$50 Million reason Wests Tigers are prepared to quit Campbelltown.

[weststigers]

My father was a first-generation immigrant from Lebanon, arriving in 1959. He supported St George because the team was named after a saint who is a significant figure in Lebanon. Naturally, his son chose a different path and became a Tigers fan, mainly due to my childhood love for big cats and a particular fondness for the Tiger (though I reluctantly admit Benny, being Lebanese, also influenced my allegiance). All this happened while I was growing up in Cronulla and playing in the local competition. Eventually, my dad became a passionate Tigers fan as well, staying devoted to the team until his last days. He would even watch replays of old games during the off-season, driving my mother crazy.

So, to get to my point... my parents were not thrilled about me playing rugby league and union. They disliked the idea of me playing a contact sport and couldn’t see any financial future in it during the 80s and 90s, so they pushed me to prioritize education. I think this is similar to what’s happening now with Indian, Chinese, Filipino, and other families. It would be great to see targeted campaigns and a stronger NRL presence in schools out west to encourage kids from these backgrounds to play or at least support a team. Many would embrace the Tiger as it's a popular and revered animal in Asia.

The key difference between my father’s time and now is the variety of sports available and less pressure to integrate. Back then, he was part of a true minority and had to embrace NRL since cricket was the only other option, a game he never quite understood.

Indian, Chinese and Filipinos will not play rugby league like you. This is not about migrants not taking up the game. This is about the "growth" in that area being from migration that will 99% not take up the game.

Cricket is even pretty small considering the Indians love the game and most have no issue putting the pads on. Soccer...absolutely no Asian or Indians. Show me any remotely contact sport in Australia dominated by these groups to the same level as polynesians do in union and league or even the Lebanese do in league...I can't see it happening.

But, have you seen the body types? Physically, these people are mostly small and short and not particularly fast. Culturally, these people are also not really aggressive in any way. I'm sure someone will chime in with one personal example of an Indian friend at school that was really fast and huge and that is meant to disprove my point.

But yeah...we can keep lying to ourselves and believe they will take the game up in the same numbers as locals or other communities do that have the natural size and aggression that is more suited to the game.

Not having a go at you, but this is laughable to think we are going to get juniors from these communities, but if we do, it will be the greatest untapped sporting resource in human history.

 

[BZN]

Look I get it. It's 2025 which is why some things are more expensive.

I also get we can't do a 1970's football drive. Pay people in meat pies and autographs and get a few blokes on the weekend. I get it.

Heck maybe I am a grumpy old man. But I don't see 50m let alone 300m in construction costs.
Sydney is known to be WAY more expensive then other states when were building things.

I miss the old managers. The one who would not only get 3 quotes but grill each line item.

It's what Jolls says.

It's not the manager though.
It's the Project manager, the site manager, the work and safety manager, the assistant manager, the assistant to the assistant manager. The Environmental impact statement... for a stadium replacing a stadium.

Plus the lollypop girls. their manager and the assistants because we can't close any roads and detour cars. For some reason we can't have one person watching 2x automated gates and need 2 people holding a stop sign at either end...

Look not angry at the board or anyone. It's the way things are now. But I am calling the BS as I see it.

A little bit off track here maybe...but I know from personal experience exactly what you say about building managers etc.
My wife and I moved into a Lifestyle Village about 5 hours drive from Campbelltown about 18 months ago.
The standard of a genuine 90% minimum of the units here is Very Bad. There has obviously been next to zero quality control done, and we are still waiting for a couple of problems to be rectified, as others are.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

All this talk about Indians and Asians while 10% of the country’s Pacific Islander population is in Campbelltown.

 

[gallagher]

All this talk about Indians and Asians while 10% of the country’s Pacific Islander population is in Campbelltown.

Yeah but half are women 😅

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Yeah but half are women 😅

Mate, 20% of the Campbelltown population are islanders. But let’s focus on the other demos.

 

[TheEnz]

Indian, Chinese and Filipinos will not play rugby league like you. This is not about migrants not taking up the game. This is about the "growth" in that area being from migration that will 99% not take up the game.

Cricket is even pretty small considering the Indians love the game and most have no issue putting the pads on. Soccer...absolutely no Asian or Indians. Show me any remotely contact sport in Australia dominated by these groups to the same level as polynesians do in union and league or even the Lebanese do in league...I can't see it happening.

But, have you seen the body types? Physically, these people are mostly small and short and not particularly fast. Culturally, these people are also not really aggressive in any way. I'm sure someone will chime in with one personal example of an Indian friend at school that was really fast and huge and that is meant to disprove my point.

But yeah...we can keep lying to ourselves and believe they will take the game up in the same numbers as locals or other communities do that have the natural size and aggression that is more suited to the game.

