Perth have finally landed their first major signing with English international Harry Newman agreeing to join the Bears on a long-term deal.
The 25-year-old centre has inked a three-year contract and will be one of the club’s headline recruits as they prepare for their NRL entry.
Newman will complete his final season with Leeds in the Super League before linking up with Mal Meninga’s squad in Perth.
The England representative has played more than 100 games for Leeds since debuting in 2017 and recently featured in the third Ashes Test against Australia.
MORE: Jayden Campbell signs new deal in Bears vs Titans tug of war
Newman’s arrival marks a major breakthrough for the Bears after missing out on several high-profile targets, including Titans halfback Jayden Campbell.
The Bears have secured additional young talent with Canterbury forward Luke Smith and former Cowboy Marly Bitungane set to sign on.
Both forwards will spend a year playing in London before officially joining Perth as part of their development strategy.
While some younger players have been secured by the new NRL franchise, such as Smith and Bitungane, very few NRL starting-calibre players have been interested in being part of the Bears’ first NRL season.
The recruitment drought has seen pressure heaped on the Bears’ administration, and in particular inaugural coach Mal Meninga, who has recently pushed a strategy of patience to get the mix right on the Bears’ roster.
It is why Newman’s signing is a significant statement for the expansion club, who desperately need to start piecing together a starting squad capable of competing at NRL level.
The Bears will be hoping Newman’s signature will see other high-profile and experienced players follow, with the coming months crucial to the Bears’ recruitment and indeed their long-term success.
Newman is a strong starting point, but the Bears will need to build on that signing to stave off the noise around their early struggles to attract top-tier NRL talent.