Save Our Sides Protest Rally - SUN 05FEB11

While I don't wanna down play this whole "AFL invasion of Western Sydney" thing that seems to be creating so much chaos… I'd like to get a little realistic about it as well!!
If any one thinks kids of Macarthur are gonna play AFL because the Giants have a greater presence in the area is dead set joking themselves... HONESTLY!! I hail from far further west than the Macarthur (I can assure you!!) AFL has always been pro-active in the area... The NRL is basically non existant out there, But this is no way, shape or form filters through in any form of the game out there, There are bugger all kids playing and the local side is lucky to field a full 1st's and 2'nds team... In a district of 25,000ish people. This same area fields 4 League sides!! The fact is AFL is a Victorian game, always will be... It can exist on some level in NSW but will never compare to league, The same can be said for League in Victoria.
The facts are Kids will play what they want to play, Or what thier parents persuade them to play...
Prime example is Kieran Jack!! His dad played league for Australia, NSW and is a club legend... Yet he is a professional AFL player!! Now if game presence in a kids life is gonna sway a decision on which game they will play young Kieran would have played league!! simply put.... Kids will play what they are good at, What they want to play and what they are influenced to play by thier parents and friends, End of story!! If kids wanna play league... They will, If they wanna play AFL... They can, And I for one am glad the Macarthur area is big enough and has the avenues so as many kids as possible have the opportunity to choose for themselves. as for direct stepping stones to a career path... When was the last time ANYONE heard a 10 year old kid say "I'm gonna play AFL because it seems there is an easy path toward a long term career in my region" (Or the first for that matter??) It's RUBBISH!!! He will play what he wants and what his mates are playing... And If he has what it takes.... Someone will spot him.... Hopefully it's us!!! As for a greater presence in the area and the comparisons with what Tinkler is doing in Newy... The Hunter is BY FAR a bigger area than the Macarthur, And a one team town... Western Sydney isn't!! The Australian public is a fickle bunch (Especially WT fans :smiley: ) and many successful entities in this country have made it on the principle... Less is more!! WT's could march Beau Ryan up and down Queen St for a month... How long would it take for people to start throwin sh*t at him?? Maybe the less we have of our Tiges... The more we want!! As for the team "Losing Suppot/Supporters" Once again, This is simply FALSE!! Kids follow who thier parents follow, Who thier mates follow, who thier favourite uncle follows... ALWAYS HAVE!! ALWAYS WILL!! Most kids follow a team because it's bred into them.... not because they play up the road every now and again!! How many fans (New and Old) do we have in Queensland... Or Canberra?? I can tell you from experience Bruce Stadium is about level pegging at Tiges Raiders game... Lack of exposure to the team doesn't harm the numbers out here (Or in QLD)!!! There are far bigger issues our team has risen above in the past... i believe the WT's have a firm hold on what is required in the area, A plan in place and finally the funds and resources to execute it!! as for the claims to only 4 games a year at CT.... I guess all the diehard Maggies missed the Parra trial last year??? And now this year a major trial makes it's way to CT.... One can only hope this small occurance makes it's way into the next "woe is me" Rant???
 
Batboy I agree with about 98% of what you say (and it is very well said ) but the reasons why sons and daughters don't play the same sport (as there famous relatives) can a lot of the time be out down to one reason Pressure

Some kids (and usually teenagers) find that the pressure of being the son of someone famous in a particular sport is too much and is much easier playing another sport thats takes the focus off them

And you are right kids play what there mates play simple as that and what sport they love also
 
@happy tiger said:
Batboy I agree with about 98% of what you say (and it is very well said ) but the reasons why sons and daughters don't play the same sport (as there famous relatives) can a lot of the time be out down to one reason Pressure

Some kids (and usually teenagers) find that the pressure of being the son of someone famous in a particular sport is too much and is much easier playing another sport thats takes the focus off them

And you are right kids play what there mates play simple as that and what sport they love also
Click to expand...

While this is moving away from the topic one of the reasons that many of the Great RL players of the past haven't had their sons follow in their boots is because a lot of the more sucessful players entered their sons into non-government schools as a result of their increased earning capacity.
Thus these young sons of a gun were indocrinated into the GPS system and unable to forge a meaningful career in Rugby League, because Rugby League is the working man's game and, thus, why there are few and far between sucessful Union to League converts in the current age.
Just to name drop, Blocker Roach's son's, Matt Giteau, a bit further back Duncan Hall Jr & Garrick Morgan.
 
