Have you ever switched support to another team?

[Valheru]

I think most children, especially ones that don't receive strong inspiration to support a team from their parents have probably changed teams at some point.

I was no different, both my parents were Adelaide born and raised and thus followed AFL. They brought me here when I was a baby and enrolled me into the mighty Peakhurst Hawks at the tender age of 4. The majority of my teammates followed the dragons obviously) but I decided to be different and back the dogs, in reality I was on the 94/95 bandwagon. It then dawned on me around 1996 that when I was playing footy on a Saturday I was wearing the same colours as the roosters and I haven't looked back since.

 

[Zigwaa]

Interesting blog on sports fans and teams, very funny and accurate.

http://waitbutwhy.com/2014/03/sports-fans-sports-fans.html

To non-sports fans, caring about sports makes no sense.

If you’re a sports fan, here’s how non-sports fans view your love of your team:

A bunch of strangers in their 20s and 30s are paid to play games against each other that have no real world consequences, and you’ve decided that you care a ton about this. There are teams that must win and teams that must lose, and players that must play better than other players—and this is all critical.

Super Fan

Meanwhile, the players that must play well sometimes get traded to the teams that must lose, and now you want those players to play badly. In fact, the only thing you’re really rooting for is a certain set of jerseys, regardless of who happens to be wearing them.

 

[SBD82]

I remember being a little kid and crying when the tigers lost the grand final. I think I supported them because my older brother did.

Met Andy Gregory at a junior footy game when he came out to play for the steelers. Never looked back. I remember having a tape of them beating the sharks in the Panasonic cup. Absolutely toweled them up and dean schiffiliti became my favorite player. Watched it over and over again.

Then the merge happened. It was hard to move over to the merge but it's still where most of the Illawarra local juniors play. Probably helped to consolidate my support watching a group of Illawarra juniors win the comp in 2010.

 

[juro]

I grew up near Parramatta, and my family casually supported them, but almost never went to games. As I got older, I found I didn't really care for the team. So I chose a team for myself, Balmain. Have followed them (and then Wests) and never looked back.

I'm doing my best to make sure my kids don't rebel like I did...

 

[Incorrect]

I was a Manly fan from when I started following League in 96 until 98, when I found out that Canberra had a team.

It took you 2 years to realise the Raiders were a rugby league team??!!

 

[Jason Maher]

I remember being a little kid and crying when the tigers lost the grand final. I think I supported them because my older brother did.

Met Andy Gregory at a junior footy game when he came out to play for the steelers. Never looked back. I remember having a tape of them beating the sharks in the Panasonic cup. Absolutely toweled them up and dean schiffiliti became my favorite player. Watched it over and over again.

Then the merge happened. It was hard to move over to the merge but it's still where most of the Illawarra local juniors play. Probably helped to consolidate my support watching a group of Illawarra juniors win the comp in 2010.

Lol. I cried at half time of that game because the Raiders were losing. It's nice that you have something tangible to explain your switch. I have nothing. I switched from the Premiers to the wooden spooners for no reason I can remember and thus made a rod for my own back. I can however pinpoint why I went with the merger: my three favourite players were kept on (Wishart, McGregor, and Barrett).

 

[TheDMC]

A warriors supporter since they came into the NRL, I have a serious think three or four times a year whether there is an alternative team I can support.

Awaiting the Wellington Orcas emergence.

 

[Juju]

A warriors supporter since they came into the NRL, I have a serious think three or four times a year whether there is an alternative team I can support.

Awaiting the Wellington Orcas emergence.

I was just going to post, as a Warriors fan I've often wished I could change teams...

 

[H.H]

Never. Born into the Roosters and that's how it will remain.

My brother inexplicably changed to Souffs for about 6 months when he was 7-8. Never let him forget it either...man he hates it to this day that he did that. Always a good laugh.

 

[Mr Spock!]

What about if you had to support another team? For example your team was just pulled out theoretically. No merge. What team would you switch to?

Happened in 2001-2002.

I supported no one especially as the other clubs all campaigned against readmission.

