Connection/attachment to the club

[rustycage]

@formerguest we hide our bikes behind the old Masonic club and catch a bus. Buy a bag of lollies,hot chips or scollops, with as much free sauce or vinegar as we wanted for the bus ride. We would take a plastic football or a worn heavy latherball that was as hard as nails pretend we were our favourite players on the run down to the oval.

Plastic football or a worn heavy leather one - classic.

 

[DALLAS68]

Was a mad Magpie supporter as a young kid and loved the days at Lidcombe oval especially the many games where the fights and brawls were infamous. great uncle Frank McMillan captained the aussies in 1934 Kangaroo tour. as a Magpie it was very hard to let go but am now a full on Wests tigers fan and we have done our bit for the game by merging so leave us the hell alone!!!

 

[trentrunciman]

Grew up idolising Benji Marshall. I was 5 when he did what he did in the GF. Never looked back.

i'm getting old man...

 

[Tiger_Steve]

I followed Balmain as long as I can remember. My dad followed Souths and my Aunty and grandmother were season ticket holders at Redfern. Tigers vs Rabbits were great occasions- somehow I always got a ticket into the stand to sit with my nan.
As I got older I’d go to Leichhardt with mates every game. I played juniors in Balmain. Loved the game my whole life.
I remember when I was maybe 14, I won the doubles. I got the $50 and literally ran the whole way from Leichhardt Oval to Victoria Rd to catch the bus home.
My youngest brother is much younger than me and I used to take him to games. He is now as passionate as me!!
I’ve taken my two kids to games since they were toddlers. They are very passionate but it’s just one of many passions for them. Girls is their greatest passion at the moment 😀
I struggle now with where the game has headed and is heading but I love my WestsTigers and couldn’t imagine not supporting them!

 

[OzLuke]

Grew up idolising Benji Marshall. I was 5 when he did what he did in the GF. Never looked back.

i'm getting old man...

x2....I still remember when Marshall was a skinny kid who was a touch footy prodigy.....

 

[cochise]

I remember when I was maybe 14, I won the doubles. I got the $50 and literally ran the whole way from Leichhardt Oval to Victoria Rd to catch the bus home.

I remember the 1st time I won the double, was at LO game against St George where Nathan Blacklock score with a chip over the fullback to win the game for Saints. I had Lincoln Withers and Nathan Blacklock in the doubles and won $100. I think I should have won $200 lol as they both scored the 1st 2 tries for their sides that day!

 

[851]

I am from the country and had no district ties to a Sydney club.
My dad is a Canterbury supporter, my mum and sister Balmain supporters.
My parents never pressured me to support any team, but I took a liking to Tom Raudonikis.
So I became a West’s supporter, I did go to Leichhardt oval a few times over the years to watch Balmain v Wests.
I used to catch the train from Lithgow to Auburn to watch West’s play at Lidcombe oval, train never stopped at Lidcombe.
So the merger for me wasn’t too bad, it brought my mum, sister and myself to support the same team.
I never pressured my 2 girls in to following the Wests Tigers, just like my parents didn’t pressure me. So I have one Tiger and one Rooster supporter kids now.

 

[happy_tiger]

Grew up idolising Benji Marshall. I was 5 when he did what he did in the GF. Never looked back.

i'm getting old man...

x2....I still remember when Marshall was a skinny kid who was a touch footy prodigy.....

I wish I could remember when I was a skinny kid lol

 

[Tiger_Steve]

I am from the country and had no district ties to a Sydney club.
My dad is a Canterbury supporter, my mum and sister Balmain supporters.
My parents never pressured me to support any team, but I took a liking to Tom Raudonikis.
So I became a West’s supporter, I did go to Leichhardt oval a few times over the years to watch Balmain v Wests.
I used to catch the train from Lithgow to Auburn to watch West’s play at Lidcombe oval, train never stopped at Lidcombe.
So the merger for me wasn’t too bad, it brought my mum, sister and myself to support the same team.
I never pressured my 2 girls in to following the Wests Tigers, just like my parents didn’t pressure me. So I have one Tiger and one Rooster supporter kids now.