**SOS - Save Our Sides - Press Release**
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SOS from Supporters of the Wests Magpies and Campbelltown- Liverpool District Rugby League to the NRL and Independent Commission:

SAVE RUGBY LEAGUE OUT HERE… WE NEED ACTION NOW!

Rugby League at all levels in the Liverpool, Campbelltown and greater Macarthur region is in an absolute shambles. We, the undersigned, have organized a protest rally and march for Sunday February 5th.

The march will start at Campbelltown City Council chambers, 10am sharp and proceed down Queen St. Campbelltown to Wests Leagues Club, Campbelltown. Here a petition will be presented to the Wests Junior League and Wests Leagues Club Campbelltown, outlining the many issues that have and are still ruining Rugby League in Campbelltown.

An on-line petition is also currently active at http://www.petitiononlineaustralia.com/petition/save-our-sides-rugby-league-protest-rally/277for people to voice and register their support for sweeping change throughout all levels of Rugby League in the Liverpool, Campbelltown and Macarthur area.
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Speakers of note have been invited to the march, with the goals of the march to highlight the following alarming concerns:
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· The decline of an unacceptably poorly managed junior league, inclusive of the total loss of semi- professional senior Rugby League in the region, and the fact that three senior clubs (Campbelltown City Kangaroos, Campbelltown Eagles and Macarthur Bulls) who dared seek semi- professional competition in CRL Group 6 were forced to play and train out of the area by the NSWRL on behalf of the Junior League.
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· The Imminent Death of the Wests Magpies, foundation club of the NSWRL.
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· The absent parent- the Concord Tigers, who use the Campbelltown- Liverpool area only for its juniors.
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· The greater Rugby League fraternity of the region will also highlight the lack of amenities and infrastructure for junior Rugby League in the Campbelltown LGA, particularly in comparison to other districts and the very well catered other sports in the Campbelltown LGA.
\
\
· Solutions to all of these issues.
\
\
\
**Wests Magpies RIP 1908- 2012:**

The great Western Suburbs Magpies DRLFC has been told that the 2012 season will be their last in existence. The Tigers aligned board of the Ashfield Leagues Club has informed the football club of this. There will be no Wests Magpies team in the NSW Cup as of 2013\. There will be no Liverpool- Macarthur representative in this important Sydney wide competition for our region’s talented youth.

All junior development and control of the Magpies Harold Matthews and SG Ball teams has reverted to the far away distant, Concord based Wests Tigers.
Macarthur and Liverpool based kids, working full-time jobs, are now basically denied the opportunity to play Toyota Cup by the tyranny of distance, with the Tigers team being based at the distant and poorly public transport accessed Concord complex.

Ø We demand that the NSWRL re-affirm the status of the Western Suburbs Magpies as the District Club of Liverpool- Campbelltown.
Ø We DEMAND that the Liverpool, Campbelltown and Macarthur region retains its own NSW Cup, SG Ball and Harold Matthews representative sides as the Western Suburbs Magpies.
Ø We demand that Wests Leagues Ashfield re-affirm the status of the Western Suburbs Magpies DRLFC as their heritage.
Ø We demand that the Wests Tigers and Wests Leagues Campbelltown stop meddling in the affairs of the Western Suburbs Magpies DRLFC
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\
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**The Western Suburbs District Junior League**

There are way too many stories here to list- not teams lost, but of whole clubs lost, whole age groups, whole senior competitions, volunteers refused registration for speaking their mind, volunteers too intimidated to voice opinions, volunteers made examples of and given punitive 2-7 year suspensions for sending texts/ emails voicing dissatisfaction with the conduct of the competitions. One volunteer, Daniel Draper of the East Campbelltown Eagles, was banned for a conversation at a local pub.
http://macarthur-chronicle-camden.whereilive.com.au/news/story/eagles-officials-face-life-ban-from-western-suburbs-district-junior-rugby-l/
http://macarthur-chronicle-campbelltown.whereilive.com.au/news/story/david-lucas-banned-for-18-months-over-texts/

The most telling is their common factor status in many bitter disputes against the NSWRL (refusing to affiliate), the WSDRLFC (refusing to affiliate amongst others), the CRL, CRL Group 6 and a number of its own clubs down the years.