 

[T.S Quint]

Have never, and will never support a team other than the Eels.
If they ceased to be a part of the NRL anymore then I just wouldn't watch Rugby League anymore. I care more about the team than I do the game itself.

Would save me plenty of money and time if they didn't exist though, so silver lining and all.

 

[nomis88]

A lifelong Manly supporter but I switched to the Northern Eagles for a couple of years there.

 

[Caped Crusader]

Supported the Dogs cause my sister did until '88 (good timing lol)

When the Knights came in they became a refuge for my father and I when we had to travel up to Maitland to see my pop and batshit crazy step nanna. Was a convienent excuse to cut the visit short and go to Marathon Stadium

Been with the Knights ever since

 

[ek999]

Happened in 2001-2002.

I supported no one especially as the other clubs all campaigned against readmission.

That isn't true at least for the Bulldogs

 

[ed-grimley]

I've followed the Eels since I lived in Parra as a kid after I moved from Macksville where I followed the local team. Incidently Macksville is about 10km from Bowraville, where GI first picked up a footy.
I had a bit of a soft spot for the Steelers when I moved to the Illawarra until the Saints sucked them up. Many people in the 'Gong loved the Steelers and dislike the Dragons, although a lot crossed over.
I am wary of people who support the Broncos even though they live in NSW, and then think up a kooky excuse for doing so. (like having an aunt who used to live next to Alfie Langer's dad's brother-in-law's mechanic.)

 

[Emu01]

I think most children, especially ones that don't receive strong inspiration to support a team from their parents have probably changed teams at some point.

I was no different, both my parents were Adelaide born and raised and thus followed AFL. They brought me here when I was a baby and enrolled me into the mighty Peakhurst Hawks at the tender age of 4. The majority of my teammates followed the dragons obviously) but I decided to be different and back the dogs, in reality I was on the 94/95 bandwagon. It then dawned on me around 1996 that when I was playing footy on a Saturday I was wearing the same colours as the roosters and I haven't looked back since.

It's a shame that Peakhurst Hawks have now folded.It would be great to see them reform as a club again someday..I actually played for Penshust Rsl.

 

[Emu01]

I remember at the age of 6 my Aunty bought me a Bulldogs jersey and told me to wear it straight away and then she took a photo.looking back she was trying to make me a Bulldogs fan..Later that year St George played Parramatta in the 77 grand final and every kid in our street was going for the dragons cos it was the local team so I jumped on board.

That grand final was the first ever drawn grand final, there was a replay the next weekend which St George won 22-0. I have been a Dragons fan ever since.

 

[paulmac]

I have a picture of me wearing a sharks jersey as a kid have no idea why.We moved to Sydney from Brisbane when I was 9 & Norths were the local side so I supported them until the merger.Didnt really have a team for a long time until I met my Mrs who is a tragic warriors supporter.We would go & watch them whenever they played in Sydney and I got bitten by the RL bug again which coincided with us moving to the Gold Coast just as the Titans were being admitted so decided to follow them.

 

[Knightmare]

Family on Mum's side are all Parra fans, from the heartland, but that never managed to entice me...

In the mid 90's I liked the Raiders- thought the logo was cool and the lime green was a cut above boring jerseys where white is one of the main colours. But it never turned into solid support...

Supported the Knights since I was 12. Seeing the way their forwards (Butts, Chief, MG) ripped in was the tough, uncompromising way I thought footy should be played. Plus Newcastle was up the road so it wasn't like some bandwagoner going for an interstate team just because they won all the time. That was it, and been a fan ever since.

Mind you, the last couple of years I've been too busy to watch much League at all, bar Origin and finals, and the Knights best attempts (of late) to channel Wests in their final years gives me no inspiration to do more than check the H/T and F/T scores on social media.

If the Bears ever came back as the Central Coast I'd consider supporting them. I was born and raised in Norths heartland, and my family have lived on the Coast for over 20 years now- as far as I'm concerned that's fair call to support them should they be admitted to the comp.

 

[Noname36]

Of course not.