Is it too late to put the roosters daughter up for adoption? Just a thought😀

 

[354magpie]

My great uncle played for the magpies so that naturally made the whole family supporters and it’s continued through now to west’s tigers. Growing up watching games with my pa and him remembering stories of watching uncle cole play are some of my fondest memories. Once he lost his sight we would still listen to the games on the radio while having a beer together.
That’s where my user name comes from, his club number 354. I now have a two year old daughter and hope to continue to keep our family’s tradition with this great club through her.
The club means a lot to me but it’s the memories around family that it has created that I’ll treasure forever

 

[851]

I am from the country and had no district ties to a Sydney club.
My dad is a Canterbury supporter, my mum and sister Balmain supporters.
My parents never pressured me to support any team, but I took a liking to Tom Raudonikis.
So I became a West’s supporter, I did go to Leichhardt oval a few times over the years to watch Balmain v Wests.
I used to catch the train from Lithgow to Auburn to watch West’s play at Lidcombe oval, train never stopped at Lidcombe.
So the merger for me wasn’t too bad, it brought my mum, sister and myself to support the same team.
I never pressured my 2 girls in to following the Wests Tigers, just like my parents didn’t pressure me. So I have one Tiger and one Rooster supporter kids now.


Is it too late to put the roosters daughter up for adoption? Just a thought?

I couldn't believe it either mate, says a lot about freedom of choice though, she will be 21 in 2 weeks, so it is even too late for that:smile:

 

[jirskyr]

Then there was one particular game which made me a fan of both rugby league and Wests Tigers for life. It was the 2010 qualifying final vs the Roosters. I rose for Dwyer’s hit on Hargreaves, my mouth hung open when we lost the scrum with the feed, and it hurt when Kenny-Dowell took the intercept to win the game in the 100th game.

Good to know we all share horrendous memories! Given that I started watching rugby league about 1986/87 as a kid, 1988 was my first legit full season and obviously Balmain made the GF. I went to every match and was there on the day, when Ellery got his lights knocked out.

Everyone at school said "never mind, always next year", and as a lad I thought that was literal, because lo and behold we make the GF again, this time much more comfortably and with a more experienced side.

And of course '89 GF extra time happens and it's a tragedy in my household for years, something not even 2005 can even fully erase.

But, something about that shared disappointment made for a strong bind to the club. Balmain were a horrendous side in the 90s but I could never swap allegiances, never be one of those bandwagoners who just gets on a winning side, then abandons when it's tough. A number of other kids became Raiders fans, then Broncos, shifting with the winds of fortune. Not me.

So there's something to be proud about being a passionate Wests Tigers fan despite the lack of success, because it's a harder road. I mean, imagine being a Storm fan and winning the MP every year and 2/3 matches. They wouldn't know what to do with a few lean seasons!!!

 

[Fitzy05]

@jirskyr In under 6's and 7's we got to play on Leichhardt oval during half time. each time it was a Balmain V Parra game.

 

[fibrodreaming]

So there’s something to be proud about being a passionate Wests Tigers fan despite the lack of success

I couldn't agree more. This is the definition of being a true supporter. That's why I think Wests and Balmain were good candidates for a JV. Struggle-street teams without a cabinet full of trophies.

"imagine being a Storm fan and winning the MP every year and 2/3 matches"

I wonder about the future of the Storm in Melbourne. All teams have their lean years and don't believe the Storm can sustain their success indefinitely. Will their supporters stick if they experience a number of poor years?