Ø We demand that the Board of the NSWRL or the new Independent Commission complete a rigid and thorough examination as to why in 1991 this junior league had 20 clubs and in 2012 will be down to 12-13 clubs and why this junior league has lost 400 players senior players in the last two seasons. How can this be possible when the area has trebled in population? The Wests junior league should also be called to account on how it lost the operation of an entire 5 grade senior competition between 1991 and 1997.
Ø We demand that a thorough and rigid investigation of the ‘health’ of the unaffiliated Western Suburbs District Junior League (to the District Club and NSWRL) is conducted, and upon receipt of negative findings, is placed under the administrative control of the NSWRL and immediately re-affiliated to the WSDRLFC and NSWRL.

The separation of the Combined Wests Juniors/Group 6 Competition in 2011 has seen 3 senior clubs and over 400 local Wests senior Rugby League players (aged 16yo and older) make the move to play and train in the Group 6 area. These three clubs requested to be based to play/train in the Campbelltown area but were driven out of the area by the junior league to continue playing semi-professional Rugby League in the bordering CRL Group 6 competition. Campbelltown has been deprived of a high standard semi- professional Senior Rugby League competition since the original split from Group 6 back in 1983\. The running of the senior Competition should be handed back to its rightful owner the Group 6 Senior Country Rugby League.
We DEMAND that CRL Group 6 be allowed to professionally run a Sunday Senior Competition for all clubs in the Campbelltown and Liverpool district.
We DEMAND that Rugby League clubs be allowed to play and train at a Home Ground of their own choosing.
http://www.macarthuradvertiser.com.au/news/local/sport/rugby-league/group-6-votes-to-accept-defectors/2000023.aspx
http://www.macarthuradvertiser.com.au/news/local/sport/rugby-league/give-us-our-footy-back-its-a-bloody-disgrace-says-henry/2181668.aspx
http://digitaledition.macarthurchronicle.com.au/default.aspx?iid=48810&startpage=page0000006#folio=005
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**The Wests Tigers- the absent parent**

Driven from Campbelltown to Concord lately? It’s a fair hike. There ain’t much in common between the two areas. One could be mistaken for thinking that the old inner-city guard put the old Balmain and the old Western Suburbs together to form a super Ashfield- Concord team.

What does Campbelltown get out of this ill-conceived arrangement? Four games against the out of town, low marquee event teams.

Wests Tigers do not have a presence in the schools of Liverpool, Campbelltown or Macarthur. Requests for player appearances fall on deaf ears from the Concord Tigers club. It’s a bit far from Concord.

Macarthur and Liverpool based juniors are now denied opportunity to play NSW Cup for a Campbelltown- Liverpool based club with the imminent death of the Magpies. Successful Macarthur juniors kept by the Tigers have to travel to the inner city and play for the Balmain Tigers NSW Cup team, making a mockery of the concept of a ‘local junior’. Four Campbelltown- Liverpool juniors took the field for the Wests Tigers in the Toyota Cup semi final against North Queensland. How is this providing opportunity for the youth of Liverpool- Macarthur?

-We DEMAND that the Wests Tigers establish a Campbelltown office.
-We DEMAND that the Wests Tigers at least relocate the training operations of their NYC Toyota Cup team and ‘Cubs Program’ to the Macarthur region.
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**Campbelltown Council and JRLC Amenities/ Infrastructure**

Take a drive around Campbelltown and compare the different fields of the codes. Case closed.
Ask any junior league volunteer how hard it is to deal with employees at Campbelltown Council.

Problem solved with a new junior league administration and the return of semi- professional Rugby League.

Rugby League in the Liverpool, Campbelltown and Macarthur regions has been slowly dying since the loss of the Magpies to the NRL in 1999\. We won’t be losing them as the District Club of the area. Enough is enough. It is time for the Wests Tigers to stop interfering in the Magpies and Rugby League throughout the Liverpool and Campbelltown regions. Go run the NRL team as you were charged to do.

After 20 years, change is far overdue in the ranks of the local Junior League. Retire them gracefully, give democratic power in the Junior League back to the volunteers and clubs, and install new blood at the helm.

At 10am on Sunday February 5th, Magpies supporters once again have to rally to save their club. Supporters of Rugby League in Campbelltown will rally also for long overdue change at Junior League level.

This is an invitation for you to join us.