Not having a go at you, but this is laughable to think we are going to get juniors from these communities, but if we do, it will be the greatest untapped sporting resource in human history.

I can see what your argument about them not playing is and I do tend to agree. It's also become quite an issue in the private schools; they have had to more aggressively look at rugby scholarships to get players in. However, there will be the odd one that does play. I played with a few Asians, mainly Philippino's through the grades. However my point is also that the engagement is not necessarily to have them play, its also related to raising the profile of the game in these communities, which is more difficult now with the extra competition. There are still plenty of non asians in the south west that are footy mad, the bigger issue is a fair slice have come from other parts of Sydney so are still affiliated with their original clubs and the generation born over the last 20years would not have swapped clubs to come to a perennial loser. Start making the 8 on a regular basis and we will sell out of seats and memberships......and conquer the south west.

 

[gallagher]

I can see what your argument about them not playing is and I do tend to agree. It's also become quite an issue in the private schools; they have had to more aggressively look at rugby scholarships to get players in. However, there will be the odd one that does play. I played with a few Asians, mainly Philippino's through the grades. However my point is also that the engagement is not necessarily to have them play, its also related to raising the profile of the game in these communities, which is more difficult now with the extra competition. There are still plenty of non asians in the south west that are footy mad, the bigger issue is a fair slice have come from other parts of Sydney so are still affiliated with their original clubs and the generation born over the last 20years would not have swapped clubs to come to a perennial loser. Start making the 8 on a regular basis and we will sell out of seats and memberships......and conquer the south west.

Bravo 👏👏👏

 

[crazycat]

I've got it...

Right we have 50 Million dollars here.
5M we dedicate to disabled access, because I get it Ramps and stuff helps. As Stella the midget said "no amount of positivity is going to make those Stairs a ramp!"

So that leaves 45 Million.
We get that 45 Million and go to Payne Haas and say "hey here is 45 Million, go play with us. Get your unkle or dad or whoever to build the stadium but commit to the WT for 10 years".

BOOM!
We get Payne Haas for Unders,
People go to the game because our forward pack contains Haas + KPP + Terrell May and were in the top 4.
People urinate on tree NR3 or in the bush and no one gives a toss.

 

[Lestronge]

So you’ve chosen to argue that no one is complaining by complaining? 🤨

Like I said … you just argue for the sake of it . You can be alright , but when you get like this it just proves my point .

 

[Lestronge]

Ever played football in Cooma or Blayney?? They are very cold places.

Can’t say I have bro . But no one is setting up an nrl team there . They did 1 hr up the road . But the ground is enclosed on all sides … really it should have a roof .

 

[Bellend]

Can’t say I have bro . But no one is setting up an nrl team there . They did 1 hr up the road . But the ground is enclosed on all sides … really it should have a roof .

Agree another accor stadium would be nice but will not happen

 

[weststigers]

I can see what your argument about them not playing is and I do tend to agree. It's also become quite an issue in the private schools; they have had to more aggressively look at rugby scholarships to get players in. However, there will be the odd one that does play. I played with a few Asians, mainly Philippino's through the grades. However my point is also that the engagement is not necessarily to have them play, its also related to raising the profile of the game in these communities, which is more difficult now with the extra competition. There are still plenty of non asians in the south west that are footy mad, the bigger issue is a fair slice have come from other parts of Sydney so are still affiliated with their original clubs and the generation born over the last 20years would not have swapped clubs to come to a perennial loser. Start making the 8 on a regular basis and we will sell out of seats and memberships......and conquer the south west.

And I can also see your argument. While we may attract some fringes of these communities it won't be material is my argument and having more games at Campbelltown vs Leichhardt won't change that.

Anecdotal stories about a Filipino mate are good and all, and I also had people at my school that played...mainly due to compulsory sport...it doesn't make the case that these communities have made any impact on ticket sales. These communities have been there for years and the demographic at games is still the same.

The game is on FTA on Ch 9 every week and there is no uptake or uptick in support from these communities anywhere in Sydney for any Sydney team, so what is our marketing team going to do any better out West?

If this is what we are hedging our bets on, we'll be disappointed.

For the good of the club, I hope this 8/3 or 7/4 split does what they say it will do, because I want to see us become the biggest club in Sydney, but...yeah...not holding my breath.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Like I said … you just argue for the sake of it . You can be alright , but when you get like this it just proves my point .

I actually said the opposite. That this topic is not worth arguing about. The club are finally doing what I’ve wanted them to do for 25 years, so there is no value for me to argue. Some are bound to be pissy about it. That’s life.

 

[weststigers]

All this talk about Indians and Asians while 10% of the country’s Pacific Islander population is in Campbelltown.

Your 10% numbers are from this facebook post and I cannot find an official statistical source to verify where this came from.

