Brad Arthur set to secure bombshell NRL return (2025)

Former Eels coach Brad Arthur is reportedly set to be appointed coach of the Western Bears after they were given the green light to become the NRL’s 18th team on Thursday.

The ARL commission has reportedly agreed in principle to the Western Australian government’s revised offer for an NRL franchise based in Perth, accepting the latest proposal from WA premier Roger Cook.

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That agreement all but confirms the return of the Bears, having last featured in 1999.

NRL clubs and the Rugby League Players’ Association now must sign off on the negotiations before the NRL can offically accept their proposal.

A committee of clubs will reportedly meet with NRL officials on Thursday, hoping to secure the tick of approval to expand their reach into the Western state.

Once the existing NRL clubs rubberstamp the deal, as expected, the Western Bears will then officially become the league’s 18th team.

And according to Code Sports, once that happens Arthur will almost be unveiled as the newest franchise’s head coach.

If that is the case Arthur has less than two years to build a team from scratch but has extensive NRL head coaching experience.

The 50-year-old coached 264 games at the Eels before being sacked in May last year after Parramatta were thumped following a 48-16 loss to the Storm at Magic Round.

Arthur has family in Perth and recently voiced his desire to return home, putting off signing a new deal with English Super League side Leeds Rhinos.

Arthur was reportedly offered a contract extension to remain in the Super League, with his current deal up at the end of the 2025 season, however, stated his intent to ideally return as a head coach in the NRL.

“It’s hard to not be there with the boys (his sons Jake and Matt) … they want me to stay but I’m holding them off a bit,” Arthur told Code Sports earlier this month.

“I’m enjoying it, I really am. But I want to coach in the NRL again and I’d like to come home.”

It is no surprise that Arthur wants to return to Australia as he said he wanted to make it back to the NRL from the time he was sacked.

“I’ve been honest about it all the way through, I want to be a career coach in theNRL and still feel like I’ve got some unfinished business there,” he said last year after joining Leeds.

“But also, I’ve always had the desire at some stage to coach in theSuper League – whether it was at the end of my career or now. I don’t want to be drawn into whether I’m staying or I’m not: because I don’t know.

“I’ve left my family at home so that shows I’m committed to helping the club right now. If I can do as much as I can now to help the club advance through this year and beyond whether it’s with or without me, then great.”