Chammas Article

[BZN]

Who said that. I certainly didn’t, WT fans are made up from different groups two of which are old Balmain fans and old Wests fans. In those two groups are a small minority who wish things were as they once were in relation to Wests or Balmain.
These minorities occasionally act up on the forum, I have no desire to return to pre 2000 arrangements as I remember how bad things were for Wests.
But I will defend Wests or HBG from unreasonable or unwarranted criticism.

Coivtny...I appreciate your balanced tone and your defence of Wests Magpies when needed.
I just want to clarify something you said about "a small minority who wish things were as they once were".
I also have no desire to return to pre 2000 arrangements.
I too lived through that era and know how tough it was for the Magpies.

So I hope you weren't referring to me in that comment, because my posts have consistently focused on representation, not regression.

What I am saying, and have said in every post, is that the current jersey doesn't reflect a fair balance.
The Magpies have been diluted to a small patch on the collar and shoulder, while the Tiger dominates the colours of our jersey and branding narrative.
Thats not equal representation...it's symbolic marginalisation.

This isn't about turning the clock back. It's about ensuring that both sides of the JV are visible, valued and celebrated.

Because right now, the story told by our branding feels overwhelmingly one sided.

 

[BZN]

I’m just being honest my son.

There’s been a lot of on line bullying on this forum recently.

Thanks for your honesty TSP, and once again much appreciated 👍.

 

[cochise]

Coivtny...I appreciate your balanced tone and your defence of Wests Magpies when needed.
I just want to clarify something you said about "a small minority who wish things were as they once were".
I also have no desire to return to pre 2000 arrangements.
I too lived through that era and know how tough it was for the Magpies.

So I hope you weren't referring to me in that comment, because my posts have consistently focused on representation, not regression.

What I am saying, and have said in every post, is that the current jersey doesn't reflect a fair balance.
The Magpies have been diluted to a small patch on the collar and shoulder, while the Tiger dominates the colours of our jersey and branding narrative.
Thats not equal representation...it's symbolic marginalisation.

This isn't about turning the clock back. It's about ensuring that both sides of the JV are visible, valued and celebrated.

Because right now, the story told by our branding feels overwhelmingly one sided.

The main jersey is predominantly black with orange and white. How is that a under representation of the Wests side of the club? There are literally more Magpies on the jersey than Tigers for a club called the Wests Tigers.

This is why you do more harm than good to the Magpies brand, you just make rubbish up.

This post isn't designed to bag the Magpies or claim they are over represented. It is to highlight the totally disconnect from the reality of the situation.

 

[TSP]

 

[TSP]

 

[TSP]

 

[TSP]

 

[TSP]

 

[weststigers]

Wests Magpies?????

You do realise Holman Barnes is just the new name for Western Suburbs Leagues Club Limited right? Here is an excerpt directly from their website.

"Established in October 1955 to support the Western Suburbs District Rugby League Football Club, Western Suburbs Leagues Club Limited (now trading as Holman Barnes Group)." ​

66.66% HBG (Wests Leagues Club) and 33.33% Wests Magpies RLFC = 100% Wests Magpies Pty Ltd

Wests Magpies Pty Ltd (90/10 owener of Wests Tigers) is simply the vehicle used to create the joint venture between Wests and Balmain, but it is owned by the 2 above entities. HBG (West Leagues Club) also appoint 4/7 directors of Wests Magpies RLFC. I think it's fair to say the one with all the power is HBG (Wests Leagues Club) and they are Western Suburbs affiliated. So yes, if they own 90% of the damn club, they should accept 90% of the blame for the total mess that's been created. It's not like we can become a member and vote them out can we?

It's all here https://www.westsmagpies.com.au/the-club/teams-boards-ownership/

 

[BZN]

I've seen the comments, some indirect, some not so subtle.
I've been called a "richard" which we all know is shorthand for something else.
No name used of course, just enough for me to "assume".

I've also seen someone say... I spend half my time on here bagging him.
Again, no name used, just enough for me to "assume".

And I'm the one labelled deluded, manipulative and playing the victim.

Let me be clear'
I've never resorted to name calling.
I've never asked for a return to 2000.
I've consistently advocated for balance, fairness and representation.
So, if some people think this is too much to ask to bring unity, then I think there is a strong case of branding bias.

If that's delusion, then I'll wear it proudly.

And when some posters resort to cheap shots instead of educating, Imo it says more about their insecurity than my intent.

I'm not here to bag anyone.

 

[coivtny]

Coivtny...I appreciate your balanced tone and your defence of Wests Magpies when needed.
I just want to clarify something you said about "a small minority who wish things were as they once were".
I also have no desire to return to pre 2000 arrangements.
I too lived through that era and know how tough it was for the Magpies.

So I hope you weren't referring to me in that comment, because my posts have consistently focused on representation, not regression.

