Are we cursed?

I listened just fine - actually wrote an article about the two podcasts on offer back then. Just quickly thumbing through it for a few quotes -

“The Western Suburbs Magpies had a long sustained period of being unsuccessful and now they’re running Wests Tigers and low and behold, what have we got but a long period of being unsuccessful” - Joel Helmes

And in ep 124 Wests Ashfield were criticised for daring to have a Magpie jersey visible in the foyer (alongside Wests Tigers gear).

Ep 126 “I don’t want to make this a Balmain v Wests thing, but
(the Wests Tigers version of - I’m not a racist but ) I remember going each Wednesday to buy my RLW & Big League. Everyone knows I was a Balmain fan and you’d read stories of Wests in turmoil and Wests in crisis. There’s been a lot of dysfunction and the simple fact of the matter is that Western Suburbs Magpies, Wests Ashfield are running the club now ... this is a continuation of a lot of things that have happened for a long time ...”

So yeah, it’s hardly surprising, a poddy with three old Balmain blokes and a Pommy kid. Of course it’ll be balanced. Let’s reminisce about appointing Alan Jones, ditching the Eighth Wonder for Parra Stadium and all those highly functional Balmain years leading into the JV 🥴 (maybe should have taken Benny’s advice and relocated to Melbourne back in the early nineties).

People on here who predate the joint venture can play it all high and mighty but when things get tough (as they invariably do with this club) their biases invariably bubble to the surface. Old Balmainites blame HBG, Campbelltown Stadium, the NSW Cup branding etc, while old Magpies like me complain about being smothered by orange folklore.

It is what it is 🤷‍♂️
Not one of those quotes are from me though, have you listened to the episodes where I have said i agree with the Magpies being the reserve grade side?

The HBG is a problem, that was found to be true in a review that was conducted by someone that was a Magpies supporter.

I have no problem with the Magpies, I did have a massive issue with the governance of the club.
 
I know you enjoy saying the Magpies had a losing culture and it gives you some sort of pleasure but to those of us who lived it can I explain what Magpie culture was.
For starters our last appearance in the semis was 1996 before folding in 1999. That's the year Andrew Leeds continued playing with a broken ankle and a pain killing injection. That's Magpie culture.
That 1996 team was probably the worst team in the comp. on paper but coached by Tommy they didn't know what quitting was. That's Magpie culture.
Before that we were regularly raped and pillaged by other richer clubs but sent out 13 players who fought for that club like their lives depended on it. That's Magpie culture.
All my memories are great fighting wins at Lidcombe and Campbo despite being undermanned. That's Magpie culture.
Ex players like Ted Goodwin who won comps. at St George but will tell you today that the Magpie culture gave him his best football memories and he considers himself a Magpie. Once a Magpie, always a Magpie
Great teams like the 1978 minor premiers who had no right to even compete with a cashed up Manly or the Roosters. Victories from my childhood that will never be forgotten. That's Magpie culture.
Those days are gone and we are the Wests Tigers who we all support.
That doesn't negate who the Magpies are, and it doesn't give you the right to pretend you have any idea what Magpie culture was.
Show some respect for the past and keep your ignorance to yourself.
Mate, I don't know you from Adam but that is an outstanding post that brought back some happy memories. Of all my mates who were Wests supporters I only know one who wants Wests back. He's so weird that he hasn't watched one NRL game since the Wests / Balmain JV formed. All my other mates know the JV was our only real chance for long-term survival.
I've been to quite a few Magpies reunions over the years and have spoken to quite a few old players who left Wests for other teams e.g Dorahy, Boyd, Tommy etc. Without exception they say their heart was always with Wests but they had to leave because the money was too good to refuse. Others who stayed such as Noel Kelly just loved the place to death. There was nothing wrong with Wests culture.
Clearly there are some who want Wests back in the NRL but that's never going to happen. Most posters on this forum from the Wests side of the JV know Wests Tigers are the future.
But, some posters on here can't resist taking unnecessary, unkind and (usually) inaccurate potshots at the old Magpies. Most of the pushback from posters like me is in defense of the club we loved, not in support of its return.
 
I listened just fine - actually wrote an article about the two podcasts on offer back then. Just quickly thumbing through it for a few quotes -

“The Western Suburbs Magpies had a long sustained period of being unsuccessful and now they’re running Wests Tigers and low and behold, what have we got but a long period of being unsuccessful” - Joel Helmes

And in ep 124 Wests Ashfield were criticised for daring to have a Magpie jersey visible in the foyer (alongside Wests Tigers gear).

Ep 126 “I don’t want to make this a Balmain v Wests thing, but
(the Wests Tigers version of - I’m not a racist but ) I remember going each Wednesday to buy my RLW & Big League. Everyone knows I was a Balmain fan and you’d read stories of Wests in turmoil and Wests in crisis. There’s been a lot of dysfunction and the simple fact of the matter is that Western Suburbs Magpies, Wests Ashfield are running the club now ... this is a continuation of a lot of things that have happened for a long time ...”

