Fresh injection of Bears DNA as former captain claims top job
Former North Sydney Bears captain Tony Rea has taken over as chief executive of the fledgling Perth Bears.
The NRL’s 18th club confirmed in a statement on Wednesday that Rea had been appointed as the successor to Anthony De Ceglie, who quit in October after a tumultuous 17 months in the job.
New Perth Bears chief executive Tony Rea. Supplied
Rea played 120 first-grade games with the North Sydney Bears between 1988 and 1994.
He captained the club to a preliminary final berth in 1991.
He is also a former chief executive and coach of the London Broncos, and a former coach of the ACT Brumbies.
“There are three distinct phases in our club’s journey: start-up, build and develop,” Bears chairman Ben Morton said.
“We have successfully navigated the start-up phase and Tony brings the leadership needed for our build phase.
“This is a known concept in WA, aligned with our resources sector where companies move from exploration to construction and then production. Getting the leadership right at each phase is critical for success.
“As a board, we are delighted with Tony’s appointment.
“Tony, as CEO, will bring our high-performing teams together as one. Tony has the leadership attributes and experience needed.”
The Bears have struggled on the recruitment front, largely because of the remoteness of Perth and the competition posed by the PNG Chiefs, who have the luxury of being able to offer tax-free dollars.
Talk of a rift between head coach Mal Meninga and assistant Ben Gardiner has also plagued the club in its early days.
But in Rea, the club has a fresh injection of Bears DNA and a highly respected operator.
Tony Rea in 1991 during his time as North Sydney Bears captain. Craig Golding/Fairfax Media
“I’ve sat in almost every seat in a club: player, captain, development officer, head coach, director of rugby and board member,” Rea said.
“My job as CEO is not to do any one of those jobs – but rather to use that experience to lead our professional team together as one, committed to success.
“The Perth Bears have assembled an exceptional and professional team.
“They have achieved so much in such a short amount of time and I look forward to leading them as CEO into this next chapter.
“Our hungry and determined squad has been curated under the wise leadership of Mal Meninga. Our task is to ensure they have every support needed to be the formidable team we know they can be.”
