Primeland Group-led consortium confirmed as new owners of Perth Glory

Staff Writer
Primeland Group-led consortium takeover of Perth Glory
Image credit: Venues West

The Australian Professional Leagues (APL) has today confirmed that a Primeland Group-led consortium is the new owner of Perth Glory Football Club.

Within an 11-week process that started from July 2023, the APL has identified Primeland Group as the successful bidder to takeover Perth Glory’s licence and club ownership.

The Primeland Group-led consortium is headed by Robert Brij and John Nekic, who will be directly involved in the running of Perth Glory.

A business magnate, Brij is chairman of Primeland, a developer specialising in building and investing in sustainable and visionary projects.

Nekic will be the Executive Chairman-elect of Perth Glory and was involved in the bid alongside Primeland Group. John is an entrepreneur who’s been associated at various levels of Australian football for over four decades, holding a range of roles as Chair, CEO, Committee Member and Adviser.

Primeland Group is an organisation with worldwide links, having a presence in Australia, Singapore, UK, India, UAE and Europe. Their portfolio of work features real estate, hotels, business parks, luxury residential developments, private equity, movies and media production.

In an official media announcement, all key stakeholders spoke about the new era this ownership represents.

Australian Professional Leagues CEO, Danny Townsend:

“Perth Glory is one of Australia’s oldest professional football clubs and we are pleased to welcome Robert Brij and the Primeland Group to the A-Leagues as the club enters a new era.

“The incredible volume of interest during the bidding process for the licence is testament to the opportunity that exists for football in Western Australia. Together with the recent announcement of the preferred bidder for Auckland’s expansion team, the strength of interest in the A-Leagues is stronger than ever both domestically and internationally.

“We are grateful to the Western Australian Government for its strong support during this transition period and into the future. I also want to acknowledge and thank the fans for their passion for the Glory and club management, staff, players and coaches for their dedication and commitment.

“The club has been focused on their preparation for the 2023-24 season and has already kicked off the women’s season with a win in its opening game. We wish the new owners, the club and Perth Glory fans all the best for the seasons ahead.”

Perth Glory Owner, Robert Brij: 

“We are honoured to have been handed this great responsibility, acknowledging we are just the third ownership group to lead the club in 27 years.

“We believe in the potential of football, the potential of the A-League and particularly in the potential of Perth Glory.

“At its best, Glory was a representation of Perth and WA, and we are eager to reconnect, especially with the fans, and bring everyone along for the journey in what we believe will be an exciting future for the club.”

Perth Glory Chairman Elect and Owner, John Nekic:

“We are energised by the support of the WA State Government and Local Councils and their desire to engage and work with us on helping Glory realise its full potential.

“Perth Glory’s role in the history of Australian football is profound, born from the inspiration of the Perth Kangaroos, and played a key role in the formation of the A-League. We want to continue that trailblazing spirit. In the first instance, we are eager to engage, listen and understand the opportunities that exist for Glory.”

Formal completion is scheduled to take place in early November. Full licence approval is subject to successful completion of the necessary regulatory processes by Football Australia (FA).

Perth Glory’s opening match in the Isuzu UTE A-League Men is against Newcastle Jets on Sunday October 22 at 4:45pm (AWST) 7:45pm (AEDT). In the Liberty A-League Women, Perth Glory won their opening match, and will play the Newcastle Jets on Sunday October 22 at 2:00pm (AWST) 5:00pm (AEDT) in a double header at HBF Park in Perth.

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The Man Who Built a Women’s Football Program from Nothing is now an Award-Winning Gender Equity Leader

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Image Credit: Football Victoria

Eight years ago, Spring Hills Football Club did not have a girls’ team. Today it has one of the most recognised women’s programs in Melbourne’s west, a senior NPLW side, and a head coach who has just been named Gender Equity Leader of the Year at the Melton City Council Volunteer Achievement Awards.

Tom Markovski, Spring Hills’ NPLW Head Coach, received the award at a ceremony coinciding with National Volunteer Week, recognised for his community leadership, promotion of gender equality and commitment to advancing the status of women and people of all genders in sport. The recognition comes from outside the football community entirely, awarded by a local council celebrating volunteers across every sector of civic life in one of Melbourne’s fastest-growing regions.

