Regarding Wests Tigers

[Tidus_Raider]

Just a question. As you all know the Wests Tigers is a joint venture club comprimising Western Suburbs Magpies and Balmain Tigers. The Magpies were predominately based in Campelltown while the tigers were based in the Balmain/Leichardt areas.

My question is this. What is the deal with having Wests Ashfield leagues club in Ashfield? I have no problem with it. If the Wests Tigers are benefitting from extra funding than that's great for the club but Ashfield traditionally has never been home for either club. Just want to know who decided to put the leagues club there, and does it contibute to the football club. Also is there any clubs out Cambelltown way that also contribute to the club.

 

[Crippler]

wests used to play at lidcombe oval before moving to campbelltown

maybe ashfield is near their old home ground and hence why the leagues club is there

 

[Anonymous]

Ashfield was considered the Western Suburbs once.
Wests home ground was Pratten Park, Ashfield from 1912 up until the 60s or 70s. I think they even played there a bit in the 80s.

 

[Anonymous]

Actually, just checked and they started playing at Lidcombe in the 1950s.
But they still played occasionally at Pratten up until the 80s.

 

[Tidus_Raider]

Thanks for the info willow.

The reason I bring this up is I think that area of Sydney has really missed out in recent years for a club to call it's own. From Auburn (including Strathfield) to Stanmore and places like Five Dock, Concord, Enfield etc.

I know the Tigers train at Concord but it's hardly the areas team. I'm not suggesting another Sydney team. Just saying that the inner-west at the moment has no team to identify with and is one of the few areas is Sydney where this is the case.

 

[Anonymous]

Well we could always lobby to have Annandale reinstated. ;-)

 

[mightybears]

its wests territory big time
they started at st lukes in 1910?, which is just next to where they train as the wests tigers today and play their thru WWI and in 1942
went to pratten park first in 1912 to 1914
and then it was there home ground from 1919 to 1967
all there titles in first grade are "pratten titles"
played their again on and off in 71 thru to 73, 1977 and 1985
only went to lidcombe permanently in 67, thru to 86
though they had played on offs in the early 50's at lidcombe

went to campbelltown for 87, but had played their before as 1 offs?

 

[Trollhammaren]

Ashfield used to be Wests area.

And the inner-west has generally had Balmain as its team in recent years. Concord is not far at all away from Leichhardt.

 

[The Partisan]

Was going to start a new thread but thought I would utilise this existing one.

Regarding Wests Tigers ... Is there a specific reason why they are termed with their full title (Wests Tigers) on the official NRL ladder and draw ?

All the other teams have their emblem only used.

Does anyone actually refer to them only as Wests like the Sharks occasionally get Cronulla, Eels ~ Parramatta, Panthers - Penrith ? Media, club administration, coaching staff, supporters etc.

PS. Noting that the Dolphins don't have a geographic location included in their title.

 

[Fangs]

Was going to start a new thread but thought I would utilise this existing one.

Regarding Wests Tigers ... Is there a specific reason why they are termed with their full title (Wests Tigers) on the official NRL ladder and draw ?

All the other teams have their emblem only used.

Does anyone actually refer to them only as Wests like the Sharks occasionally get Cronulla, Eels ~ Parramatta, Panthers - Penrith ? Media, club administration, coaching staff, supporters etc.

PS. Noting that the Dolphins don't have a geographic location included in their title.

PVL should sign an executive order and replace the Wests Tigers with the Magpies.

 

[cinders7]

It's so that neither side of the JV feels unfairly underrepresented.
It's literally that childish.
When the internal disconnect is that bad it's no wonder why the JV is a mess.

PVL should sign an executive order and replace the Wests Tigers with the Magpies.

100% agree.
It'd be one of the easiest decisions in the game. Wests Magpies would finally have an identity and they could focus on the future.

The NRL could keep Balmain's history & jersey for an expansion effort (Adelaide possibly) or they bring in Brisbane Tigers in the early 2030's. Both options give us back two of football's most unique and famous jerseys, and give us back century-old foundation clubs for fans to follow.

Persisting with the JV is suicide.

Anyone who disagrees try and imagine if the Northern Eagles were still around.
They'd be playing games at NSO, Brookie, CC Stadium and the SFS. They'd be in the news due to constant infighting and fractured fanbase. We'd miss out on the history and jerseys of both clubs.
Compare that to what we have now, with Manly standing alone and Bears in Perth, both with their unique identities and histories intact, it's so much better for fans and clubs alike.
We need to do the same with the WT.

 

[BuffaloRules]

It's so that neither side of the JV feels unfairly underrepresented.
It's literally that childish.
When the internal disconnect is that bad it's no wonder why the JV is a mess.


100% agree.
It'd be one of the easiest decisions in the game. Wests Magpies would finally have an identity and they could focus on the future.

The NRL could keep Balmain's history & jersey for an expansion effort (Adelaide possibly) or they bring in Brisbane Tigers in the early 2030's. Both options give us back two of football's most unique and famous jerseys, and give us back century-old foundation clubs for fans to follow.

Persisting with the JV is suicide.

