Why I cannot yet support ONE Wests Tigers NSW Cup side

[joejoe]

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Background Information
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As you may or may not be aware,
Wests Tigers put forward a proposal to all Wests Tigers share holders on Thursday the 14th of June to completely change the structure of the joint venture agreement.
The proposal to be announced soon is strongly rumoured to include:

- The Western Suburbs Magpies and Balmain Ryde Eastwood Tigers to be replaced in the NSW Cup by a single Wests Tigers side. They will be based and train at Concord and play half of their games at Campbelltown and half their games at Leichhardt Oval.

- the private company Wests Tigers Ltd will become the District Club of both Western Suburbs and Balmain Tigers local districts.

- In the future, the Wests Tigers claim they will build a Rugby League Centre of excellence at UWS Campbelltown so the U20's team can move its operations and training to the Macarthur area.

- Wests Tigers Board, Wests Ashfield Leagues Club, Wests Leagues Club Campbelltown and the majority of the Balmain side of the joint venture are thought to support this proposal. The Magpies board is thought to be divided on the proposal.

- For this proposal to happen, the members of both Balmain and Western Suburbs Magpies football clubs will have to agree to it. However the Wests Leagues clubs could withdraw funding from the Magpies to "BULLY" them into agreeing even if the Football club members don't believe the proposal is sufficient in detail or substance.



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My thoughts on this proposal.
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Constantly remarks are made about why the Magpies supporters wont just "get over it" and support the Wests Tigers proposal to phase out the Magpies once and for all.

Well I understand some Magpie supporters will never change their feathers for fur, but I can only offer my own opinion.

First and foremost, I became a Magpie supporter because they represented the area I grew up in.
My parents didn't go for them, I didn't hop on a winning teams bandwagon. I just supported my local team that turned up to my junior footy training, the team that was in the local papers, the team that regularly turned up for school visits, the team my mates aspired to play for in junior reps.

Now the biggest gripe I have with the Wests Tigers proposal is that it doesn't offer a better deal for the community I grew up in than we currently have, or once had.

We no longer have a full time NRL team based out here.
I can accept that, we have a joint venture NRL team now, they got moved to Concord.

We now no longer have a Jersey Flegg under 20's team either. They also got moved to Concord.

Next we lose having a full time reserve grade NSW Cup team. Again to Concord.

So over the last 13 years, my local area has lost 3 senior full time representative teams that used to play and train locally.

Now the Wests Tigers proposal would be much better if the "Rugby League Centre of Excellence" they are proposing to be built at UWS was well under way in the planning stages and a definite timeline to completion is in place. But it isn't. It is still just a "nice thought".

The proposal would be harder to dismiss if a set timeline was in place when the Under 20's will move to the Macarthur, but again there isn't one.

The proposal would be harder to reject if there was a plan to continue having the 104 year old Magpies club running around in the Bundy Cup, representing the Macarthur and with full support by the Wests Tigers. Again this is absent.

So basically the area will definitely lose out with the Wests Tigers proposal in the short term , and without any real substance or concrete time lines in place, how long is the area to suffer before the Wests Tigers truly fill the void left if the Magpies are completely removed from the picture.

And all this is before we even talk about the loss of Wests idenity in the Wests Tigers, the shrinking Magpie on the sleeve and the measly 4 NRL games a year played at Campbelltown.

This is before we consider what it means to have our district league areas of Wests and Balmain run by a Private company, not an elected board from the community.

So until the Wests Tigers proposal offers more to the local community I grew up in than it currently has... I will not, and local Rugby League supporters should not support this half hearted proposal by the Wests Tigers.

If this proposal is not rectified to address these areas of concern, I will be voting against it at the extraordinary general meeting and will suggest to other members to do the same.


Graeme Szynal
Magpies Football Club Member 366

Mobile: 0407 929 124
Email: g.szynal@gmail.com

 

[madunit]

Okay I'm addressing this to Mr Szynal.

I despise this "me, me, me" attitude that some people from both sides of the joint venture have. It used to emanate much more strongly from the Balmain side in the early years, but now it's the Wests side.

