Taking a wrecking ball to the club! (Recent Media Reports)

[jirskyr]

Balmain were gone too if you're honest. It was like two ugly people meeting up and marrying. Time will tell whether their baby is as ugly.

Actually Balmain would have survived after the final criteria were decided by the ARL / News Ltd. The 3 clubs that would have been chopped were Souths, Norths and Wests. Balmain was 4th last. But we'll never know if Balmain would have died within the next few years or not.

 

[BAGNF05]

Actually Balmain would have survived after the final criteria were decided by the ARL / News Ltd. The 3 clubs that would have been chopped were Souths, Norths and Wests. Balmain was 4th last. But we'll never know if Balmain would have died within the next few years or not.

Balmain were horrible throughout the nineties, didn’t seem like there was any bounce back coming.

 

[jadtiger]

Balmain were horrible throughout the nineties, didn’t seem like there was any bounce back coming.

Balmain were struggling during nearly all of the 90's but they did just satisfy the criteria to continue(16th and bottom rated),however their long term probable survival was very low and even short term was not great.A JV with the Magpies was the best option for all concerned so both clubs could be involved at the top level

 

[Jedi_Tiger]

Balmain were struggling during nearly all of the 90's but they did just satisfy the criteria to continue(16th and bottom rated),however their long term probable survival was very low and even short term was not great.A JV with the Magpies was the best option for all concerned so both clubs could be involved at the top level

remember at the time Fitzgerald put a proposal to balmain for the Parramatta Tigers, he even made some hats blue and gold with parramatta writing
Thankfully the balmain board said no

 

[weststigers]

remember at the time Fitzgerald put a proposal to balmain for the Parramatta Tigers, he even made some hats blue and gold with parramatta writing
Thankfully the balmain board said no

I think there was even talk of a 3 way merger at the time.

I think Balmain would have survived given the funding for salaries by the NRL, but we'll never know what that would have looked like.

There was a huge cash incentive to merge and everyone took the money. Have to feel for Norths that merged in good faith, then got consumed.

It's sad that the foundation clubs were lost in the war. There is always a need for change, but history and tradition has it's place.

As for us, we are here now with a big chance in 2025 to make up for lost time. We have a decent half-back and front row for a change which should help us win many more games in theory. Fingers crossed for this season.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

There was talk of Wests merging with the Dogs. Whether that was just speculation in the media, or the two clubs actually had talks, I can’t remember. Wests had talks with Illawarra the year before, as did the Sharks. Instead the Steelers went with the Dragons who swallowed their identity whole.

 

[jadtiger]

remember at the time Fitzgerald put a proposal to balmain for the Parramatta Tigers, he even made some hats blue and gold with parramatta writing
Thankfully the balmain board said no

I remember and it was by far the worst possible choice

 

[batboy]

I think there was even talk of a 3 way merger at the time.

I think Balmain would have survived given the funding for salaries by the NRL, but we'll never know what that would have looked like.

Pretty safe to assume they'd be exactly where they are or worse....

The failed to hold up their end of the deal supporting half a club, Not to mention everything else they squandered along the way.

 

[weststigers]

Pretty safe to assume they'd be exactly where they are or worse....

The failed to hold up their end of the deal supporting half a club, Not to mention everything else they squandered along the way.

that's one way you could look at it.

 

[Jedi_Tiger]

I remember and it was by far the worst possible choice

100% mate balmain would have been swallowed up like Illawarra with St Merge...
Fitzgerald was desperate for that Tiger brand

 

[Lestronge]

Pretty safe to assume they'd be exactly where they are or worse....

