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It was just two weeks ago when Western Australia's daily newspaper reported the entry of the Western Bears to the NRL would be confirmed following the code's grand final.
"Confirmation the Bears will join the competition is expected in the week after the NRL grand final on October 6", wrote Glen Quartermain in The West Australian on September 25.
But yesterday, news broke that the WA bid was dead — at least in its current form.
So what went wrong, and where does the code in Western Australia go from here?
The fight for a WA team
The battle to bring a professional rugby league side back to Perth has been a long one.
The fight to establish an NRL expansion team in WA has dragged on for years. (ABC News: Cason Ho)
The Western Reds were axed in 1997, as part of a peace deal between the NRL and the Super League.
The success of bringing NRL games to Perth, and the huge crowds at State of Origin matches, fuelled the drive to bring a side to the west on a permanent basis.
A consortium led by Cash Converters owner Peter Cumins put together a bid in conjunction with the North Sydney Bears, with the support of the WA government, which would see the Bears relocate to Perth.
It was expected the side would feature in the NRL in 2027. Such was the assurity of the success of the bid, the ABC understands there was a launch event scheduled for October 10.
Hopes dashed
And then on Tuesday, Newscorp reported the Australian Rugby League Commission had rejected the consortium's bid as "significantly short", while Fairfax reported ARLC chair Peter V'landys described the offer as "low-ball" and "disrespectful".
Peter V'landys is reported to have described the bid for a WA team as "low-ball" and "disrespectful". (ABC News: Keana Naughton)
That's a far cry from suggestions the deal was done.
Part of the issue stems from the NRL's desire for any WA franchise to pay a licence fee, which will in turn be used to appease the east coast clubs, which was reportedly not included in the consortium's bid.
Perth Stadium hosted a State of Origin game in 2022 and is scheduled to do so again next year and in 2028. (AAP: James Worsfold)
The last NRL expansion side, the Redcliffe Dolphins, did not pay a licence fee, but did have to show they had significant cash reserves.
How the requirement for a licence fee got lost in communication, or overlooked by the consortium, is unclear.
Where to now?
The big question now is whether that's the end of WA's campaign to return from rugby league wilderness after three decades, or whether there is another path to getting a side into the NRL.
The WA government and Premier Roger Cook have long backed an NRL side, and told the ABC it had been working with the consortium at the NRL's request.
Roger Cook says Western Australia is the obvious choice for a new NRL team. (ABC News: Keane Bourke)
"At the NRL's request, the State Government has been working with a single private consortium leading the bid for a Perth-based NRL team and provided them with significant support," Mr Cook said in a statement on Tuesday.
"Only WA can put the N in NRL, and the NRL knows Western Australia is the obvious choice for a new team.
"We will continue to work with the NRL on their plans to expand the competition."
The ABC understands the government was not involved with the bid directly, but was committed to help the game in Western Australia more broadly.
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