Building from scratch

When Markovski arrived at Spring Hills, women’s football at the club did not exist. His first act was to champion the establishment of the club’s first all-girls team, a process that required persuading a club culture built around men’s football that the investment was worth making.

Women’s football in community clubs has historically struggled to access the same facilities, scheduling priority, coaching resources and institutional support as the men’s game. Clubs have been slow to invest in programs whose return is less immediately visible than a senior men’s premiership, and in a growing outer-suburban community like Melton, where volunteer capacity is finite and demand across every program is high, the case for building something new always has to compete with the urgency of maintaining what already exists.

Markovski made the case anyway, and kept making it across eight years of coaching senior and junior NPL teams while simultaneously building the structural foundations of a women’s program designed to outlast any individual’s involvement. The club’s first all-girls team became multiple junior girls teams. Those junior teams created the pipeline for a senior women’s side. The senior women’s side created visible pathways for younger players to see where the game could take them within their own club.

The outcome is a program that Spring Hills now holds up as central to its identity rather than supplementary to it. The club has become a leader in female participation in Melbourne’s west, and recently made history within the NPLW Victoria structure by fielding junior teams coached entirely by female coaches, a milestone that reflects the depth of the program Markovski helped build.

What the Award Recognises

The Melton City Council’s decision to name Markovski its Gender Equity Leader of the Year places his work in a frame that extends beyond football. Melton is one of the fastest-growing local government areas in Australia, a diverse and rapidly expanding community where the institutions that bring people together, like schools, councils, sporting clubs, carry an outsized responsibility for social cohesion.

Mayor Cr. Lara Carli, speaking at the awards ceremony, reflected on the role volunteers play in communities like Melton’s. “Volunteering creates friendships, strengthens communities and builds a sense of belonging,” she said. “It helps people feel connected, supported and valued, and those things are more important than ever in a growing and diverse community like ours.”

For the girls now playing football at Spring Hills who were not playing anywhere eight years ago, Markovski’s contribution is not abstract. It is the specific and concrete fact of having somewhere to play, someone to coach them, and a pathway that leads somewhere.

Aussie partners with two A-League clubs in cross-state alliance

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Image credit: Melbourne Victory

Australia’s largest retail mortgage broker will team up with Melbourne Victory and Western Sydney Wanderers, representing Aussie’s commitment to supporting and connecting people through football.

 

Opposing teams, United partners

The alliance between Aussie, Melbourne Victory and Western Sydney Wanderers reflects a unique approach to investing in Australia’s football landscape.

It encompasses both communities and supporters across Melbourne and Sydney, with Aussie’s presence in both cities now firmly embedded into local, grassroots networks.

“We’re excited about this partnership because it represents much more than a traditional sponsorship,” explained Aussie National Manager, Strategic Partnerships, Ryan Ferguson via press release.

“It’s about connection, community, and being part of something that reaches people in a meaningful and authentic way.”

Both Melbourne Victory and Western Sydney Wanderers also commented on the unique nature of the partnership.

“The joint venture is a game-changer in how brands and sports teams can collaborate beyond the traditional instruments of a partnership and stands apart from the existing relationships in our sporting landscape for the betterment of our stakeholders,” said Melbourne Victory Managing Director, Caroline Carnegie.

“For the first time, two iconic clubs are coming together in a joint-venture sponsorship that delivers unmatched reach, community impact and business innovation,” added Western Sydney Wanderers CEO, Scott Hudson.

 

National stage, local commitment

As Australians grapple with soaring property prices and financial uncertainty, having access to a platform like Aussie is immensely valuable.

So now that Aussie will begins its venture alongside Melbourne Victory and Western Sydney Wanderers – two clubs with extensive fanbases – it now has the means to make real, local impact.

Two major cities. Two footballing identities. All aligned under the same vision for community reach, growth and innovation.

“Aussie is a national brand, but at our heart, we are built on local relationships,” continued Ferguson.

“Every day, our brokers are working with customers in their communities, helping them navigate the journey of finding, buying and owning their own home. That’s why this partnership feels like such a natural fit.”

Ultimately, while the alliance will build on the business and community networks of the two A-League outfits, the impact will extend far beyond the boundaries of the pitch.

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