How did you become a Wests Tigers fan?

i remember going to orana park and i was only a real young fella, maybe 5 or 6 years old. i could be wrong but i think wests were playing manly. i didnt really support any team but just used to love going to the footy with the old man. pretty sure the maggies copped a flogging that day. i asked the old boy why he supports a team that loses all the time and he said because its in my blood, i dont care if they get flogged every weekend they are still my team. i guess he struck a chord that day and i have never looked back. now my 4 year old son has benji and lote posters all over his room and loves the wests tigers nearly as much as his old man! the missus comes from a family of staunch dragons supporters and i have even convinced her to come over from the dark side!
 
Funny this is a thread, on the weekend over a beer me and my mates were discussing how we started supporting our various teams.
Im not even sure how it happened for me….
I was the oldest grand son and both my grand fathers were tragics of there respective clubs (one penrith the other bulldogs) and they took me to games every week to trying to make me a fan of their clubs, given this was the early 80's and I was only 4 or 5 I also followed the team of the day which was Parramatta.
But for some reason in about 86 when I was 7 i declared myself a tigers fan, no idea why, the family down the road supported them bot sure if this played a role, I bought myself a tigers scarf and soon after I met Wayne Pearce when he was hosting the "its a knockout" show, he spotted the tigers scarf and shook my hand and spent a minute or so talking to me, he is still my favourite player of all time because of it, happy to say I have ran into him a few times since and am glad he is a champion bloke, dont reckon I could handle it if he wasn't! by 88 I was as staunch as they come (for a 9 yo anyway) at the school fete, my mum gave me $2 for the day (quite a bit for a 9yo in 88), by coincidence their was a special chocolate wheel prize was for a signed tigers ball for $2 a ticket and only 50 tickets to be sold, so i that is what my $2 went on, than i watch my sister go on rides and buy showbags all day, but i ended up winning the signed tigers ball and still sits proudly in my office. Fair to say after that I was hooked for life despite player at other clubs and barely winning a game for a decade!
It is funny, I saw Benji at breakfast point one day as I was struggling through a run in boot camp, he through me a couple of words of encouragement and I was like a bloody 7yo kid again!

Hope that my memories didn't bore everyone to death :slight_smile:
 
I used to caddie golf for pocket money as a young kid in Young NSW, and a bloke I used to caddie for was a mad Wests magpies fan and bought me a magpies jumper, so that i could wear each weekend.. Ever since then I have been a very 'one eyed' Wests magpies/Tigers fan.. My 2 young daughters and I have now been members for past 3 or 4 years and rarely miss a game.. It puts a smile on my face to see them get excited and passionate about Wests as much as I do.. GO TIGERS!!!
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Dad was born and bred in Balmain. Balmain was the only team we knew and cared about. I grew up out west in Panthers territory (and played U23's for a season and a half in the late 80's. I didn't cut it for a start in the big time.) Didn't matter to me. We went to Leichhardt often and watched the games on the hill, on the toilets, in the rain, with the airplanes over head. We bought peanuts, sugar coated or in the shell. We lined up for hot dogs. We bought a big league in the ground. We queued up in the car to get out of the place after the games. We slid down the hill on cardboard. We sat on the wall down by the soccer club and looked into the water.

This was heaven and Dad was with me!

When the teams merged, I was happy to have it as the Magpies because they fought hard too, and their supporters would die for their team just like us.

So, Wests Tigers it is.

I don't have any boys, but 2 girls aged 14 and 8\. We live in Qld these days but I dream of a time when we can go back to Leichhardt and I can show them what child hood was like for me. They both wear their Tigers hats and stuff and they have it in their blood, just like I did.
 
Grandparents lived and were married in Balmain in the 30's so it runs in the family. Balmain also had a kick ass jersey and logo in the 80s i adored as a child. Plus whats not to like about Pearce, Jack, Blocker and Benny? :slight_smile:
 
Went to school at St gregs and moved to leichhardt for 4 years when i moved out of home…

Wasn't going to end up any other way!

I can happily say i've now converted the fiance` from the Knights over to the Tigers as well.
 
My mum's side of the family were all born and bred in Balmain like me, Billy Schultz and Chook Fraser are great uncles of mine aswell. My family and everyone in my street supported the Tigers aswell. I have very fond memories of walking up to Leichart oval in the sunay arvo sunshine to watch the Tigers. My first game was the last Balmain Tigers game at Leichart in the pouring rain with my dad and brother. Ive loved the Tigers ever since
 
It was Round 3 2009 when i first went to a Tigers game. It was my Dad, (Craig_D)who introduced me to it and i thank him so much for it! It was against the Roosters at the SFS and we won 44-32\. Ever since that day i have fallen in love with the game and especially the Tigers. I love the atmosphere, having so much passion for something and going to the Footy every weekend, makes my week. I go to almost every game with my Dad and also my sister who loves Footy just as much as me. I know that i will love the Tigers for the rest of my life. GO TIGERS!
 
Grew up in my grandfather's house in Ashbury, a few blocks behdind Pratten Park. I still remember walking down Park Lane to the back entrance as a wee nipper holding my grandad's hand. The first match I truly remember was from 1973, and although Wests were based at Lidcombe by then, they still played the odd game at Pratten. Souths beat us and Denis Pittard scored 3 tries for them.

Sunday's in the 70's and 80's were 8am mass, then to the nursing home to visit grandad, rookwood to visit the sister, and Lidcombe by 12.15 to catch the under 23's. We had two big wests flags that mum made, and a snoopy dog decked out in wests colours and scarf. We went to every game, home and away, rain, hail or shine. It's just what we did.
 
I was driving a through a national park on a secluded track and I found a WT cap.
 