Save or Sides Action Group,

Graeme Szynal
Western Suburbs Magpies Member 366
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\
Trevor Williams
East Campbelltown Eagles Life Member
 
And doesn't this say it all

Saturday, February 18, Campbelltown Sports Stadium
3.30pm: NSW State Cup: Balmain Ryde Eastwood Tigers v Newtown Jets
5.15pm: NYC: Wests Tigers v Sydney Roosters
7.30pm: NRL: Wests Tigers v Sydney Roosters

A Balmain squad (full of Magpies) playing before Wests Tigers at Campbelltown.

how did our joint venture end up so broken
 
@galahs said:
And doesn't this say it all

Saturday, February 18, Campbelltown Sports Stadium
3.30pm: NSW State Cup: Balmain Ryde Eastwood Tigers v Newtown Jets
5.15pm: NYC: Wests Tigers v Sydney Roosters
7.30pm: NRL: Wests Tigers v Sydney Roosters

A Balmain squad (full of Magpies) playing before Wests Tigers at Campbelltown.

how did our joint venture end up so broken
Click to expand...

They are playing before them because they are the Wests Tigers feeder team. They are Balmain Ryde Eastwood in name only, and until the Wests Magpies side of the joint venture understand and embrace this fact, this deconstructive and childish bickering will continue to fracture our one great club.(Now for some childish bickering of my own)I'm sure if Wests actually had a trial organised and enough players to fill the team they would be more than happy to play it before as well.

And full of Magpies….really? There maybe be three or four Magpie juniors, but there are more likely to be plenty of triallists as well, with most of that squad up with FG. And before you go quoting the Magpies players from last year who were 'forced' over there, Marc Russell is a Balmain junior, so he is returning home, and the other big Fijian bloke from the 20s came over with Marika, hardly a true Magpie.
 
Yeah, I can see these "demands" going a long way. Biting the hand that feeds you generally isn't the smartest thing to do. Still, it will be interesting to see how far you get with these "demands".
 
MATE!!
you have officially lost my support…. Wouldn't be surprised if more follow suit!!
On one hand you are saying that ALL RUGBY LEAGUE in the Macarthur is "Poorly Run"
But on the other you are saying WT's can't run it for you... If one thing is proven over the last couple
of years... WT's are very successful at running Rugby League Clubs!!
You "DEMAND" that WT's moves it's NYC to Campbelltown?? Who are you to demand anything from anyone?
You can request it.... Maybe??
I would look at it like this... If I were a tradesman, Would I send all the apprentices to a different job site?
NO!!... It's a buisness, You would be hard pressed to find anyone who would tell you it's easier to run a company out of various locations... It's ridiculous!!
I for one will be sad to see the end of the Maggies, From what I understand.... Wests Ashfield is cutting the funding to pump it into the Junior system. Is there anyone actively trying to out source funding?.... Probably not, As nothing in the area seems to be run correctly, And everyone is more prepared to point the finger of blame rather than getting of the proverbial backside and doing something more pro active about it!! Instead of Rallies... Why aren't you organising fundraisers? You have 12 months to organise funding for 2013... But you prefer to harness your energies into screaming blue murder at the WT's
As far as kids having to travel... If they want it, They will!! SIMPLE!!... If they don't want it enough they were never good enough to start with!!
eg: I had a 16 year old Kid come to me wanting an apprenticeship in about 2003, He lived 60kms away from my company. He had no license, His mum drove him to work (120km round trip) and then came back and picked him up every arvo... 240kms a day!! For 3 months until he got his license... Then he bought a car, And made the trip himself... starting on $170/Week for the first year...STUCK IT OUT FOR THE WHOLE 4 YEARS!! Now he is a quality tradesman, With a good income, steady job, one of the best employees I ever had (In 20 years in the game) and doesn't regret a day of the "Hard Yards"!!
This is becoming less and less about the needs of the area and more and more about Glorifying the Magpies (As always) Magpies are part of our history... But so is Evolution!! You can't have both!! I understand the fact that the Wests Tigers don't need the Wests Magpies RLFC as much as they would like (Or at all as has been proven) must be a bitter pill to swallow... But the WT's has to focus on the next 100 years... Not the last 100!!
As for Balmain "Stealing" ALL the local Juniors... How many played for them last year? 3/4?? It has been proven that the Wests group CANNOT work amongst themselves... Why would anyone else want to work with them. The Wests Tigers feeder team/teams are in place for ONE reason..... The enhance the Wests Tigers!! END OF STORY... The Magpies seem to prefer to do things thier own way, On thier own terms... You don't have to be a rocket scientist to see it hasn't worked for 30+ years, And it doesn't work now!!!
Ashfield ARE NOT aligning themselves with Balmain.. They are aligning themselves with a MARKETABLE BRAND!!! Like or not, The Magpies has not been seen as marketable since god knows when!!
If you want more games at Campbelltown.... GET MORE PEOPLE TO THEM!! SIMPLE!! How many Bears fans head to matches at Blue Tounge to show that they want thier team... DROVES!! If you want your local team to get behind the region, Get the region behind your local team!!
You make it sound like WT's is solely responsible for every kid to lace up a boot out west!! Yeah we missed a couple of notable names... Ryan Hoffman (WT's had no control over this and have expressed remorse MANY TIMES) Jarryd Hayne (But would you have swapped Hodgo for him in 06? NO!!! Hell, The last 2 years I wouldn't swap Tim Moltzen for him!!) Folau moved away... Not because he wouldn't get a start out west... Because that's what people do. I can't think of any more worthy of mention.... And if I could I doubt I would trade any of our last 3 Squads for any of them!!
No need to hold an investigation into the lack of Dwindling team numbers... I can tell you many reasons!!!
-Internet (In particular Facebook)
-Nintendo
-X Box
-Wii
-Playstation
-DVD's
I have 12 Nieces and Nephews.... KIDS BARELY GO OUTSIDE ANYMORE!! Let alone play sport like we used to.
Again.... I'm guessing WT's are responsible for this??
Personally I think your targets are too widespread to rectify all at once, I think you need to pick a specific task and Tidy it up... One at a time!!
I wish you luck... But until I feel you are being honest about your intentions... I will no longer support your cause!!
Sincerely,
Batboy
PROUD WT's MEMBER!!

