Advertise on podcast: Big Bears Podcast

Bears coach Mal Meninga answers your questions and has his say on which team he believes will win the Grand Final on Sunday between the Roosters and Knights. The former Australian coach reveals who he believes should replace Nathan Cleary for the Kangaroos at the World Cup.And Meninga provides a recruitment update for the Bears. Big Bears podcast is brought to you by Cash Converters and available wherever you listen to your podcasts.

Perth recruit Toby Sexton is itching to run out and wear the #7 jersey of the Bears. The talented halfback was one of the first players to sign with the club and after a year playing Super League, Sexton declares he has unfinished business in the NRL. Away from footy he's looking forward to some good Aussie coffee and lucky for Sexton, Perth is the coffee capital of Australia.

How do you build the foundations for an NRL powerhouse? Perth Bears Head of High Performance Dan Grange reveals the thinking behind the club’s preparation, player development and performance philosophy. From managing the brutal Perth summer to turning raw talent into NRL-ready players, Dan explains what it will take. Big Bears podcast is brought to you by Cash Converters and available wherever you listen to your podcasts.

The English forward joins the Big Bears podcast to talk about why the chance to be part of a brand-new NRL club was impossible to resist. Smithies opens up on his journey from a hardworking upbringing in the UK to the NRL and what his first piece of advice to several of his countrymen in the squad will be when they arrive for a gruelling pre-season under the Perth sun. He also reveals what Mal Meninga said to him over a coffee that convinced him to move west. Big Bears podcast is brought to you by Cash Converters and available wherever you listen to your podcasts.

Mike Munro AM is one of Australia’s most accomplished journalists anchoring Nine News, hosting A Current Affair and This is Your Life and reporting on 60 Minutes and Sunday Night but since he went to Kindergarten over the road from North Sydney Oval he’s been a fan of the Bears. The one time patron of the Central Coast Bears bid, Mike shares his long association and friendships made through rugby league with the tickets booked for the family including grandchildren for the Perth Bears first match in 2027. Mike reveals the close association he developed with coach Mal Meninga while filming a story for 60 Minutes and shares his observations of the media today and his first encounter with Donald Trump. Big Bears podcast is brought to you by Cash Converters and available wherever you listen to your podcasts.

Star Perth Bears recruit Corey Horsburgh opens up for the first time on why he decided to come west and what he's most excited about for the 2027 season. The State of Origin and Australian representative also reveals the player he's most looking forward to playing with and he plans to get up to away from the field in Perth.  He also addresses one of the biggest misconceptions he thinks people have about him. Big Bears Podcast is brought to you by Cash Converters and available wherever you get your podcasts.

League legend and former Western Reds star Mark Geyer returns to Perth and this time, he’ll be watching his son Mavrick pull on the jersey. Geyer opens up about his unforgettable years with the Reds in the 1990s, why he fell in love with Perth, the brotherhood that made the Western Reds special, and why he believes the Bears can succeed in WA. He also reflects on the remarkable full-circle moment of his son joining the Bears for their inaugural NRL season. Big Bears Podcast is brought to you by Cash Converters and available wherever you get your podcasts.

LANGUAGE WARNING: Jim Jefferies is one of Australia’s biggest comedy exports and, as it turns out, one of the Perth Bears’ biggest fans.  The global comedy star joins the Big Bears Podcast to talk about his obsession with the Bears, why he is sure they will thrive in Perth and his memories of supporting North Sydney.  Jefferies talks about what makes rugby league such a great sport plus he shares several trademark Jim Jefferies stories and brutally honest opinions. Big Bears meets big comedy. This one gets loose. Big Bears Podcast is brought to you by Cash Converters and available wherever you get your podcasts.

Self confessed leaguie, Premier Roger Cook celebrates the launch of the Bears new jersey revealing why he pursued the new franchise for Perth. Growing up the Premier played Union and league and is proud to be able to provide young boys and girls the opportunity to grow the code and have their own team to barrack for. Mr Cook says the Bears demonstrate the strength of the WA economy and an example of Perth maturing. Big Bears Podcast is brought to you by Cash Converters and available wherever you get your podcasts.