Anyone who disagrees try and imagine if the Northern Eagles were still around.
They'd be playing games at NSO, Brookie, CC Stadium and the SFS. They'd be in the news due to constant infighting and fractured fanbase. We'd miss out on the history and jerseys of both clubs.
Compare that to what we have now, with Manly standing alone and Bears in Perth, both with their unique identities and histories intact, it's so much better for fans and clubs alike.
We need to do the same with the WT.

We have missed out on Norths for 25 years actually… let’s see how the Perth North Sydney Bears marriage actually works… particularly when you are losing games and at the foot of the table.

 

[innsaneink]

Thanks for the info willow.

The reason I bring this up is I think that area of Sydney has really missed out in recent years for a club to call it's own. From Auburn (including Strathfield) to Stanmore and places like Five Dock, Concord, Enfield etc.

I know the Tigers train at Concord but it's hardly the areas team. I'm not suggesting another Sydney team. Just saying that the inner-west at the moment has no team to identify with and is one of the few areas is Sydney where this is the case.

Thats all Balmain JRL...bar stanmore (newtown)

 

[flippikat]

Persisting with the JV is suicide.

Anyone who disagrees try and imagine if the Northern Eagles were still around.
They'd be playing games at NSO, Brookie, CC Stadium and the SFS. They'd be in the news due to constant infighting and fractured fanbase. We'd miss out on the history and jerseys of both clubs.
Compare that to what we have now, with Manly standing alone and Bears in Perth, both with their unique identities and histories intact, it's so much better for fans and clubs alike.
We need to do the same with the WT.

You raise a good comparison there, and the point is very valid.

The Northern Eagles and Wests Tigers have both been hamstrung by trying to squeeze two brands into one, while not trying to offend either side.

In the case of the Northern Eagles, it resulted in a garish mash-up of red, black, maroon & white, a name that was so vague that it was practically useless (Northern WHAT, exactly?), nondescript jerseys & a geographically wide split of home games that devalued season memberships. And that's BEFORE getting to the boardroom divisions that hobbled their hopes of being a force in the NRL.

It all sounds very familiar to what's happened with the Tigers.

 

[Captain Apollo]

You raise a good comparison there, and the point is very valid.

The Northern Eagles and Wests Tigers have both been hamstrung by trying to squeeze two brands into one, while not trying to offend either side.

In the case of the Northern Eagles, it resulted in a garish mash-up of red, black, maroon & white, a name that was so vague that it was practically useless (Northern WHAT, exactly?), nondescript jerseys & a geographically wide split of home games that devalued season memberships. And that's BEFORE getting to the boardroom divisions that hobbled their hopes of being a force in the NRL.

It all sounds very familiar to what's happened with the Tigers.

The Northern Eagles and the Wests Tigers were joint ventures, very true, but that's about where the comparison ends. Wests and Balmain formed the Wests Tigers voluntarily. They went in "eyes wide open" to what they were doing, and were willing to make it work. Its only been the last 10-15 years that the idiots about "bring back Balmain" or "where are the Magpies" rot has come in.

The Eagles by comparison were a "shot gun" merger. Norths were going to be kicked out, and Manly were in financial trouble. Factor in both teams, at fan level, and officials level, didn't get along, made it even worse. Its why in the end it didn't last because Manly effectively ran the thing anyway, and after a few years went "stuff it, we're going back to being Manly, playing at Brookvale".

The problem for the Wests Tigers is that after its initial successes, especially the premiership in 2005, they didn't continue to evolve. They should have started to rationalise which grounds it played at. I mean they train at Concord, okay fine, but still play games at Leichhardt Oval, Campbelltown and Commbank? That's where the disconnect is, not realising that appeasing the "die hards" of Balmain and Western Suburbs days still is what is holding them back as an organisation.

 

[BuffaloRules]

The problem for the Wests Tigers is that after its initial successes, especially the premiership in 2005, they didn't continue to evolve. They should have started to rationalise which grounds it played at. I mean they train at Concord, okay fine, but still play games at Leichhardt Oval, Campbelltown and Commbank? That's where the disconnect is, not realising that appeasing the "die hards" of Balmain and Western Suburbs days still is what is holding them back as an organisation.

There should be a 9-3 Campbelltown Leichhardt split … but there isn’t a stadium in Campbelltown fit for purpose

 

[Growthegame]

Was going to start a new thread but thought I would utilise this existing one.

Regarding Wests Tigers ... Is there a specific reason why they are termed with their full title (Wests Tigers) on the official NRL ladder and draw ?

All the other teams have their emblem only used.

Does anyone actually refer to them only as Wests like the Sharks occasionally get Cronulla, Eels ~ Parramatta, Panthers - Penrith ? Media, club administration, coaching staff, supporters etc.

PS. Noting that the Dolphins don't have a geographic location included in their title.

When the Wests Tigers merged they made their offices moniker “Wests Tigers”.

 

[James Rick]

How come the NSW Cup side is Western Suburbs Magpies rather than the merged entity?

 

[Saxon]

Well we could always lobby to have Annandale reinstated. ;-)

Glebe! Bring back the Dirty reds.

 

[The Partisan]

Glebe! Bring back the Dirty reds.

They are still around in the Ron Massey and Sydney Shield! Brisbane based member myself....purely for the novelty and nostalgia!