People who DO support the merger vs People who dont.

[OVP]

My first flatmate, back in 1990, was a diehard Balmain supporter. He basically said that if Balmain ever died or had to merge or relocate, he could NEVER, in a billion years support that. His best friend was actually a diehard Wests supporter, and he said the same thing. Since the days of the merger, i lost contact with both of them so i've basically got no idea what they think of the merger now, but their words always seem to ring true to me. I seriously couldnt support Easts if they ever merged or relocated.

Do you guys/girls who actually support the merger begrudge all the old hard-heads their opinions ? I know Tigger gives you guys grief, but do you really begrudge his opinion ? I can seriously see Tigger's side of the argument and i must say that i think i would be exactly the same. I'd be crushed ... totally demoralised that the team i love is no longer in first grade.

Thats why i reckon people like Tigger are great ... they (and I) represent the grand days of Rugby League, before that filthy scum Murdoch, destroyed it for all of us. Tradition for me is sacrosanct !! Those teams who still cling to the tradtional values should always be respected and loved .. much more than filthy superleague vermin.

Thats why i reckon that whenever the West Tigers play Manly in the future, they should wear their Wests jerseys. And when the Wests Tigers play Souths they should wear the Balmain one. From now until forever !!

I actually posted that on the official Manly site (to bring back the Fibros vs Silvertails), and every single Manly supporter supported it fully. Im sure the Wests people would do the same. God i hope they bring that back .. its a part of Real Rugby League supporters that is totally missing. Even me as a Roosters supporter would go to those sort of games. It would ROCK !!

So lets start doing things for the old hard-heads. These guys/girls deserve to see their teams jerseys back in action again imo. So what do you people think ? Bring back the traditional jerseys every game or what ? We'd see huge crowds i reckon.

Thoughts please ? I'd be most interested ... even bring back the Balmain jersey for half the home games, and the Wests jersey for the other half ? Dont you reckon the crowds would flock back ? I do

 

[Ctown Boy]

I dont mind perhaps wearing each jersey once a year, but not all year round.. I think that we can keep going on living in the past and considering this club as a merger or a joint venture, or we can look to the future, continue to be the wests tigers and create a super club with over 180 years of history.. I think its great what the club is doing!

I am from the Magpies side of the merger and I was shattered when we were forced to merge, but it had to happen, and I was so glad that it ended up being with Balmain, we have two teams with so much history and such a loyal fanbase, it is a privelege, I believe, to support this club and theres no looking back now, Wests Tigers all the way!

 

[Eye of the Tiger]

i was a balmain boy i still remeber them saying on the news the parramatta Tigers i tell you what i shattered no offfence to parra but there was no way i wanted balmian to merge with them.

Then i hear the West tigers and well i wasnt a big fan of the pies but ey i didnt hate them they where fair by the best team to merge with.

when they spoke more about it on the news about how much the clubs had in common i could agree with it.

And here i am today supporting the WEST TIGERS

 

[innsaneink]

I seriously couldnt support Easts if they ever merged or relocated

You can SAY that now....but you will NEVER EVER know how you will feel until it actually happened.......if ur a true supporter its not easy to walk away......most people here in 98 wouldve said the same thing....things change every day....feelings, opinions, everything.

So....until it happens....dont come here and tell us how you would feel and what you would do if a certain thing occurred....because I know for a fact, YOU DONT know!

 

[Suzie]

I feel for the supporters who are pre-merger, for sure. It must devastating to not have your team as your team any more and to have a merged team, but it's 5 years on now, and there are also new Wests Tigers supporters, like me. My team IS the merged team, not Balmain, not Wests. So, for me the retro days are good - every body loves to see Manly smashed, but it's not going to incite any more support for me to watch "the Maggies", in effect, do it than if it were the wests tigers.

In saying that, though, I am not against the retro games at all, and I agree on the Wests/Manly and Souths/Balmain games for the sake of the tradition and the rights of the supporters who have followed their team, even into the merger. I do think however, that the future has to be to focus on the wests tigers, and if half the home games are played as maggies, the other half as tigers, then I don't have a team any more...I don't think I'm the only Wests Tigers fan ... so where does that leave the people who have embraced the merger and/or are new fans?

I am glad I don't have to make the decisions and try to please everybody, so my take is - keep the Wests Tigers jersey for most of the games, wear the traditional Wests and Balmain jerseys against traditional foes Manly and Souths respectively. I think that would pretty much put a smile on most people's faces

 

[meltiger]

if ur a true supporter its not easy to walk away......

Don't start with this true supporter rubbish. No it's not easy to walk away, but quite alot have felt that they had too.

