Manly on the worst possible little flight train if they have to, to get out there, you know by horse and carriage, whatever, tired and then they run out on hb, HBF and there's so many bears.
Yeah, I think you're going to get a lot of the traditional Sydney based Bears fans go to Perth for the, for the big games. You're going to have an enormous away crowd and you're going to have fans in Queensland. Like there's so many Queensland bears and, and former WA born peoples that obviously have adopted rugby league because that's all we know up here that are just excited for things even like Magic Round. Just, just having the Perth Bear in Magic Round and part of those festivities and we can't wait. It doesn't matter where the. Yeah, it doesn't matter where the Perth Bears play.
We'll be there and we'll definitely make the efforts to go to, to, to Perth and 100%. Yeah as far as we're concerned we're all, we're all Western Australians now, all us Bears fans. So.
[00:55:47] Speaker C: Well, my sister's lived over there for 35 years, so.
So I'm sort of on board.
We've got another question, Peter from JGB 70 what have the Perth Bears learned from a demise of a Western Reds? What can the Perth Bears do set up differently?
[00:56:08] Speaker B: I think there's a. There's a couple of things here. Firstly, we didn't have a rectangle field to play on for the Western Reds. So home games were at the waca, which is a big ground for cricket.
And even though you could get 20 or 25,000 people there, it just was very difficult to create that atmosphere. Difficult for the players as well.
And so we've learned from that that even though HPF park is a smaller stadium, it's made for rugby league and that's going to be a huge plus.
The other thing is the Western Reds, we had to field a reserve grade team.
So when we. And we also had to pay to fly the opposing teams to Perth.
So we were playing paying two lots of airfares for reserves and first grade for pretty much every game of the season.
And that placed a huge financial burden on the club. But also, you know, flying to the other side of the country on a regular basis takes its toll on players as well. So you didn't even have your reserve grade players back in Perth where they're not on a plane for, you know, four hours to Sydney and four hours back they were knackered as well. And so you get some injuries and then you've got that fatigue. So that's something that's going to be of a huge benefit to us. And I think the next thing is, you know, the, whoever sets the fixtures, not that we do, but it'd be nice to be able to go and play a couple of games one after the other on the east coast. So the players aren't coming backwards and forwards. Because the one thing we did learn is that that does take its toll on players.
So you don't want to be flying from Perth to Wellington back and then up to Townsville the next week.
So, you know, it might be a two week camp on the east coast and play a couple of games, that sort of thing. So we've learned that from the Western Reds.
[00:58:26] Speaker C: So Peter, who, who from the Perth Bears does take this information to the NRL and asks these questions like about two week playing in Sydney or two weeks in Queensland or the east coast and then two weeks in wa, like who. Who would take that information to the nrl.
[00:58:49] Speaker B: I'm assuming it would come from our football department. I'm not involved in that sort of element of it that this is, you know, this is my view of the world and I was around in those days and I've given that feedback to the, to the club.
[00:59:05] Speaker C: Good.
Did you guys agree have to pay for accommodation for traveling teams?
[00:59:14] Speaker B: No, we don't. It's treated the same.
Oh, back then, no, we didn't pay for accommodation. No.
[00:59:22] Speaker C: Right.
[00:59:23] Speaker A: I agree with your sentiments before Peter about, you know, if you're gonna. Hopefully the draw does accommodate, say two away game blocks and then two home game blocks. The NRL really have, I guess, all the data and information to make the draw as. As fair as possible and it just makes sense.
Perth Bears are going to be doing the most flying out of any franchise by a distance. So hopefully they listen to what the fans want and, and what's best for the club and.
[00:59:56] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, well, that, that's my position. That's not the official.
As I said before, I'm.
I'm not the official spokesman for the Bears. That's my. My personal opinion.
[01:00:12] Speaker D: Cool. Thank you so much. We are heading into our closing time, but I want to thank you for sharing all your information knowledge on your sponsorships, on your headgear and for your input on the board as well, even though you can't say too much about that one.
But yes, just thank you for joining us tonight.
[01:00:36] Speaker B: Well, thank you for giving me the opportunity. It's been terrific. I'm sure we'll catch up again.
[01:00:42] Speaker A: Thanks.
Thank you.
[01:00:44] Speaker B: See you guys.
[01:00:45] Speaker C: See you later.
[01:00:47] Speaker B: Bye.
