I have only ever walked out of one Wests game. It was a NSW Cup game last year when the Bulls put 70+ on the Magpies. As a long time Wests supporter I am used to being beaten, and often beaten badly, but if the team tries their hardest and gets flogged well so be it.
With the game I left early, what upset me wasn't the 40 point lead at half time, it was that once the players realised this was going to be a tough day at the office, they dropped their heads and gave up. A bulls player would beat our defence and cross the line out near the wing, but our players just stopped the chase and let them constantly score under the posts. Things like that shows there was no heart. And if the boys weren't willing to try, I wasn't willing to waste my time supporting them.
Like I said its the first and only time I have felt that way. But it gives me an understanding of how some must have felt at the SCG on Sunday.
After that match the Wests Magpies released an official appology
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APOLOGY FROM THE CHAIRMAN
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Following the match against the Bankstown City Bulls at Campbelltown Stadium on Saturday, 6 June, 2009, Chairman of the Board of the Western Suburbs Magpies, Mr Kevin Hammond issued the following apology on behalf of the Board, Management, Coaching Staff and the Players after the NSW Cup Squad had suffered a humiliating 72 points to 16 defeat.
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"On behalf of the Board and Management of the Magpies, the Coaching Staff and Players of the NSW Cup Squad, I wish to extend to our members and in particular our wonderful group of loyal supporters who came to Campbelltown Stadium yesterday, paying the price of admission to support their team only to have to endure an appalling on field performance which resulted in a humiliating 72 points to 16 defeat at the hands of the Bankstown City Bulls an unreserved and unequivocal apology.
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The performance of the team was diabolical and totally unacceptable by any measure. It was embarrassing for all concerned and reflected poorly on the club in the eyes of everyone present at the ground.
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I can assure everyone that all associated with the club including the players were devastated after the match and truly embarrassed not only about the result but our performance overall.
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A meeting conducted behind closed doors in the dressing room involving all players and members of the coaching staff proved to be a productive exercise in allowing everyone the opportunity to 'speak their piece' regarding the team’s performance not only in this match but over the past 4 weeks.
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Importantly everyone involved including players, coaching staff and support staff, management and the Board remain extremely positive and above all doggedly determined to arrest the current form slump to enable the team to get its season back on track sooner rather than later. I can assure everyone that no stone will be left unturned by anyone to find the answers and solutions to our problems.
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Both the coaching staff and the players know what they must do to put things right and this is precisely what everyone will be working overtime to achieve. What we need is for everyone, importantly our loyal diehard supporters to keep the faith and remain focused on the job ahead as there is still a long way to go in the 2009 season.
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We have not been leading the competition for the majority of the first half of the 2009 season for nothing. We have demonstrated we have the players and the ability to do well in this competition but unfortunately we have hit a wall which can happen at any time. One only needs to look at the NRL competition to see abundant evidence of a similar fate which confronts clubs from time to time during a season.
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I encourage everyone to stand firm and remain extremely positive whilst you continue to get behind the players in support of your club. With your support we will get through these tough times together. That after all is the Western Suburbs way!
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Kind Regards
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Kevin Hammond
Chairman of the Board.
Instead when the same thing happens at Wests Tigers, the club releases an apology for allowing kids to run onto the field after the match.
