How did you become a Wests Tigers fan?

[Juro]

I grew up in Northmead so naturally my family were all Parra fans. I enjoyed following Parra in my early years and watched on TV when they won their premierships with some really great names like Sterling, Cronin, Grothe (Sr), Price, Kenny, etc. But for some strange reason, at the age of 12, start of 1986, I suddenly made the jump to going for Balmain. Parra of course went on to win the premiership in 86 and I watched the grand final but felt nothing for it. I knew I could never go back. Now, compare that to the feelings of 88, 89 and 05… WOW!

Funnily enough, my mum was much more into sport than my dad. She grew up in Bowraville (such a small town, nobody knew about it until Inglis thought it was in Queensland). Her dad started following Norths back in the 1920s after seeing them win their last premiership. Poor bugger followed them for another 60+ years never to taste success. I always had a soft spot for Norths too. My mum recently told me she was a Souths fan before settling in Northmead. Made me feel a bit dirty, really...

And as another tiger link, according to the Asian calendar, my mum, my wife and now my daughter (born last year) were all born in the year of the tiger. I told my 4 year old son this and he was really angry when I tried telling him he is a pig.

Now, knowing that I rebelled against my family, I fear that one day my children will rebel against the tigers. Any tips on avoiding such a thing??

 

[biggest_tigers_fan]

I always had something for the tigers as i was a rorters supporter.Jumped on the 2005 band wagon and now a passionate tigers fan.Ps I now hate the roosters

 

[TigerBoy33]

I was born in 1994 and when I was 4 I was already watching footy, and by the time I actually started liking footy when I was 5 I went to a dogs game with my dad and from there on I apparently use to cheer on the bulldogs every time I saw them, then in the yr 2000 my dad wanted to watch the new Wests Tigers in round 1, so I was watching it with him and was about 6 and understanding footy and liked the tiger as an animal and the Tigers new logo attracted me, and ever since round 1 2000 I have been a Tigers supporter, got my Tigers cap in 2001 and ever since I got it I've been working up my collection and now my room is a all Black and Gold and my religion is the mighty Tigers!!!!
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[vegimite]

My Dad made me do it! He was born in 1899 and lived all his life opposite Birchgrove Oval. When I was growing up he was a member of the Cricket Ground so, from a bade-in-arms I would be taken to the Cricket Ground to watch the match of the day if the Tigers were playing. From my early teens I would walk to Leichhardt Oval with my mates. I found it easy to make the transition to the West Tigers, although I doubt if I would have become a Parramatta Tigers follower.
So as my kids say - "its genetic, deeply embedded in the family DNA"! :sign:

 

[AndTheKungFoSing]

My father was a Balmain supporter and naturally I was brought up to follow them, as will my children.

Haha yeah same deal here

 

[benji_da_gun]

Loved reading everyone's stories ITT. I'm sure there's more…cmon guys/gals :slight_smile:

 

[Flippedy]

grew up in north ryde.
dad was die hard magpies supporter.
followed them from there.
been supporting magpies and going to games since 1970.
**still have sore butt from wooden seats at Lidcombe Oval.** :laughing:
**_and was quite happy for merger to happen and was pleased they became wests-tigers._**

Hahaha! That's why we always took cushions, our own seats or threw a blanket down on the hill - how I loved that hill! My mother was so well prepared - my family always looked like were were settling into the ground for a week! :laughing:

 

[coopy]

Born and bred in Lidcombe

Played for Wests Juniors rep teams (used to get a jersey every year)

Brother played for Wests in the the Masters and Ryan years

Not much choice really….

 

[Flippedy]

I always had something for the tigers as i was a rorters supporter.Jumped on the 2005 band wagon and now a passionate tigers fan.Ps I now hate the roosters

I find that fascinating, btf. Were you only a half-hearted Roosters fan to begin with, because I can't ever imagine switching my allegiance to another team after supporting one team for so long. It was hard enough for me to even support a merged team, at first!

 

[Snowy]

Was born in Bankstown so should follow the dirty dogs, but Dad is mad Tigers supporter and he always liked wests as well. So I grew up in the 80s and 90s watching the tigers ups and many downs. Was happy with the Merger and 2005 was the best year of my life! Will never stop supporting the Tigers no matter what!
Go the Tigers :slight_smile:

 

[Suzie-Q]

Like someone else, I used to follow Penrith, living in the lower mountains, they were my local team - and throughout my teenage years THEY SUCKED! When they didn't suck anymore, Super League came around. I tried to follow it, but just lost all interest in the game and even watched an AFL game or two.
In 2000, I took a brief interest in the new Wests Tigers team, but was still not that interested, especially since the poor old Bears (my 2nd team by default) were getting the boot …
Fast forward to 2003, and that tackle by Robbie Beckett!! Woohooo!! An old Panthers fave of mine. I was hooked. Have been following the Wests Tigers ever since.
Since then, I have discovered that my Pop came home from France in WW1 to his parents' new home in Macauley St, Balmain. Also that my Grandad was an avid Wests Magpies fan and used to drag my Dad along to Pratten Park every second weekend (apparently there is a genetic flaw in our DNA - the footy gene misses every 2nd generation ... Dad wasn't really into it, only went for the hotdog my Grandad bought him; #1 son hates the footy and only came if he was being punished for something, or if he had a really good book to read). Aum and Dad both grew up in Strathfield/Ashfield, so Wests were their local team. Seems liek it was meant to be that I would end up following Wests Tigers. Totally made my day when Tim Sheens signed on as coach - having grown up around him, calling him "Uncle Tim" and being given his last ever panthers playing jersey, being a Wests Tigers fan feels like coming home in a way :slight_smile:

 

[biggest_tigers_fan]

I always had something for the tigers as i was a rorters supporter.Jumped on the 2005 band wagon and now a passionate tigers fan.Ps I now hate the roosters

I find that fascinating, btf. Were you only a half-hearted Roosters fan to begin with, because I can't ever imagine switching my allegiance to another team after supporting one team for so long. It was hard enough for me to even support a merged team, at first!