 

[StarswithStripes]

@cochise I lived in Melbourne till I was eight and we moved to Sydney at the end of 1971. I was a mad Hawthorn fan and everyone said I needed to follow St George because they were a winning team. Back then they had won what 11 grand finals in a row? I followed the Dragons but in the early 70’s they weren’t winning so I wasn’t impressed. I kind of followed the Sharks oddly enough because I liked their jumper colours but they lost the GF in 1973 so I was on the lookout for a club to follow. A kid at school gave me a Magpie jumper to wear playing school footy so I followed the Magpies oblivious to their recent playing history at the time but I knew they’d won grand finals. That was it for me. I followed them until the merge and always lived in hope. I tried to follow other teams but always looked for news stories on the Magpies so I knew I’d become an institutionalised Magpie fan. I was happy for the merge because I had big hopes. I never tasted success as a Magpie fan and was stoked with the Tigers GF win in 05. I’ve still never experienced season to season success or regular finals appearances as a fan so I’m easy to please when we win but forever frustrated with our inconsistency and mismanagement. Nevertheless I’m always hopeful and that goes for this Sunday against the team I ditched in 1973. We have a great coach and the bones of a winning team. Win or lose this weekend I’m a rusted on Tigers fan!

 

[jirskyr]

I wonder about the future of the Storm in Melbourne. All teams have their lean years and don’t believe the Storm can sustain their success indefinitely. Will their supporters stick if they experience a number of poor years?

Wait for Cam Smith and Bellyache to resign, then see. Broncos experienced it first time Bennett left.

 

[NT_Tiger]

@jirskyr
Nice Post.
I'm sure I've posted it here somewhere before but again. I watched the 89 grand final in a house full of Raiders and Dogs supporters. I was the only Balmain supporter there. I then had to walk home past the Queanbeyan Leagues club to the sounds of Raiders celebrations. You don't forget those moments and you're either a supporter or not.

 

[jirskyr]

the sounds of Raiders celebrations

Worst ever. Even having to cop the Viking Clap / Crap at Bankwest earlier this year was difficult to swallow, freezing my balls off and having to listen to the Raiders fans enjoy what is standard Canberra weather.

However, objectively, I don't have an issue with a successful Canberra Raiders. Those star Raiders teams, as much as they got in the way of Balmain back then and I hated them for it, you have to realise that they did a lot for the growth of the game in Canberra, with the club being < 10 years old at the time.

Even the Canberra players, as much as I hated them, were mostly quality, reliable and honest footballers. Probably didn't help that they were an early Melbourne Storm prototype, 90% Queenslanders, so they were in our way at both club and state level.

Canberra is a big city and so close to Sydney, however a huge influx of Victorian expats for work over the past 2 decades has meant a big big push for AFL content. The NRL needs a successful Raiders side to sure up League support in a key city.

 

[momo_amp_medo]

Arrived in Oz as 13 year old with my widowed mother in 1963 from Croatia (born in Zagreb).
Spent time with relatives at Bondi and Maroubra before moving to Summer Hill and attended Ashfield Boys for 3 years. My best mates were all mad West’s supporters so attending Pratten Park and Lidcome oval essentials.

Magpie and now West’s Tigers supporter now we’ll and truly embedded in my DNA. Moved to Central Coast in mid 70s one of my sons and his family live next door and the other is still at Summer Hill.

 

[old_man_tiger]

I was thinking about this type of thing two days ago. Travel the Ryde bridge every day, work in North Ryde, grew up in Eastwood, School in Dundas and now live 5 minutes from Wests Ashfield. My life has always revolved around the Tigers, first Balmain and now Wests. I can't remember choosing, it's always been this way.

I'm happy we are starting to feel like one club. The last 8 seasons have been hard, but I know that as long as we are in Sydney I'll be there for the club. If we were moved I really don't know. I was 16 in 2000, much easier to change back then when I had time to get to know my new club. Now I'm not sure that I'd bother with footy unless my kids like it.

@cochise Maybe you should see if the club is interested in these stories. Players may not know just what this Jersey means and why we need them to go out there and make fish and chips out of the gummies