What I am saying, and have said in every post, is that the current jersey doesn't reflect a fair balance.
The Magpies have been diluted to a small patch on the collar and shoulder, while the Tiger dominates the colours of our jersey and branding narrative.
Thats not equal representation...it's symbolic marginalisation.

This isn't about turning the clock back. It's about ensuring that both sides of the JV are visible, valued and celebrated.

Because right now, the story told by our branding feels overwhelmingly one sided.

Hey BZN, my post wasn't aimed at you but it was directed towards anyone on either side of the argument who want to see a return to pre-2000 times. Speaking as an old Maggies supporter, we were terrible in the 90s particularly and the joint venture was our chance for salvation.
I don't, however, share your concerns about representation. As I see it Wests and Balmain are very evenly represented in the club name, the colours and the jersey. I have no issue with representation at all,

 

[coivtny]

You do realise Holman Barnes is just the new name for Western Suburbs Leagues Club Limited right? Here is an excerpt directly from their website.

"Established in October 1955 to support the Western Suburbs District Rugby League Football Club, Western Suburbs Leagues Club Limited (now trading as Holman Barnes Group)." ​

66.66% HBG (Wests Leagues Club) and 33.33% Wests Magpies RLFC = 100% Wests Magpies Pty Ltd

Wests Magpies Pty Ltd (90/10 owener of Wests Tigers) is simply the vehicle used to create the joint venture between Wests and Balmain, but it is owned by the 2 above entities. HBG (West Leagues Club) also appoint 4/7 directors of Wests Magpies RLFC. I think it's fair to say the one with all the power is HBG (Wests Leagues Club) and they are Western Suburbs affiliated. So yes, if they own 90% of the damn club, they should accept 90% of the blame for the total mess that's been created. It's not like we can become a member and vote them out can we?

It's all here https://www.westsmagpies.com.au/the-club/teams-boards-ownership/

HBG is not the Wests Magpies football club and vice versa. If you have issues with HBG, so do I. If you have issues with Wests Magpies football club, your angst is misdirected.

 

[Big Red]

I've seen the comments, some indirect, some not so subtle.
I've been called a "richard" which we all know is shorthand for something else.
No name used of course, just enough for me to "assume".

I've also seen someone say... I spend half my time on here bagging him.
Again, no name used, just enough for me to "assume".

And I'm the one labelled deluded, manipulative and playing the victim.

Let me be clear'
I've never resorted to name calling.
I've never asked for a return to 2000.
I've consistently advocated for balance, fairness and representation.
So, if some people think this is too much to ask to bring unity, then I think there is a strong case of branding bias.

If that's delusion, then I'll wear it proudly.

And when some posters resort to cheap shots instead of educating, Imo it says more about their insecurity than my intent.

I'm not here to bag anyone.

BZN, I’ve tried understanding your perspective and even asked you to share your vision for the club. I was genuinely interested in what you would accept as fair representation. However, your response was a flippant “Dunno, what do you think”. Instead of providing constructive input you’ve dug trenches and adopted a siege mentality, repeating the same lines regardless of how people respond to you. That’s not reflective of the valour you seem to seek. So I will ask again, what is your vision for the club, what exactly would you see as fair representation?

 

[Bus 2 Terrigal]

I don’t think anyone is saying the past doesn’t matter
I think the dialogue main point is that some don’t believe that the magpies are being represented enough for their liking

I was responding to a post where the guy literally wrote that It all happened before he was born and therefore he didn’t give a toss. So yeah - he was saying the past doesn’t matter. (his post has since been deleted)

And yes, I do agree that one side of the joint venture has for twenty five years now, been underrepresented. That ABC commentator Andrew Moore is regularly criticised by fans when he intermittently calls our club “Wests” (he mixes ‘Wests Tigers’, ‘Tigers’ and ‘Wests’ in his calls), shows just how far this uneven perception has travelled. It is after all our name. And before anyone stumps up the argument that our name is not ‘Wests’ but “Wests Tigers” then I might suggest this technical defence doesn’t seem to apply to Manly Warringah, Canterbury Bankstown or Cronulla Sutherland.
Wests Tigers greats Ben Elias & Steve Roach, down in Tigertown at the eighth wonder would no doubt vehemently disagree with me, however as much as people are over this topic - there is a valid reason why it keeps festering. Attempting to shut down anyone who wants to voice an opinion on matters pertaining our club is disappointing. I might suggest that rather than ganging up on a fellow contributor - you don’t actually have to respond to a post if your over that topic. Easy. Fixed it!

 

[Bus 2 Terrigal]

That is a different era
Kids these days don’t want to go without.
There’s far more choice and accessibility . Playing for your local club is not always a given.

That’s true, times have changed.
Yet all this talk of us being underfunded is based on what exactly?