I started watching footy as a 9 year old in 1994 and supported canberra as i liked brett mullins.I went manly for 1 year in 1995 before i settled on east from 1998-2004 because brad fittler was my fav player.My dad was balmain fan so he liked the wests tigers and as they were my second team i jumped on the 2005 band wagon.was really excited at our 2005 win and have been a big tigers fan since.I love and breath tigers,i check the forum after ive checked facebook in the morning.I hate all other 15 teams even the roosters who i loved and was annoyed in 2003 GF.BIGGEST TIGERS FAN for life!!! :sign:

 

[Flippedy]

I always had something for the tigers as i was a rorters supporter.Jumped on the 2005 band wagon and now a passionate tigers fan.Ps I now hate the roosters

I find that fascinating, btf. Were you only a half-hearted Roosters fan to begin with, because I can't ever imagine switching my allegiance to another team after supporting one team for so long. It was hard enough for me to even support a merged team, at first!

I started watching footy as a 9 year old in 1994 and supported canberra as i liked brett mullins.I went manly for 1 year in 1995 before i settled on east from 1998-2004 because brad fittler was my fav player.My dad was balmain fan so he liked the wests tigers and as they were my second team i jumped on the 2005 band wagon.was really excited at our 2005 win and have been a big tigers fan since.I love and breath tigers,i check the forum after ive checked facebook in the morning.I hate all other 15 teams even the roosters who i loved and was annoyed in 2003 GF.BIGGEST TIGERS FAN for life!!! :sign:

Glad you finally decided to stay onboard with the Tigers, btf. No more changes now, ok? lol. I wish I was only 9 in 1994 :unamused:

 

[Gudfala]

This seems like a good topic for my first post.

I grew up in Canberra in the early 1980s. When I was about 5 my mum took me and my older brother to the shoe store to get shoes. They were giving away free rugby league patches with every pair of shoes. My brother went for St George so got a St George patch. I liked the look of the dragon so asked for one too but the assistant said there were none left. There were, however, plenty of Western Suburbs Magpies patches so she offered me one of those and I took it. I've been a passionate follower ever since. Kinda bizarre given I have no connection to any part of Sydney, but I guess that's a strange quirk of sport.

Go Westies!

 

[tiger_sean]

I have grown up with the Tigers in my blood!

My dad grew up in the Ryde area and played for Balmain juniors in the 60's so he has followed them ever since.
So naturally my dad brainwashed me into being a massive tigers fan, haha.
I then grew up in the Shire before moving to Brisbane at the start of 2005.
My first Tigers memory was being taken to a game against the Dragons at Leichardt in the late 90's and getting absolutely smashed!

Best memory was trying ridiculously hard to get tickets in 2005 to the grand final and snapping up two tickets on the Friday night of the grand final weekend and then driving from Brisbane to Sydney the next day and watching the Tigers win the comp!

 

[TurnStyle]

This seems like a good topic for my first post.

I grew up in Canberra in the early 1980s. When I was about 5 my mum took me and my older brother to the shoe store to get shoes. They were giving away free rugby league patches with every pair of shoes. My brother went for St George so got a St George patch. I liked the look of the dragon so asked for one too but the assistant said there were none left. There were, however, plenty of Western Suburbs Magpies patches so she offered me one of those and I took it. I've been a passionate follower ever since. Kinda bizarre given I have no connection to any part of Sydney, but I guess that's a strange quirk of sport.

Go Westies!

:laughing: thats awesome!

great initial post - welcome to the world of our beloved tigers! :sign:

 

[tiger4ever]

Grew up in the eastern suburbs mainly but always went for BALMAIN as DAD use to take us every week no matter where.Wests were always my second team so this merge was good for me.

 

[Golden]

I was forced to become a wests tigers fan because of the merger. haha

well became a Balmain fan in 88 as a kid decided to go for them against the bulldogs in the grand final in the first ever game I watched… I said at the start I like that black guy hes fast!! he then got knocked out 5 mins later....my brother is a dogs fan 10 years older then me I decided to go for the Orange guys

 

[TigersFan4Life]

I was born in Paddington in '74\. Family was living in Bronte at the time. We moved to Lilyfield in '77 or '78, and were still living there when I started being interested in league, around 1980\. Not sure if it was because we lived in Tigers territory or because as a 6 year-old I just thought Tigers were cool or that I liked the black and orange colours, but I chose the Tigers as my team and have been supporting them ever since.

 

[clokan]

Played for the East Canberra Tigers when I was a little guy, under eights from memory. Only played one year, and now close to 40 years later still an avid supporter.

I remember when I first heard Balmain was to merge with another club I was shattered, especially when the Eels looked like a possible partner. I thought that i'd have to start watching AFL. Happily they merged with the only other side I didn't hate, and the rest is history, lets hope we get a few more premierships, its been a long time between drinks.