Jonathan Sua has become the latest player to join the Perth Bears after signing a three-year contract with the NRL’s incoming expansion club.
The 22-year-old winger will leave Canterbury at the end of the 2026 season and move west before Perth enters the competition as the league’s 18th team in 2027.
Sua is not the established superstar some supporters may have expected the Bears to pursue, but his recruitment provides another indication of how coach Mal Meninga and general manager Gareth Holmes are constructing their inaugural roster.
Perth is combining experienced NRL players with emerging talent capable of becoming regular first-graders.
Sua fits the second category perfectly.
He has made only seven NRL appearances but scored 47 tries across 50 NSW Cup matches, demonstrating the speed and finishing ability that convinced Perth to offer him a three-year opportunity.
Sua Embraces Chance to Build New Club
Sua described joining an expansion team from its first season as an opportunity few players receive.
“This is a massive opportunity for me, and I can’t wait to get started,” Sua said in the Bears’ official announcement.
“Being part of a brand-new club, building something from the very first day, isn’t something a lot of players get the chance to do.
“I want to make the most of it and show what I can do on a bigger stage.”
The move will take Sua away from the Bulldogs system he has progressed through since his junior representative career.
However, it should also give him a clearer opportunity to establish himself as an NRL starter.
Sua has spent much of his time at Canterbury behind more experienced outside backs, limiting him to one first-grade appearance in 2024 and six during the 2026 season.
Perth can offer something considerably more valuable than another year of waiting for an injury or suspension to open a position.
It can offer Sua the opportunity to compete for a place in the club’s first-ever team.
“Moving to Perth is a big step, but everything I’ve heard about what this club is building really excites me,” he said.
“Getting to be one of the foundation players, and to learn under a coach like Mal, is a huge opportunity.”
Reserve-Grade Record Reveals Sua’s Potential
Sua developed through Canterbury’s Harold Matthews Cup, SG Ball Cup and Jersey Flegg teams after playing his junior football for the St Johns Eagles.
He made his NSW Cup debut against South Sydney in July 2023 and quickly established himself as a prolific scorer.
His return of 47 tries from 50 reserve-grade appearances explains why Perth was prepared to move before he became a recognised NRL regular.
Sua possesses the pace to finish opportunities on the outside, but his first-grade numbers suggest he can also provide the yardage increasingly demanded from modern wingers.
According to his official Bulldogs profile, Sua averaged 159 running metres across his six appearances in 2026.
He produced 251 metres against Brisbane, 183 against North Queensland and 166 against Cronulla.
Sua also finished the season with nine tackle breaks and scored his first NRL try.
Those numbers came from a small sample and do not guarantee he will reproduce them across an entire season. However, they provide evidence that he can contribute beyond finishing tries.
Perth needs wingers capable of carrying the ball out of its own end while the team’s combinations develop.
Sua has already shown he can handle that responsibility.
Meninga Says Winger Has Earned His Opportunity
Meninga revealed the Bears identified Sua early in their recruitment process and believe he is ready to play first grade consistently.
“Jon was a player we targeted early in our recruitment drive and I’m very happy he chose to be a Bear,” Meninga said.
“He has progressed well through the 2026 season and proven he can play at NRL level. His effort levels playing on the wing have been excellent.
“We know he is ready and wants to be a regular NRL player, so the club is excited he is coming west.”
That final point is crucial.
Sua is not being signed merely to fill the lower positions in Perth’s Top 30. The Bears believe he is approaching the stage of his career at which regular selection could produce another significant improvement.
The three-year term gives Sua security while allowing Perth to benefit if he successfully converts his NSW Cup production into consistent NRL performances.
No financial details have been publicly disclosed.
There has also been no suggestion that Canterbury will receive a transfer fee or player compensation as part of the move.
Sua Becomes Perth’s 27th Top-30 Player
Holmes confirmed Sua is the 27th player secured for Perth’s inaugural Top 30 roster.
The Bears have already recruited established players including Nick Meaney, Tyran Wishart, Gehamat Shibasaki, Morgan Smithies and Corey Horsburgh.
That group provides considerable NRL and Super League experience.
Sua represents a different type of signing.
“Signings like Jonathan’s are a great example of our recruitment strategy in action — identifying players with genuine upside who are on the verge of becoming genuine first-grade regulars,” Holmes said.
Expansion clubs cannot construct an entire squad from marquee recruits.
Salary-cap restrictions, player availability and competition from established teams make it impossible to sign 30 proven first-graders simultaneously.
Perth therefore needs to identify players whose value could increase after receiving more responsibility.
Sua’s limited NRL experience should not be ignored, but neither should his extraordinary strike rate in the NSW Cup.
If he carries that scoring ability into first grade, the Bears will have secured a long-term winger before his price reflects his potential.
Perth Move Could Benefit Sua and Canterbury
Losing a promising 22-year-old is not ideal for the Bulldogs, particularly after investing several seasons in his development.
However, Canterbury could not guarantee Sua the regular first-grade opportunity Perth can provide.
The Bulldogs have assembled significant competition for positions throughout their outside-back division. Sua faced the possibility of remaining a depth option despite proving he had moved beyond reserve grade.
Perth needs players prepared to embrace responsibility immediately.
The move therefore gives Sua a clearer pathway while allowing Canterbury to manage its roster and salary cap without retaining every promising player developed through its system.
That does not mean the Bulldogs will not eventually regret losing him.
Sua’s speed, finishing record and early NRL yardage suggest he has the tools to become considerably more than an expansion-club squad member.
Bears’ Patient Recruitment Strategy Is Taking Shape
Sua will not sell memberships or transform Perth into an immediate premiership contender by himself.
His signing is nevertheless the type of decision that could determine whether the Bears become competitive quickly.
The club has added experienced players capable of establishing professional standards while targeting emerging footballers who believe they are ready for greater opportunities.
Sua arrives with only seven NRL appearances, but 47 tries in 50 reserve-grade games indicate he has little left to prove at that level.
Perth will now give him the platform to demonstrate whether that production can translate into the NRL.
It is not the Bears’ most glamorous signing.
It could eventually become one of their smartest.
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