Balmains real name

[happy_tiger]

Vossy on the Fan mentioned that Balmain were originally known as the Watersiders and weren't originally known as the Tigers

Does anyone know too much of the history about that??

Had never heard anything previously about this

 

[tiger_one]

Uncle Wiki tells me:

"The distinctive black and gold colours of their 1908 thin striped jerseys led their fans to quickly nickname them "The Tigers". Though it is claimed they were also known as "The Watersiders" in the early days, this appears a moniker that was used by newspaper journalists rather than Balmain supporters and fans."

A bit like the Wests side - their history reveals:

1928 - Western Suburbs officially become known as the "Magpies". Previously the players were unofficially referred to as the Cherry Pickers or Fruit Pickers due to the number of orchards around the Ashfield area.

 

[cktiger]

Called the Watersiders sometimes because of the location but always black and gold and the Tigers as well.

 

[Winston Churchill]

Vossy on the Fan mentioned that Balmain were originally known as the Watersiders and weren't originally known as the Tigers

Does anyone know too much of the history about that??

Had never heard anything previously about this

I think the Watersiders has its history from the Balmain Rugby Club established in 1873. The Rugby side played in a navy top with white strips, white pants and a red cap. The name stuck when Balmain league broke away in the 1900's. The league side wore black and orange and eventually the Tiger mascot became more popular by the 1920s.

Most of the OG clubs had other names;
The Watersiders - Tigers 1920s
Cherry Pickers - Maggies 1920s
The Shoreman - Bears 1950s
The Tricolours or Seasiders - Chooks 1960s
The Bluebags - Jets 1970s
Not sure what Souths were originally called im assuming scumbags, but the myth/legend is they got the Rabbitohs name from rabbit skinners in their district in the 1930s during the depression yelling out "Rabbit'ohs" for sale.
The Rebels - defunct, came back as the Knights in 1980s

Cumberland Fruitpickers - defunct after 1 year

Only club that still has its original name from 1908 is Glebe Dirty Reds, exited 1929 came back in 2017.

 

[happy_tiger]

Never knew many clubs started as a different name...thanks for the info ladies and gents

 

[mikey]

I think the Watersiders has its history from the Balmain Rugby Club established in 1873. The Rugby side played in a navy top with white strips, white pants and a red cap. The name stuck when Balmain league broke away in the 1900's. The league side wore black and orange and eventually the Tiger mascot became more popular by the 1920s.

Most of the OG clubs had other names;
The Watersiders - Tigers 1920s
Cherry Pickers - Maggies 1920s
The Shoreman - Bears 1950s
The Tricolours or Seasiders - Chooks 1960s
The Bluebags - Jets 1970s
Not sure what Souths were originally called im assuming scumbags, but the myth/legend is they got the Rabbitohs name from rabbit skinners in their district in the 1930s during the depression yelling out "Rabbit'ohs" for sale.
The Rebels - defunct, came back as the Knights in 1980s

Cumberland Fruitpickers - defunct after 1 year

Only club that still has its original name from 1908 is Glebe Dirty Reds, exited 1929 came back in 2017.

Wonder how they became the dirty reds

 

[twentyforty]

I think the Watersiders has its history from the Balmain Rugby Club established in 1873. The Rugby side played in a navy top with white strips, white pants and a red cap. The name stuck when Balmain league broke away in the 1900's. The league side wore black and orange and eventually the Tiger mascot became more popular by the 1920s.

Most of the OG clubs had other names;
The Watersiders - Tigers 1920s
Cherry Pickers - Maggies 1920s
The Shoreman - Bears 1950s
The Tricolours or Seasiders - Chooks 1960s
The Bluebags - Jets 1970s
Not sure what Souths were originally called im assuming scumbags, but the myth/legend is they got the Rabbitohs name from rabbit skinners in their district in the 1930s during the depression yelling out "Rabbit'ohs" for sale.
The Rebels - defunct, came back as the Knights in 1980s

Cumberland Fruitpickers - defunct after 1 year

Only club that still has its original name from 1908 is Glebe Dirty Reds, exited 1929 came back in 2017.

My understanding is Souths players sold rabbits by driving around inner Sydney ringing a bell and calling out “Rabbitohs.” The funds were used to keep the club going. I think this was discontinued during the 1950s?

 

[Winston Churchill]

Wonder how they became the dirty reds

Colour of their shirts, dark maroon colour. Same reason Balmain became the Tigers. Black and gold stripes.

 

[Winston Churchill]

My understanding is Souths players sold rabbits by driving around inner Sydney ringing a bell and calling out “Rabbitohs.” The funds were used to keep the club going. I think this was discontinued during the 1950s?

Thats what ive heard over the years, some of the players sold rabbits but im not sure if thats fact or fiction.

 

[PrattenParkMagpie]

No clubs had official mascots or nicknames until Wests and St George did in the late 1920s, St George were known as the Blood and Bandages before the Dragons. Balmain's Black and Gold colours do not come from the Tiger but from the colour of a Wattle tree predominant in the area at that time, the blackened trunk and the bright gold flowers.

The Magpies were the Cherry Pickers as Ashfield and surrounding areas at the time were rural and predominantly orchards and most of the players had to reside in the area they played for, so most of the players were fruit pickers, as were many of the players from the Cumberland club. Originally Wests were suppose to be a breakaway from the Western Suburbs Rugby Club located around the Burwood area who played in Blue and Gold but the players wouldn't join so they adopted the Black and White colours of the local Ashfield Rugby Club.

 

[twentyforty]

Thats what ive heard over the years, some of the players sold rabbits but im not sure if thats fact or fiction.

I heard them calling out one day and asked my father what was that? He told me that story. People in the area bought the rabbits believing the story 😂

 

[Winston Churchill]

It wasnt really until marketing became a thing growing from the 1950s into the 70s to today when marketing and sponsorships really took off regarding mascots. Parra for example were known also as the Fruitpickers, it wasnt until the 70s they became the EELs officially. The Shoreman became the Bears after the Supermarket Big Bear sponsored them in the 50s/60s.

 

[Fade.To.Black]

It wasnt really until marketing became a thing growing from the 1950s into the 70s to today when marketing and sponsorships really took off regarding mascots. Parra for example were known also as the Fruitpickers, it wasnt until the 70s they became the EELs officially. The Shoreman became the Bears after the Supermarket Big Bear sponsored them in the 50s/60s.View attachment 5467

Isn't the Indigenous meaning of the word Parramatta "the eel who lays down"? If so, very appropriate🤣