Quite alot also haven't and whilst that is their perogative, it doesn't mean they were anymore of a true supporter of Balmain or Western Suburbs than those who haven't been able to support the new club.

Coming from the side of someone who cannot support them though, I actually agree with what someone above said ... The Balmain jersey should be worn once a year @ Leichhardt against Parramatta or South Sydney and the Western Suburbs jersey once a year @ Campbelltown against Manly or Canterbury (Not Nth QLD, although the positive is it's a fta tv game ?).

They are a new club, whilst respecting the past, they need to move forward and wear one jersey. As someone also said, there are now Wests Tigers supporters, not those who have ties to the foundation clubs. It's been 5 years, by the time the current licence expires, they will have completed their 12th(?) season ... It's time to move on. You either support the club or you don't.

For me wearing a Balmain jersey 12 games a year won't take away from the fact that they are called Wests, on the other hand, I am sure some of the old Western Suburbs supporters would have trouble supporting a Wests Tgiers side that doesn't wear any white in the jersey 12 times a year & look like the Balmain Tigers...

 

[SouthernTiger]

Good the hear from Meltiger. Where you been? I miss our stoushes from way back

cheers

s. tiger

 

[meltiger]

Good the hear from Meltiger. Where you been? I miss our stoushes from way back

cheers

s. tiger

Accepted things, the Wests Tigers are around for good unless they go broke (Which if they can get a succesful finals series under their belt they won't)... mostly just read to get the Balmain PL and Flegg scores. I'm taking an interest in the joint venture purely in their results but not supporting them so try to stay out of the discussion

Well except when they play Parramatta of course

& partying too much now that I am settled back at home in my great city (gf, me and my best mate have far too much in common from a partying point of view for my own good I think :? ), not spending no where near as much time on the net no more ;-)

Although I must say, I do miss one thing about Sydney (It's bloody FREEZING down here tonight lol)

 

[innsaneink]

if ur a true supporter its not easy to walk away......

Don't start with this true supporter rubbish. No it's not easy to walk away, but quite alot have felt that they had too.

Quite alot also haven't and whilst that is their perogative, it doesn't mean they were anymore of a true supporter of Balmain or Western Suburbs than those who haven't been able to support the new club.

Coming from the side of someone who cannot support them though, I actually agree with what someone above said ... The Balmain jersey should be worn once a year @ Leichhardt against Parramatta or South Sydney and the Western Suburbs jersey once a year @ Campbelltown against Manly or Canterbury (Not Nth QLD, although the positive is it's a fta tv game ?).

They are a new club, whilst respecting the past, they need to move forward and wear one jersey. As someone also said, there are now Wests Tigers supporters, not those who have ties to the foundation clubs. It's been 5 years, by the time the current licence expires, they will have completed their 12th(?) season ... It's time to move on. You either support the club or you don't.

For me wearing a Balmain jersey 12 games a year won't take away from the fact that they are called Wests, on the other hand, I am sure some of the old Western Suburbs supporters would have trouble supporting a Wests Tgiers side that doesn't wear any white in the jersey 12 times a year & look like the Balmain Tigers...

Why is it rubbish?

There are those that are true supporters that still follow balmain and the maggies in PL etc......they didnt walk away....yet its not easy i imagine not beinng in the top grade too.

There are those that found they did have to walk away cause their team is no longer in the top grade and they wont have a bar of a JV.....fair enuff...their prerogative , but I'm sure their decision wasnt easy.

Then there are those, like myself I imagine, that have decided to go with the JV predominantly....while keeping their original ties....that find it not easy to call em Wests or find it not easy to chant "Tigers" at the games.

 

[meltiger]

if ur a true supporter its not easy to walk away......

Don't start with this true supporter rubbish. No it's not easy to walk away, but quite alot have felt that they had too.

Quite alot also haven't and whilst that is their perogative, it doesn't mean they were anymore of a true supporter of Balmain or Western Suburbs than those who haven't been able to support the new club.

Coming from the side of someone who cannot support them though, I actually agree with what someone above said ... The Balmain jersey should be worn once a year @ Leichhardt against Parramatta or South Sydney and the Western Suburbs jersey once a year @ Campbelltown against Manly or Canterbury (Not Nth QLD, although the positive is it's a fta tv game ?).

They are a new club, whilst respecting the past, they need to move forward and wear one jersey. As someone also said, there are now Wests Tigers supporters, not those who have ties to the foundation clubs. It's been 5 years, by the time the current licence expires, they will have completed their 12th(?) season ... It's time to move on. You either support the club or you don't.

