Leading coaches interviewed immediately after Perth Bears CEO named  

The NRL has moved closer to naming a head coach for the Perth Bears, conducting formal interviews with the two leading high-profile candidates.  

The Sydney Morning Herald reported that sources close to the situation have quietly confirmed that Mal Meninga, the current Australian head coach, and Brad Arthur, who recently took the Leeds Rhinos job in the Super League, participated in separate Zoom interviews with NRL officials on Thursday afternoon.

The interviews immediately followed Thursday’s appointment of Anthony De Ceglie as the Bears’ inaugural chief executive officer, with Meninga and Arthur both publicly declaring their interest in the position ahead of the team’s planned entry for the 2027 NRL season.

De Ceglie joins the club from Seven West Media, Australia’s leading media company, where he held the position of Editor-in-Chief and Director of 7News.

As Love Rugby League has previously reported, the NRL is keen to appoint a head coach quickly to begin building a competitive roster, with the expansion team expected to hit the ground running in a similar fashion to the Dolphins, who joined the competition in 2023.

Arthur, who spent over a decade with Parramatta before moving to England to take control of the Leeds Rhinos, brings extensive club coaching experience.

Meninga on the other hand won a record eight consecutive State of Origin series wins as the head coach of Queensland and a Rugby League World Cup with the Kangaroos in 2022.

In addition to that, the former Canberra Raider is an NRL Immortal and boasts three premiership rings with the club.

Despite his lack of experience in club land, Meninga’s strong rugby league profile is seen as a major asset for the Bears, particularly when it comes to attracting new and old support in the Western Australian market.

While Meninga did not confirm the interview, he emphasised that he was still physically and mentally capable of coaching at the club level.

“I’m not a dinosaur,” Meninga said earlier this week.

“I’ve never really been out of the game. I’ve been with the Titans for five years, now with the Raiders, and coaching representative teams for 20 years.”

Meninga, who also works as a commentator, believes his experience and contemporary understanding of the game make him well-suited for the role.

“I want to win,” he added. “I’ve always wanted to get back into clubland, and I’m fully up to speed with today’s game.”

Meninga also expressed interest in the Papua New Guinea head coach role for the 2028 season, following a recent $600 million deal between the NRL and the Federal Government to establish a team in Port Moresby.

However, he indicated he would prioritise the Perth Bears if it was an made available to him.

“I’m committed to Australia until the 2026 World Cup,” Meninga said, acknowledging that he may need to step down from his national role if appointed to coach the Bears.

He also floated the idea of a succession plan – as per the Dolphins strategy with Wayne Bennett setting the tone for Kristian Woolf – suggesting former players like Sam Burgess and Willie Peters could serve as assistant coaches before eventually taking the reins.

As it stands, Meninga is committed to the Kangaroos until the next Rugby League World Cup hosted jointly by Australia and Papua New Guinea in 2026 but is aware he may be required to relinquish the job should he relocate to Western Australia.