The Jets’ NRL bid team have secured $40 million in funding and are hopeful of entering an expanded NRL competition by 2028, with Wayne Bennett as head coach if he is still keen to continue his stellar career.
The partnership between the former Brisbane Jets’ NRL bid and foundation premiership club Newtown Jets would be based west of Brisbane in Ipswich, if given a licence by the ARL Commission.
The Jets want Wayne Bennett as their coach should they get a licence for 2028.
The NRL is on track to include two new teams by 2028, with the Perth Bears favourites. The Jets believe that they, and not Papua New Guinea, should be the other expansion side.
The Jets have received a secured $40 million commitment by three levels of government to upgrade North Ipswich Reserve and establish a centre of excellence.
The bid has an in-principle deal with Suncorp Stadium to initially play all home games at the venue, where they would wear the green and white strip of Ipswich. For away games in Sydney they would don the Newtown traditional strip and have their captain’s run at Henson Park.
AAP has been told the Newtown Jets would be co-owners of the club.
The bid has multiple millionaire benefactors, including businessman and Newtown life member John Singleton, with funding not an issue as it was with the Brisbane Jets.
The Brisbane Jets missed out to the Dolphins on becoming the league’s 17th team.
Jets NRL bid chairman Steve Johnson, also the Ipswich Jets boss, has signed a non-disclosure agreement with the NRL. Johnson is chairman of Ipswich Group Ltd, which has put in the bid, and cannot make public comment.
Dolphins coach Bennett has a farm in the western corridor catchment area, grew up there and played there. By the end of 2027 he would have finished his three-year stint at South Sydney. Seven-time premiership winner Bennett has a “never say never” philosophy about coaching. He would have coached the Brisbane Jets had they won the 17th NRL licence in 2022.