SMH Article 'We’ve lost faith in them’: Balmain consider shock exit from Wests Tigers merger

[finnzo]

I think we can put this to bed. 1 board member went turbo

super happy the chairman came out and said it’s bs

 

[BAGNF05]

At least Balmain reacted quickly.

Well it’s abundantly clear Balmain would be dead without Wests, and we can all see how useless Wests are.

Thank Christ for the JV, neither standalone club stood a snow flakes chance.

 

[Yossarian]

"Balmain tigers" and "wests tigers" and "castleford tigers" and "east's tigers"... they are all clubs that use a tiger as their mascot. Balmain do not own the word "tigers".

It won't get ugly.

Balmain don't have a leg to stand on lol.

Yes but the others don't have a long history in top level Australian rugby league. It's a completely different situation. As I noted Redcliffe threatened legal action to stop the Gold Coast using Dolphins. I think their position would be strong enough to concern the NRL.

 

[Yossarian]

My understanding is that the NRL own the name Wests Tigers and the name is licensed to the JV.

Possibly but as it stands the Tigers is representative of Balmain participation in a joint venture. If, and I think the possibility is remote to say the least, Balmain aspired to be a standalone NRL team they could argue otherwise. I really don't see it coming to that though.

 

[JoshCE23]

I started supporting the Wests Tigers post the almagamation and this is the most stupid idea I have seen. The Tigers don't have a leg to stand on legally. As part of the 2019 package that saved Balmain from administration, West Ashfield agreed to pay off Balmain debts and in exchange Balmain Leagues was merged into Wests Ashfield. My understanding of the history of the club was that the Tigers identity was solely owned by the Leagues club, which would mean Wests Ashfield have all rights to the club. I love the Wests Tigers and these old fans need to stop this infighting and finally embrace our club's modern day identity. In case, I don't see how Balmain's Directors legally have a leg to stand on in respect to NRL licences.

 

[jrtiger]

I think we can put this to bed. 1 board member went turbo

super happy the chairman came out and said it’s bs

all well and good, but there’s been crickets from O’Farrell and Romero. that is deeply concerning.

 

[Yossarian]

Well it’s abundantly clear Balmain would be dead without Wests, and we can all see how useless Wests are.

Thank Christ for the JV, neither standalone club stood a snow flakes chance.

Yeah I floated my thoughts a while ago that there should be a Wests Tigers membership but failing that it should be an independent board that is focused solely on the Wests Tigers not either of the JV factions.

 

[Yossarian]

I started supporting the Wests Tigers post the almagamation and this is the most stupid idea I have seen. The Tigers don't have a leg to stand on legally. As part of the 2019 package that saved Balmain from administration, West Ashfield agreed to pay off Balmain debts and in exchange Balmain Leagues was merged into Wests Ashfield. My understanding of the history of the club was that the Tigers identity was solely owned by the Leagues club, which would mean Wests Ashfield have all rights to the club. I love the Wests Tigers and these old fans need to stop this infighting and finally embrace our club's modern day identity. In case, I don't see how Balmain's Directors legally have a leg to stand on in respect to NRL licences.
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I'd have thought it was linked to Balmain Football Club not the Leagues Club.

 

[Halbrowne61]

Alternatively you would have two foundation names to add to incoming development teams.
Eg. Like the Western Bears, plus Central Coast Tigers, PNG Magpies.
All we’ll need then will be the Jets and it’s back to the future !

 

[Yossarian]

Alternatively you would have two foundation names to add to incoming development teams.
Eg. Like the Western Bears, plus Central Coast Tigers, PNG Magpies.
All we’ll need then will be the Jets and it’s back to the future !

Needs more Glebe...

 

[Halbrowne61]

Needs more Glebe...

Glebe Jets playing at Henson Park, I can see that !

 

[gallagher]

Alternatively you would have two foundation names to add to incoming development teams.
Eg. Like the Western Bears, plus Central Coast Tigers, PNG Magpies.
All we’ll need then will be the Jets and it’s back to the future !

Pittsburgh Steelers next

 

[Tigerdazz2]

I was a dye in the wool Magpies supporter from the time I could walk until Sept 1999 (though I'm grateful for their preservation in the NSW Cup).

In the early years of the merger, there was a lot of infighting by some of us depending on which side of the JV you were from.
I was even banned from this forum (as Tigerdazz thus my new tag Tigerdazz2) by over zealous pro Balmain mods after an argument over whether the club should capitalise more on the burgeoning South West, which a lot of even ex Balmain fans agree.

It took a few years, but many of us "Old Timers" have embraced the JV, especially after the success of the 2005 season.

Since the merger, there is a whole generation of young fans who have only ever been WESTS TIGERS fans, something all of us should be proud of and nurture.

If Balmain were to pull out of the Joint Venture they would be kissing playing NRL goodbye and jeopardise the funding of Leichhardt Oval renovations, Wests Magpies may also be in danger as the NRL would love to ditch a Sydney team and bring in another Brisbane, regional or Kiwi team.

I have a paranoia that the NRL, aided by the media (especially the Murdoch Media) are doing their best to inflict maximum damage to the club. You only have to look at the rubbish the media prints about the club & the seemingly continual rotten refereeing decisions this club has copped over the years, especially the last two!

This call by this Leo twit & others is suicide for not only Balmain, but probably Western Suburbs as well.

 

[Tigerdazz2]

This is why we can't have nice things

🤣

 

[JoshCE23]

I'd have thought it was linked to Balmain Football Club not the Leagues Club.

Yes, but the club is not solvent. The Wests Tigers are a franchise owned by the NRL. The licence to Wests Tigers are majority owned by the HBG. It would be nigh on impossible to convince HBG to sell the licence and they're solvent, so there would be no legal grounds for the NRL to remove it. Look my point is not that Balmain's history should be erased, I want them to be apart the joint venture and not to split off, which their Chair has thankfully confirmed is their intent.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Well that was a fun afternoon.

 

[Tigerdazz2]

Is Chammas an Eels supporter? Just asking.....🤣

 

[Buttface]

 

[Snidest 0]

HBG need td certainly stop staining Keith Barnes legacy by including his name in their fake congolomerate of frauds and failures!

Julie Romero is the most ignorant and incompetent stooge in NRL administration - who only BOUGHT her way into the Board via debenture after being boosted by the staunch Magpies fanbase...

She and HBG could not run a cigarette raffle in a prison!

And their sole purpose is self-promotion and free lunches - with the core business of football always being a distant priority!!

This is the ingrained Western Suburbs Magpies way - and has been since the 70s!!

The Footy department has to get by on a shoe-string budget while being the worst in the comp - and screw the fans while the Board is sipping chilled chablis!

Utter low-life parasites - and all credit to Leo who had the balls to call the pricks out!

 

[cochise]

He gives Gary's a bad name.