Apparently getting dicked by an average of 50 points a week is great for the league community of Campbelltown is it?

If that were the case, then member numbers, support, sponsors etc would have been f**king flooding in after 1998 and 1999, to the extent that the Magpies would never have needed to merge.

 

[Front-Rower]

I may not be as old as you nor may be as young as you but here is my two cents worth from your post above.

I have been a Wests supporter since the day I stepped foot on this earth and have never once thought of supporting another team from the late 80's until now. When the NRL came out with their criteria back in 98 or 99 I knew we didn't have a chance of going alone. In fact we were pretty much dead in the water. After rumors about merging with Canterbury were put to bed I was so happy we decided to go with Balmain, a foundation club that pretty much had the same foundations as us. The merger was a 50/50 split which meant no dominant party and decisions made were made on the principles that both clubs were built on.

Let's fast forward 13 years. A new generation of players and fans are currently building up a great culture and a team that is respected in the rugby league family. It's time to really take this to a whole new level, let's not hold it back and have the divisions that may or may not be there. Let the Wests Tigers create its own history, something that can be built and be made proud of of both parties and not a mechanism in which one side is holding on to to maybe one day seeing their old Balmain or Western Suburbs back in the top grade and if this did ever happen in 40 or 50 years time who is going to remember who they are?

It's time to start to seriously move Wests Tigers in one direction and give people a financially stable, respected, competitive and successful rugby league club, not just a team.

 

[Front-Rower]

Okay I'm addressing this to Mr Szynal.

I despise this "me, me, me" attitude that some people from both sides of the joint venture have. It used to emanate much more strongly from the Balmain side in the early years, but now it's the Wests side.

Apparently getting dicked by an average of 50 points a week is great for the league community of Campbelltown is it?

If that were the case, then member numbers, support, sponsors etc would have been f**king flooding in after 1998 and 1999, to the extent that the Magpies would never have needed to merge.

People can't let go Madunit. Nothing directed at the OP but people don't like change and they cling to the hope that one day the "good ole days" will return.

The sooner we become a true one club the better off we will all be in my opinion.

 

[leoc]

I agree with Front-Rower completely. I was dead against the merger 13 years ago but still went to the first game of the westsTigers. I left my "I hate the merger" at the gate and haven't looked back. It is time for everyone to get behind the club that exists and not dwell on what we used to follow,as it is for the greater good of the Wests Tigers.

 

[fourplay]

Apparently getting dicked by an average of 50 points a week is great for the league community of Campbelltown is it?

The Balmain team took the best players from the Wests Magpies team.

 

[benched tiger]

Both clubs were in the same situation 13 years ago and had no other option but to merge or fade away,today they survive as one,and so be it, as the WT they have the opportunity to become a powerful entity rather a club that survives and struggles from year to year with little hope or future.

 

[madunit]

We'd all love our former teams back.

Fact is, it'll never happen

Time to drop this bullshit, and move forward.

Wests are talking is if their leagues club will be getting a big tiger on it and orange paint.

Yes i know Balmain is getting the NRL players, but theres only one team to blame for that and its for the same reasons i mentioned above.

Wests Magpies are intentionally holding Wests Tigers back, and for what?

Dumb f**ks, they are shooting themselves in the foot by continuing down this path.

 

[Tiger05]

I want to see Balmain and Wests disappear. I just want to hear about Wests Tigers.

 

[The Charlatan]

I want to see Balmain and Wests disappear. I just want to hear about Wests Tigers.

I don't want to see them disappear, but I don't want either of them holding back the JV they created to ensure both teams have some small link to first grade football.

The day was always going to come where WT wanted to flex their muscles and assert a bit of independence. Instead of resisting it, both clubs should embrace it and come together to enjoy the fruits of their sacrifices.

 

[madunit]

I don't want to see them disappear, but I don't want either of them holding back the JV they created to ensure both teams have some small link to first grade football.

The day was always going to come where WT wanted to flex their muscles and assert a bit of independence. Instead of resisting it, both clubs should embrace it and come together to enjoy the fruits of their sacrifices.

f**king well said!!!