The failed to hold up their end of the deal supporting half a club, Not to mention everything else they squandered along the way.

would they make the deal with back door Benny , and even close the club if it was a key revenue stream ? Probably not ! I think the club would have imploded in the 2000s when the grants and revenue splits were all but nothing down the nrl . If they got through that period into the last 5-10 years , with the amount of money the ARLC is sharing amongst the clubs , it would be very difficult to remove them .
My guess is Balmain would have been moved to Qld or Central Coast.
People know that Singo all but had the the tigers moving to central coast only for it to fall apart in the late 90s right ?
It was supposed to be the Balmain tigers not the bears .
Even with the bears , if it wasn’t for a freak season of rain , they would have got that stadium built , and it would have forced some serious issues re. Which clubs went .
The amount of ducks to fall into a row for Balmain to have merged with wests , is pretty crazy . It was almost Fate. As much an others want to make out it’s the worst thing ever …

 

[jadtiger]

100% mate balmain would have been swallowed up like Illawarra with St Merge...
Fitzgerald was desperate for that Tiger brand

Wests would also probably have been owned by a merge with the dogs and then completely ignored

 

[coivtny]

Wests would also probably have been owned by a merge with the dogs and then completely ignored

Totally. Canterbury were only interested in a takeover. Wests would be dead as a doornail.

 

[LeichhardtTiger]

But, but, but, Bunny Reilly was a Rooster.

My family is from Bondi so they were always my Plan B team.

But, but, but, Bunny Reilly was a Rooster.

While I was born in Balmain Road, Leichhardt, opposite the Fire Station, my family comes from Bondi, and we are related to the Peards, so they were my Plan B team. Um, by the way, I wasn't literally born in Balmain Road, but I do have a phobia about fire engine sirens!

 

[Merlot]

My family is from Bondi so they were always my Plan B team.

While I was born in Balmain Road, Leichhardt, opposite the Fire Station, my family comes from Bondi, and we are related to the Peards, so they were my Plan B team. Um, by the way, I wasn't literally born in Balmain Road, but I do have a phobia about fire engine sirens!

Was going to suggest a few nights ago that your pet Bunny Reilly was the 1 st of the turd ducken's ,probably just as inappropriate then as now

 

[batboy]

would they make the deal with back door Benny , and even close the club if it was a key revenue stream ? Probably not !

You're kidding right?
They are where they are from years of ineptitude - beyond measure....

There's one reason they sold - Because they had to!!
With some more ineptitude, They sold it to the wrong bloke and got cornholed again....
and again, and again - And now they're all but a memory...

How does a Leagues Club in that location, With that History - Ever go bust?
Beyond shocking....

 

[cktiger]

You're kidding right?
They are where they are from years of ineptitude - beyond measure....

There's one reason they sold - Because they had to!!
With some more ineptitude, They sold it to the wrong bloke and got cornholed again....
and again, and again - And now they're all but a memory...

How does a Leagues Club in that location, With that History - Ever go bust?
Beyond shocking....

Ask the State Government that sold them down the river.

 

[twentyforty]

Ask the State Government that sold them down the river.

The Keneally Labor government?

 

[batboy]

Ask the State Government that sold them down the river.

I think with (probably with the benefit of hindsight)
that was just a convenient diversion from where it was all really at....
I've seen nothing but extreme incompetence from them since.

Even those last few days at the Club, You could see how it had gotten to where it was.

 

[jirskyr]

You're kidding right?
They are where they are from years of ineptitude - beyond measure....

There's one reason they sold - Because they had to!!
With some more ineptitude, They sold it to the wrong bloke and got cornholed again....
and again, and again - And now they're all but a memory...

How does a Leagues Club in that location, With that History - Ever go bust?
Beyond shocking....

The club would be standing on the current premises if the Keneally Govt had not cancelled the metro and then successive Labor councils blocked attempts at redevelopment.

Cronulla Leagues had a similar experience, almost out of cash waiting for their development to go through, but for their luck it was approved and they were able to demolish, build and sell.

Any business that has to sit on their hands in anticipation of demolition in a Government mass infrastructure will haemorrhage money without support and guarantees of timelines. Just ask the businesses around Rozelle, not just Balmain Leagues, ask the businesses on George St and up through Strawberry Hills holding on for the Light Rail to be completed.