Someone quoted Leagues Club grants comparing us to Canterbury. But how does it compare across the board - across all clubs.

And why simply blame HBG? Doesn’t sponsorship come into it?
I totally agree with the idea that the football club become as financially self sufficient as possible while still being housed under the owner’s umbrella.


For example, If you’re adult kid still lives at home and doesn’t pay rent, his mum does all the washing and cooking and the little scrote spends money hand over fist on frivolous self indulgence - what kind of parent are you ? I’ll call this ‘The Canterbury Model’ - the club that apparently gets a motza each year from its Leagues Club yet hasn’t won a premiership since before we won ours (ie what have they done with all that dosh for twenty years).


It’s interesting - up on the Coast there has traditionally been a hefty gap between the clubs who have a Leagues Club (Wyong, Erina, The Entrance and until fairly recently Woy Woy) and the rest. While Erina won the comp last year, little ole Toukley won the previous two. This year Kincumber, with no Leagues Club have recruited David & Latu Fifita, Matt Moylan, Victor Radley’s brother, one of the Marschke’s and Nathan Davis. Looks like they’ll be tangling with Erina for the title come September. My point being - a leagues club grant isn’t the be all and end all.

 

[Suzie-Q]

That’s true, times have changed.
Yet all this talk of us being underfunded is based on what exactly?

Someone quoted Leagues Club grants comparing us to Canterbury. But how does it compare across the board - across all clubs.

And why simply blame HBG? Doesn’t sponsorship come into it?
I totally agree with the idea that the football club become as financially self sufficient as possible while still being housed under the owner’s umbrella.


For example, If you’re adult kid still lives at home and doesn’t pay rent, his mum does all the washing and cooking and the little scrote spends money hand over fist on frivolous self indulgence - what kind of parent are you ? I’ll call this ‘The Canterbury Model’ - the club that apparently gets a motza each year from its Leagues Club yet hasn’t won a premiership since before we won ours (ie what have they done with all that dosh for twenty years).


It’s interesting - up on the Coast there has traditionally been a hefty gap between the clubs who have a Leagues Club (Wyong, Erina, The Entrance and until fairly recently Woy Woy) and the rest. While Erina won the comp last year, little ole Toukley won the previous two. This year Kincumber, with no Leagues Club have recruited David & Latu Fifita, Matt Moylan, Victor Radley’s brother, one of the Marschke’s and Nathan Davis. Looks like they’ll be tangling with Erina for the title come September. My point being - a leagues club grant isn’t the be all and end all.

That financial comparison has been posted elsewhere, maybe by Jolls but I'm not sure.

Also, Roach and Elias are not Wests Tigers greats.

 

[Bus 2 Terrigal]

Also, Roach and Elias are not Wests Tigers greats.

Tell that to the mainstream media.
Those that mould public perception
In their eyes - Roach & Elias are Wests Tigers greats

 

[magpies forever]

Tell that to the mainstream media.
Those that mould public perception
In their eyes - Roach & Elias are Wests Tigers greats

Well, they are the go to media tarts and they love it. They are Balmain Tiger greats, not Wests Tigers. Just wonder why no effort is seemingly made to engage with our WT great? Reckon it could be because those that were good have media / sports engagements eg Halatau or are employed by the club Skando, Marshall, Hodgson. Certainly Payten can't be used. Dunno about Richards. Not sure many would value Fitzhenry opinion but I never objected to him.

 

[Bus 2 Terrigal]

As I've stated before, I have no affiliation to either WM or BT. I am solely a Wests Tigers Fan, and would like to see all NRL affiliated teams branded as such.

I am not going to engage with you on this topic again. WESTS TIGERS are the only team I am interested in. As a WESTS TIGERS Fan, it is extremely disappointing to have every topic hijacked to a whinge-fest about teams that have no relevance to the NRL and have not had any representation since 1999.

As part of the moderation team on a WESTS TIGERS FORUM, I would happily see all discussion about Balmain Tigers and Western Suburbs Magpies kept solely to those sub-forums, or better yet, taken to a Western Suburbs Magpies forum or a Balmain Tigers forum. I assume these exist, but as stated, I have 0, ZERO, none, nada interest in either of those clubs.

Wests Tigers is my team.

Hopefully that is clear enough.

With respect, I find this to be such a naive position, with Orwellian undertones 🤣🤣🤣

So a section of a society (a group on the forum) feels they aren’t getting a fair crack - you shut down all discussion. Culture is ever evolving - you can’t encase it in concrete boots. Why be scared of someone else’s point of view. As I said previously, if people are over a certain topic, then don’t respond. Simple !

But as Voltaire famously wrote 👇 (fancy an old Fibro era Magpie quoting Voltaire 🤣🤣🤣)

 

[tigeress]

He really is trying to match wierdler as the most pathetic journalist in the nrl.

However-what if there is some truth to it !!