It was State of Origin that got me interested in Rugby League as a child, as it was the only time of the year that I was allowed to stay up past my bedtime.
Following that, I began devotedly collecting football cards and became beguiled by the great Canberra Raiders team of the late '80s and early '90s.
Then, Super League broke-out and I, now in my early 'teens, completely lost interest in the game for a passage of time.
At the reunification of '98, I was in my mid-teens and going through a contrarian phase, typical of that age-group, and so, almost ironically, decided to start supporting the team representing the region of my birth and, perhaps, the worst Rugby League team of all-time: The Western Suburbs Magpies.
The jeers of my Bronocs/Dragons/Bulldogs/AFL-supporting peers only bastioned my resolve and a life-long commitment was birthed.
Naturally, my support evolved to the Wests Tigers when the joint-venture was formulated, albeit I was relieved that the marriage mate was the Balmain Tigers rather than the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs, whom I hated with the fire of a thousand suns.
It has been a excruciating and masochistic relationship ever since with my commitment only momentarily wavering during the Hoppoate proctology fiasco.