Before he takes charge of his first Wallabies training session at North Sydney Oval, Les Kiss joins the Big Bears Podcast for a fascinating conversation about the journey from proud North Sydney Bear Bear to Australia’s national rugby coach. Kiss reflects on the influence rugby league has had on his coaching philosophy, why he believes rugby union has never been more exciting, and the high-performance standards that have shaped his career. Along the way, he shares some brilliant State of Origin stories with rugby league immortal and Perth Bears coach Mal Meninga from being put over for a try to the unforgettable moment Meninga simply carried him across the try line. A must-listen as Les Kiss embarks on the biggest challenge of his coaching career. Big Bears podcast is brought to you by Cash Converters and is available wherever you get your podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

North Sydney Bears life member Jason Taylor has never given up on seeing the Bears back in the NRL. In a candid conversation, JT reflects on an extraordinary playing career, revealing the secret to never missing a game through injury in the famous red and black, and the relentless work he put into becoming one of rugby league’s greatest kickers. Taylor also opens up about the demise of the North Sydney NRL side and the failed merger season of the Northern Eagles with Manly. He discusses life as an NRL head coach and assistant, and why leading the Bears’ NSW Cup side to the 2023 Grand Final helped keep the club’s proud history front of mind during the push for expansion. Now coaching the Bulldogs’ NSW Cup team, Taylor shares why the Perth Bears means so much to everyone who has worn the jersey. Big Bears podcast is brought to you by Cash Converters and is available wherever you get your podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gerard Neesham AM knows what it takes to build a club from the ground up. The inaugural Fremantle Dockers coach reflects on the challenges, opportunities and hard decisions involved in launching an expansion team, drawing striking parallels between the Dockers’ birth and the arrival of the Perth Bears in 2027. Neesham also looks back on the Dockers and Perth Reds entering the national sporting landscape in the same year, sharing lessons that remain just as relevant today. Beyond football, he discusses the remarkable success of the Clontarf Foundation, which he founded to improve education, employment and life outcomes for young Aboriginal men. The program has helped shape the lives of thousands of students, including many current NRL and AFL stars. Big Bears podcast is brought to you by Cash Converters and is available wherever you get your podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Roasty from The NRL Roast joins Big Bears Podcast thanks to Cash Converters this week to share passion and love for the game. The self confessed fan boy of the game runs one of the most popular social media rugby league concepts and shares in the excitement of the Perth Bears joining the competition in 2027. Roasty reflects on rugby league’s expansion in the 1990s, why this era feels different, and why he believes the Bears are perfectly placed to become one of the competition’s biggest success stories. Big Bears Podcast is brought to you by Cash Converters and is available wherever you get your podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More than 20,000 members have signed up as members of the Perth Bears and in this episode of Big Bears Podcast thanks to Cash Converters the CEO Anthony de Ceglie answers your questions in Bite Back. Anthony address the recruitment of Gareth Holmes as new GM of football, David Campese’s role in recruiting South African rugby union players as well as addressing more membership options and where the Bears will be playing in round one. The CEO reveals that fans who buy a ticket to Melbourne Storm and Manly Sea Eagles match at HBF Park in Perth on August 8 will be able to buy the inaugural jersey. So sit back and enjoy the podcast, buy your tickets and let’s see you at the game in your brand new bears jersey. Have a question you want the club to answer? Drop it in the comments! Big Bears Podcast is brought to you by Cash Converters and is available wherever you get your podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Storm CEO Justin Rodski is excited to be bringing the club to Perth to host arch rivals Manly on Saturday August 8th - the same time the Bears unveil the playing jersey. Rodski talks about the parallels for the Bears infiltrating AFL cities and how the Storm have built success. He describes the loss of Tyran Wishart and Nick Meaney to Perth as bittersweet as Bears fans get their chance to see two of their recruits run out at HBF Park on August 8. Get your tickets now via Ticketmaster. Have a question you want the club to answer? Drop it in the comments! Big Bears Podcast is brought to you by Cash Converters and is available wherever you get your podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.