I came to aust in 1969 from Ireland and the 1st game i ever watched was the 1969 grandfinal between the tigers and the rabbits.Every one said the rabbits would kill the tigers so I went for the tigers and have done so ever since all my kids are tiger fans and so is my grand daugther. :smiley: :smiley:
 
@smeghead said:
I was driving a through a national park on a secluded track and I found a WT cap.
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lol wat? I'm assuming your joking….either way it's still funny.

So interesting to hear everyone elses stories too...I would reply to them all if I had the time, but I don't unfortunately....but know that almost every story reminded me of my experiences in footy and through supporting the Tigers as a youngin'...thanks all for your replies.
 
I am dating myself, but i was four when the Balmain side won the '69 GF (hence my avatar pic) and while I only very vaguely remember it, my uncle bought me a Balmain guernsey (as they were called back then!) and I have been a Tiger ever since. I remember the excitement of overachievement in '88 with the Black Pearl (who was knocked rotten and illegally by Lamb) and then the absolute heartbreak of "89 (the game of which I never speak!). To be honest I wasn't really in support of the merger, but realistically it had to happen and growing up in the western suburbs I used to love the Fibro's as well as if we had to merge then there couldn't have been a better team to merge with - better than Dogs or Eels!!!!

So now we are Tigpies and whilst one of my 13 years twins is a rabid Tiger, I have disowned the other one who barracks for Knights!! Oh well, one out two isn't bad.
So thats the guff.
 
@dazza65 said:
I am dating myself, but i was four when the Balmain side won the '69 GF (hence my avatar pic) and while I only very vaguely remember it, my uncle bought me a Balmain guernsey (as they were called back then!) and I have been a Tiger ever since. I remember the excitement of overachievement in '88 with the Black Pearl (who was knocked rotten and illegally by Lamb) and then the absolute heartbreak of "89 (the game of which I never speak!). To be honest I wasn't really in support of the merger, but realistically it had to happen and growing up in the western suburbs I used to love the Fibro's as well as if we had to merge then there couldn't have been a better team to merge with - better than Dogs or Eels!!!!

So now we are Tigpies and whilst one of my 13 years twins is a rabid Tiger, I have disowned the other one who barracks for Knights!! Oh well, one out two isn't bad.
So thats the guff.
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Damn u Terry Lamb. You robbed us! Ellery Hanley was a freak huh…he was one of the players that drew me to the tigers..others were Wayne Pearce (Champion!), Garry Jack (F U belcher), Ben Elias (obviously), Steve Roach (amazing offloads), Paul Sironen (the SBW of the 80's) and surprisingly Kevin Hardwick, one of the smallest, yet hardest working players I have seen.
 
Grew up going to games with my dad , and he grew up going to games with his dad who grew up in balmain. My dads dad brother played reserve for balmain aswell .
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@benji_da_gun said:
@dazza65 said:
I am dating myself, but i was four when the Balmain side won the '69 GF (hence my avatar pic) and while I only very vaguely remember it, my uncle bought me a Balmain guernsey (as they were called back then!) and I have been a Tiger ever since. I remember the excitement of overachievement in '88 with the Black Pearl (who was knocked rotten and illegally by Lamb) and then the absolute heartbreak of "89 (the game of which I never speak!). To be honest I wasn't really in support of the merger, but realistically it had to happen and growing up in the western suburbs I used to love the Fibro's as well as if we had to merge then there couldn't have been a better team to merge with - better than Dogs or Eels!!!!

So now we are Tigpies and whilst one of my 13 years twins is a rabid Tiger, I have disowned the other one who barracks for Knights!! Oh well, one out two isn't bad.
So thats the guff.

Damn u Terry Lamb. You robbed us! Ellery Hanley was a freak huh…he was one of the players that drew me to the tigers..others were Wayne Pearce (Champion!), Garry Jack (F U belcher), Ben Elias (obviously), Steve Roach (amazing offloads), Paul Sironen (the SBW of the 80's) and surprisingly Kevin Hardwick, one of the smallest, yet hardest working players I have seen.
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Yep, loved them all - two other favourites from then (or a touch earlier ) was Buckets Hemsley and Bruce Maguire!!
 
I've been lurking for a while and this thread prompted me to register. So first post!

Grew up in Mudgee (central west NSW) and when I was a kid we were in Group 14 and played as the Tigers with the same strip as Balmain. Must have been where it came from as I have never followed any other team. Mudgee later joined Goup 10 and had to change to the Dragons colours. Parents followed Manly & Norths respectively.

I remember in 1969 in primary school betting the bank with a few teachers that the Tigers would win. Knew nothing about 'value' then so I only got evens, but remember getting to school on Monday to collect. To their credit every one of them paid up. A lot of money for a 12 year old.

Unfortunately a mate and I ran a book on the Melbourne Cup a couple of month's later at school and the girls cleaned up with Rainlover. Can't remember what price he was but most of the Tiger's winnings went up in smoke.

Opened the mail yesterday and there was a package from my 83 year old Aunt - a hand knitted pair of Black and Gold "boots". Might even wear them on Sunday arvo. :astonished:

Great forum.

Cheers,
smudge
PS - Always thought Neil Pringle was the best lock never to play for Australia
 
Neil Pringle - there's a blast fom the past - yes, great player and as tough as old boots as they used to say!!!
 
We moved to Ashfield when I was about 6, lived opposite the leagues club, I saw the big Magpie on the wall every day. Was a Wests junior for a few years, you supported the local team in them days
 
I became a fan after
A. Being a Kiwi and loving Benji magic, and
B. Watching Beau knows ________

I felt I needed to support someone in the NRL. The Warriors are great but I just couldn't relate to them if you know what I mean. I'm Maori you know but for some reason I could relate more to the Tigers than Warriors aye.
 
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