Leichardt Oval.
It already exists, and is a great place to watch football.
Building a 30,000 capacity stadium for a Tigers home ground seems extremely... optimistic.
Do you have any idea how objectionable that idea is to the Magpies, the 90% owners of the joint venture.
I'm not and never will be a Balmain Tigers supporter.
Neither Balmain Tigers nor Western Suburbs Magpies have existed for 20+ years in the NRL.
Regardless, LO is still a great place to watch football. I'd sometimes coordinate Sydney trips around games there to go and watch (Wests) Tigers play.
If it does end up being 'some dump in Liverpool' that definitely won't be happening.
It's still a JV of Wests (90% owners) and Balmain.
To play all games at Balmain's home ground is a massive disrespect to the Magpies.
Sometimes I think this forum should be renamed the Balmain Chronicles.
To be honest, I actually think the club needs to consult with the younger fans that don't remember either Balmain or Wests and we as fans that grew up supporting Balmain and Wests need to be prepared to hear what they have to say.
Everyone needs to forget Balmain and Wests...It's Wests Tigers...let's create it's own future, not try and recreate parts of the Balmain/Wests past.
But they play for Wests or Balmain, they are the pathway to West Tigers? It is a JV club, the Balmain and Wests history shouldn't be discarded, I really think this is a non issue. West tigers are creating there own history as well? I would be sure all kids know where the path can lead to?
My point is that decisions made at Wests Tigers come with consideration on whether you are treating each side of the merger "fairly" in relation to representation.
This is evidenced by the fact that we have to share home games at Leichhardt and Campbelltown. If the Tigers were their own club, and didn't need to worry about people getting upset, it's likely we would have just made the right decision for the club, rather than making a decision that keeps everyone happy.
We need to forget about that mentality. Do what's right for the Wests Tigers. Not what's right for old Balmain and Wests fans. Balmain and Wests are feeder clubs now and that's all.
I'm an old Balmain fan, and it would be difficult to let Leichhardt go, but I believe we need to move forward for the good of the club and its future.
We talk about identity, but identity = consistency. It's utter chaos at the moment.
I would change some simple things:
1. Pick a stadium - ANZ, SFS, Leichhardt or Campbelltown. Whichever one it is doesn't worry me, but just pick ONE. Financially, ANZ or SFS makes the most sense. Bankwest is a great stadium, but it's got Parramatta written all over it.
2. Stop changing our bloody jersey every year! Pick 1 black and 1 orange strip and run with it.
3. Unify NSW cup to a WT team. No more Magpies or Balmain like in the past.
4. Develop our players from within, which I think we are in the early stages of doing to some degree and will only be helped by the COE.
1. I think this coming in the next couple of years
2. The current jersey is staying
3. I don't see thins happening any time soon
4. This has been our focus for a number of years now.
Well mate that is great news about the home ground and the jersey. I still think our junior development is embryonic and has only been a focus since Madge/Hartigan arrived. COVID has gone some way to setting that back a touch, but we are definitely making the right moves in that department. We will see a payoff at some point, and I'm happy that the club recognised this a few years ago.
I think our contract with Venues NSW is up at the end of next year...any idea what the preference is for one home ground?