For me wearing a Balmain jersey 12 games a year won't take away from the fact that they are called Wests, on the other hand, I am sure some of the old Western Suburbs supporters would have trouble supporting a Wests Tgiers side that doesn't wear any white in the jersey 12 times a year & look like the Balmain Tigers...

Why is it rubbish?

There are those that are true supporters that still follow balmain and the maggies in PL etc......they didnt walk away....yet its not easy i imagine not beinng in the top grade too.

There are those that found they did have to walk away cause their team is no longer in the top grade and they wont have a bar of a JV.....fair enuff...their prerogative , but I'm sure their decision wasnt easy.

Then there are those, like myself I imagine, that have decided to go with the JV predominantly....while keeping their original ties....that find it not easy to call em Wests or find it not easy to chant "Tigers" at the games.

*Edit*

Forget it, I'll concede defeat on that one point given the rest of what I said was fairly reasonable

Too late at night to argue a useless point

 

[innsaneink]

Whatever.

My main point to OVP mel, seeing as you obviously missed it, was that he/she can say they would do this or do that or feel this way or that .....but until it (merger- relocation-whateva)actually occured to them and their club, they dont know how they'll really feel.

As I said....

things change every day....feelings, opinions, everything.

Time has changed my views on the JV. Itd probably be the same for OVP if she/he was a "true supporter" or loved their club.

 

[meltiger]

Whatever.

My main point to OVP mel, seeing as you obviously missed it, was that he/she can say they would do this or do that or feel this way or that .....but until it (merger- relocation-whateva)actually occured to them and their club, they dont know how they'll really feel.

As I said....

things change every day....feelings, opinions, everything.

Time has changed my views on the JV. Itd probably be the same for OVP if she/he was a "true supporter" or loved their club.

& therein lies my problem with what you said. "It would probably be the same"

My lack of support of the Joint Venture doesn't mean I supported Balmain any less than you supported the Magpies.

 

[innsaneink]

& therein lies my problem with what you said. "It would probably be the same"

My lack of support of the Joint Venture doesn't mean I supported Balmain any less than you supported the Magpies.

I dont see where you could have a problem.

I never accused anyone of being a lesser supporter than anyone else, when trying to explain to OVP I tried to cover all old Wests and balmain fans,....thats why I wrote, amongst other things......

There are those that are true supporters that still follow balmain and the maggies in PL etc......they didnt walk away....yet its not easy i imagine not beinng in the top grade too.

....is it easy following Balmain in the minor competition?

I only said 'probably' with regards to OVP as I cannot know 100% what he / she will definitely think and/or feel.

 

[meltiger]

....is it easy following Balmain in the minor competition?

For me? Not at all. Brook would certainly testify to the fact that there were some days where I really really wouldn't want to get out of bed @ 9am to go to Leichhardt on a Sunday to watch Balmain, especially last year before I loved home. Whereas I will move heaven and earth to ensure I watch every single Richmond game, be it trial, Wizard Cup or premiership match. That doesn't mean I'm going to support the joint venture though. I would cerrtainly cheer my local side Melbourne over them now that Ribot and Johns are gone definately.


Then you have someone like Brook, who if given a choice between the two (Sorry for using you as the example babe, I don't know who else to use lol) would choose Balmain in a split second and only misses games when she absoloutely has no other option. That girl is a true diehard supporter of the lower grade club even if she supports the joint venture as well.


Maybe i mis-read what you said, it was just 'probably be the same' that bothered me - One thing I have learnt over the last twelve months or so is to never make assumptions.

 

[Gobbso]

Meltiger, nice to see you champ. I'm in shock mate. Are you the same person who used to refer yto the club as Wastes Tigers? :lol: ahh the good old days! Take care buddy.

 

[tigger]

Craig went soft when Lamb departed :twisted:

 

[brook]

Craig went soft when Lamb departed :twisted:

meanwhile I've heard whispers you've been sighted at wests tigers games this year....

 

[yappy]

but tigger's always been soft.

 

[tigger]

Certainly not. I have been Leichhardt to watch Balmain & Henson Park. The only NRL game i have been to this year was Manly vs Parra at Brookvale with a couple of mates that support Manly...... and that was only because it was a good excuse to get on the piss.

 

[hodgo]

Hey everyone ive been reading your posts for a while and i thought it was time to contribute. As a massive westurn suburbs supporter the joint venture cut me a bit and i as many have thought of switching clubs. But in reality i couldnt and am so thankful i didnt i mean sure it hurt but what a club the wests tigers are becoming. I really get sick of people going back to the old days u know whats done is done we did what we had to survive and this is only an issue while people make it one. Anyway enough of the same arguement and i say go u tigers this could be a massive step if we crack the 8 and with the team we have and could have in the future it all looks good.