So yeah, it’s hardly surprising, a poddy with three old Balmain blokes and a Pommy kid. Of course it’ll be balanced. Let’s reminisce about appointing Alan Jones, ditching the Eighth Wonder for Parra Stadium and all those highly functional Balmain years leading into the JV 🥴 (maybe should have taken Benny’s advice and relocated to Melbourne back in the early nineties).

People on here who predate the joint venture can play it all high and mighty but when things get tough (as they invariably do with this club) their biases invariably bubble to the surface. Old Balmainites blame HBG, Campbelltown Stadium, the NSW Cup branding etc, while old Magpies like me complain about being smothered by orange folklore.

It is what it is 🤷‍♂️
Wow some take this way too seriously

Taking notes?

To achieve what...to maintain division

Dont know why some are here when its just constant us v them
 
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Not one of those quotes are from me though, have you listened to the episodes where I have said i agree with the Magpies being the reserve grade side?

The HBG is a problem, that was found to be true in a review that was conducted by someone that was a Magpies supporter.

I have no problem with the Magpies, I did have a massive issue with the governance of the club.
Yeah, I wasn’t attacking you personally - just pointing out that the podcast you are involved with follows a Balmain v Wests pattern which is so familiar on this forum. And that given your poddy has no Western Suburbs heritage, it’s hardly objective on such matters (as hard as you may collectively try to make it).

No I haven’t listened since the eps I mentioned.
I didn’t feel the need to be lectured on the history of my boyhood club by a bloke who read a few RLW articles.

I’m pleased to hear you support the continuation of a Magpie NSW Cup team 👍
 

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You probably went to school with a few mates of mine.
Remember when Blaxkand Hotel got done up with the bar in the middle? We used to distract the staff and reach over for a bottle on the way out the door.
The Lappo had a spin wheel happy hour where the wheel had the last fifty years on it and what ever year you spun was the price of the beer for the next hour. 1950 was 20c a schooner for an hour. We used to just stand at the bar and drink 20c schooys for and hour. 6 was my record.
On Thursday and Friday they spun the wheel twice. One Friday night 1950 was spun twice in a row. That’s 20c a beer for two hours. Messy.
Then RSA came in, so they added a half hour break between spins on those nights. Like a 30 minute break makes all the diff.
Tigers for Life.
Probably 😂 but I was a goody two shoes, and never knicked off to the Lappo 😂
 
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You know what @BZN, you snipe that I am pro Balmain, and shut things down. That's just not true. I would appreciate you stop implying this. The only reason I became a Wests Tigers supporter is because Super League gutted my local team, which I had supported since I was 11, and someone very dear to me, came to WT. Please stop dragging me into your imagined Balmain bias.
Can't you just ban him for obvious trolling?

I was away for a lengthy spell and come back, and it's the exact same nonsense he was posting before I left.
 
I lived at Blaxland, so the Panthers 1979 - 1997
Hey Suzie. My nan (no longer with us) was a one eyed Panthers fan. When they signed for super league she couldn’t bring himself to support them or any other team. She became a Swans member. It was such a sad time as I always loved stirring her up if Panthers lost and she gave me plenty of stick when Wests would lose. We never missed a game when they played each other. I still don’t understand why some people on here are still on the Wests v Balmain thing.
 
Hey Suzie. My nan (no longer with us) was a one eyed Panthers fan. When they signed for super league she couldn’t bring himself to support them or any other team. She became a Swans member. It was such a sad time as I always loved stirring her up if Panthers lost and she gave me plenty of stick when Wests would lose. We never missed a game when they played each other. I still don’t understand why some people on here are still on the Wests v Balmain thing.
Mental constipation.
 
Wow some take this way too seriously

Taking notes?

To achieve what...to maintain division

Dont know why some are here when its just constant us v them
Nah mate - it was an article I wrote, during the COVID period, pointing out the lopsided heritage of the two podcasts on offer. And how the views being broadcast were often guilty of ‘othering’ the Magpie side of the JV.

Nothing to do with rugby league is “too serious”.
If it were we’d have all been certified many winters ago.
I’m not about creating or maintaining division - but surely we’re permitted to scribble out a few sentences in response to other peeps utter nonsense 👍
 
Value?
My god theres some irony there.

Its an observation
Just your perception, no irony from me at all mate. On the whole I really like the balance of your contributions to the forum and I certainly don't want to start a feud here. Occasionally you, like all of us, can get a bit snippy and dismissive. Some people, me included, feel strongly about the magpie bashing that occurs here from time to time and push back against it. It's not WW3 but the standard you walk past is the standard you accept.
You on many occasions have given advice to posters on this forum who've complained about a thread along the lines of "if you don't like it, don't read it".
I think it's time you took your own advice.
 

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