 

[madunit]

Both Balmain and Magpies can still have their league clubs, they still have their history, they still have the same involvement in their relevant communities.

The only difference is they will be working together for once to help provide for one team, instead of against each providing two weak lower grade teams and a stagnant NRL team.

What the Magpies are trying to cling onto is beyond me, what they think they're losing is an even bigger mystery.

 

[gronkathon]

To a person there is one common thing i have noticed when discussing their opposition to a combined State Cup squad from both old Magpies & Balmain fans.

They start with talk of community, good of the area and juniors but it always comes back down to being all about their personal narrative. About how they have watched the club for XX years and how much it means to them.

Emotion like that has no place in footballing business decisions.

I agree with MU & The Charlatan on this issue

 

[moller]

The main opposition in the OP appears to boil down to the team(s) training at Concord Oval*.
Who really cares where they train? It's not as if anyone actually goes down to watch them on a daily basis. I actually live within walking distance of Concord Oval and don't see what difference it makes.
As I understand it, the facilities we have out there are pretty decent, so there's no real reason to move. If, for whatever reason, that was to change and we had access to a better/cheaper facility in Campbelltown then I'd be all for the move out there.
The sooner we move towards a united Wests Tigers development path, the better IMO.

* I've ignored the issues re: "loss of Wests idenity" as they don't appear to be founded in reality.

 

[super_coach]

Its a no brainer, the future is the Weststigers. Now its up to the people in the front office to sell it to the punters. This Wests Balmain thing has to be put bed forever. Like most bushiness we have to get hard and mean and make smart calls and this is the smartest call of the lot

 

[The Charlatan]

IMHO the issues are still happening because even though the JV has been around for 13 years, it's still relatively "new" in the great scheme of things. Two clubs with over 90 years each of rich history making way for a new entity still hurts some, and that's fair enough I guess as people are allowed to deal with it however they please.

In any case, as the years go on this will slowly die off. The issues that are debated between the old guard are a lot less hotly contested in years gone by. Wests and Balmain won't die out, they've just taken a backseat, and that makes them no less important. Whatever success WT has, they will be there to share it as well, as without them there is no WT.

 

[madunit]

This thread has shown that many people, even hardened fans of both former clubs, are all for a fully united Wests Tigers merger, as being proposed.

Reality, vision and focus on the future are whats needed.

At present too many people with power at Magpies still think its the 1960's and think they need to stand up and fight, when what they're actually fighting is the thing that they want - more Wests Tigers involvement in their community.

 

[Balmain Bug]

Mad Unit,
You can not bully people's opinions mate. Some of the things you have stated are wrong. How are Wests holding back the Joint Venture. Tell me?? :lol:

Look, at the end of the day, The Joint State Cup side will not get voted in by Balmain to start off with let alone Wests. Why would balmain vote for it? They get spoon fed the best of everything by wests Tigers, they will never vote for it.

Open your eyes Mad Unit.

 

[madunit]

I'm not bullying anyones opinion, just stating my own.

Open your eyes, this is not about NSW Cup.

Wests Tigers will be basing the team at Campbelltown in the future, its where the talent is, its where the better facilities are.

Western Suburbs will be getting a good deal, especially when Leichhardt is eventually rendered unfit for NRL games, which by the sounds of the radio commentators on the weekend is very near (they made several references to that game being the last at Leichhardt possibly)

That will mean more games at Campbelltown.

A brand new state of the art training facility in Campbelltown.

There's no mention of anything like that going on in Balmain is there?

 

[innsaneink]

I'm not bullying anyones opinion, just stating my own.

Open your eyes, this is not about NSW Cup.

Wests Tigers will be basing the team at Campbelltown in the future, its where the talent is, its where the better facilities are.

Western Suburbs will be getting a good deal, especially when Leichhardt is eventually rendered unfit for NRL games, which by the sounds of the radio commentators on the weekend is very near (they made several references to that game being the last at Leichhardt possibly)

That will mean more games at Campbelltown.

A brand new state of the art training facility in Campbelltown.

There's no mention of anything like that going on in Balmain is there?

Did you hear this yourself or just going off whats been posted around the place since last night?

Can you elaborate?