The Perth Bears have secured another high-profile English signing, announcing that Leeds Rhinos and England forward James McDonnell will be joining the club in Australia from 2027.
The move sees McDonnell link up with fellow Leeds import Harry Newman at the Bears, who have already secured the England international centre ahead of their inaugural NRL campaign.
McDonnell, 26, confirmed to Leeds that he would leave the Super League at the conclusion of the 2026 season, with the Bears today officially announcing his signing.
It concludes a successful stint in the English Super League, where McDonnell scored 23 tries across 110 games and represented both England and Ireland at Test level.
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The forward revealed that playing in the NRL had long been a personal ambition, and he is excited to join Harry Newman at the Bears on a two-year deal.
“It’s been an ambition of mine to play in the NRL, and I’m absolutely delighted to be given that chance with the Perth Bears” McDonnell said.
“The NRL is the toughest competition in the world, and I can’t wait to get over to Western Australia and test myself against the best of the best.” McDonnell explained with anticipation.
Bears coach Mal Meninga expressed his excitement over the signing, highlighting McDonnell’s potential to make an immediate impact while still having room in his game to develop further.
“I’ve kept an eye on McDonnell for a few years now, and I thought he really went to another level in 2025, “I’m confident he will continue to develop this season, and I’m excited to see what he can bring to the Bears.” Meninga beamed.
For Perth, securing a forward of McDonnell’s international experience provides a significant boost to the squad’s physicality and leadership—key attributes for a team building its identity from scratch.
Despite a strong recruitment drive in recent months, including the signings of Storm duo Nick Meaney and Tyran Wishart, the Bears had a noticeable gap in forward depth.
That hole is now being addressed, with McDonnell joining the recently signed Bulldogs middle Josh Curran to strengthen the pack along with the previously sign Liam Henry from the Panthers.
McDonnell’s move also continues a growing trend of high-profile Super League players making the leap to the NRL, adding to the influx of English talent eager to test themselves in the southern hemisphere’s premier rugby league competition.