NRL

With 10 per cent of Australia’s Pacific Islander population residing in their Campbelltown heartland, Wests Tigers are embracing Polynesian culture.

www.facebook.com

My numbers are from here which is a government issued document which says the estimate is around 4%.

https://www.swslhd.health.nsw.gov.au/populationhealth/PH_promotion/pdf/Publications/Pacific%20Communities%20Health%20Needs%20Assessment%20Report_Final%2012July2019.pdf

This report states a total 206,000 people of pacific islands ancenstry in all of Australia in 2019...the government seems to obscure ethinicity statistics these days so it's the best info available.

Indians are around 850k in all of Australia as a reference.

Anyway...looks like people have resorted to facebook posts, opinions and anecdotes which says a lot.

 

[Lestronge]

That’s a stupid argument. Cabramatta is well known for its large Vietnamese community yet is also one of the strongest clubs in the Parra junior league.

I mean there’s no real use continuing this as your fixed in your loyalty to the Balmain patch - but look at the juniors who’ve progressed to the NRL during recent times from each area.

And given the skyrocketing property prices in the inner west, what will the demographic look like in a decade. I’m thinking Newington & Trinity won’t be short of silver spoon local lads for their respective 1st XVs (to go with the scholarship boys they yank out of the south-west 🤣)

??! I used to play for the Two Blues . They recruit around the whole western suburbs districts , funded via the leagues club. In my age group all the best players went there . There and Guildford . Both with grounds backing into leagues clubs.
I don’t recall ever having played with Vietnamese player . It was until I was much older that i recall playing with a Vietnamese guy. .
That’s not much of an argument . Not too many locals to Cabramatta playing there .

 

[Lestronge]

I actually said the opposite. That this topic is not worth arguing about. The club are finally doing what I’ve wanted them to do for 25 years, so there is no value for me to argue. Some are bound to be pissy about it. That’s life.

Yea and that’s not me ! I’m more concerned that there’s a lot of assumptions based on population growth , rather than hard facts . There guys wanting us to move there tomorrow . Ridiculous …

 

[gallagher]

Your 10% numbers are from this facebook post and I cannot find an official statistical source to verify where this came from.

NRL

With 10 per cent of Australia’s Pacific Islander population residing in their Campbelltown heartland, Wests Tigers are embracing Polynesian culture.

www.facebook.com

My numbers are from here which is a government issued document which says the estimate is around 4%.

https://www.swslhd.health.nsw.gov.au/populationhealth/PH_promotion/pdf/Publications/Pacific%20Communities%20Health%20Needs%20Assessment%20Report_Final%2012July2019.pdf

This report states a total 206,000 people of pacific islands ancenstry in all of Australia in 2019...the government seems to obscure ethinicity statistics these days so it's the best info available.

Indians are around 850k in all of Australia as a reference.

Anyway...looks like people have resorted to facebook posts, opinions and anecdotes which says a lot.

Well I'm sure Richardson based his decisions on real data. You got 4 years to get used to the idea.

 

[BZN]

Who’s complaining ? Geez you’re a dickhead sometimes … voicing concerns about the actual viability of a plan that’s failed for 50 years , for many reasons , is not “complaining” . It’s pragmatism . No amount of spinning shit to suit your agenda will change it .
I hate arguing with people like you because you’re deliberately obtuse . And dismiss context to suit your agenda . It’s so tiresome … and transparent

Lestronge, I think it's worth stepping back here.
GNR4LIFE has been making some solid, well-reasoned points lately...whether you agree with them or not, they've added value to the discussion.
Dismissing them as "spinning shit" or resorting to name calling like "dickhead" doesn't help anyone's case.
It's not just unnecessary, it undermines the kind of debate this forum should be encouraging.

You say you hate arguing with people like GNR, but from where I sit, he's been engaging with the topic, not throwing cheap shots like yours.
We can disagree on strategy, history, or direction without turning it personal.
That's the difference between a strong opinion and a weak insult.

Let's keep the focus on ideas, not individuals.

 

[BZN]

Exactly bro . I’m glad they’re building stands at both ends . Hopefully they connect the roofs to enclose it and make it cauldron like . The cold is unbearable especially as the sun goes down on a Winters afternoon at say 5-6pm.
We don’t need both stadiums to be mirror images of each other . I think a more enclosed , more modern feeling stadium , will be far more enticing to the south west .

If you find the cold at Campbelltown "unbearable", I doubt you would like the cold in Canberra, but they still get good crowds to their matches.
I've been to Canberra once a few years back to watch Wests Tigers play, and yes it was cold. But I wanted to be there, so I dressed for the cold and was comfortable enough.

Me thinks you whinge too much, as if you are trying to make a case against Campbelltown, but you don't really believe it yourself.