He got his players to pose nude. Now Tony Rea is bringing Branson’s blueprint to Bears

The Sydney Morning Herald · Adrian Proszenko · 2026-11-05 08:30 UTC

As CEO for the Richard Branson-owned London Broncos in the 1990s, no publicity stunt was too brazen for Tony Rea. Now the new Bears chief is charged with getting cut-through for the expansion franchise in Perth.

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Freshly appointed Perth Bears chief executive Tony Rea has a history of ensuring rugby league gets cut-through in places it shouldn’t.

Take, for instance, his time as CEO at the London Broncos. Working under majority owner and Virgin boss Richard Branson in the late 1990s and early noughties, no publicity stunt was too brazen.

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