@galahs said:
**SOS - Save Our Sides - Press Release**
\
\
SOS from Supporters of the Wests Magpies and Campbelltown- Liverpool District Rugby League to the NRL and Independent Commission:

SAVE RUGBY LEAGUE OUT HERE… WE NEED ACTION NOW!

Rugby League at all levels in the Liverpool, Campbelltown and greater Macarthur region is in an absolute shambles. We, the undersigned, have organized a protest rally and march for Sunday February 5th.

The march will start at Campbelltown City Council chambers, 10am sharp and proceed down Queen St. Campbelltown to Wests Leagues Club, Campbelltown. Here a petition will be presented to the Wests Junior League and Wests Leagues Club Campbelltown, outlining the many issues that have and are still ruining Rugby League in Campbelltown.

An on-line petition is also currently active at http://www.petitiononlineaustralia.com/petition/save-our-sides-rugby-league-protest-rally/277for people to voice and register their support for sweeping change throughout all levels of Rugby League in the Liverpool, Campbelltown and Macarthur area.
\
\
Speakers of note have been invited to the march, with the goals of the march to highlight the following alarming concerns:
\
\
· The decline of an unacceptably poorly managed junior league, inclusive of the total loss of semi- professional senior Rugby League in the region, and the fact that three senior clubs (Campbelltown City Kangaroos, Campbelltown Eagles and Macarthur Bulls) who dared seek semi- professional competition in CRL Group 6 were forced to play and train out of the area by the NSWRL on behalf of the Junior League.
\
\
· The Imminent Death of the Wests Magpies, foundation club of the NSWRL.
\
\
· The absent parent- the Concord Tigers, who use the Campbelltown- Liverpool area only for its juniors.
\
\
· The greater Rugby League fraternity of the region will also highlight the lack of amenities and infrastructure for junior Rugby League in the Campbelltown LGA, particularly in comparison to other districts and the very well catered other sports in the Campbelltown LGA.
\
\
· Solutions to all of these issues.
\
\
\
**Wests Magpies RIP 1908- 2012:**

The great Western Suburbs Magpies DRLFC has been told that the 2012 season will be their last in existence. The Tigers aligned board of the Ashfield Leagues Club has informed the football club of this. There will be no Wests Magpies team in the NSW Cup as of 2013\. There will be no Liverpool- Macarthur representative in this important Sydney wide competition for our region’s talented youth.

All junior development and control of the Magpies Harold Matthews and SG Ball teams has reverted to the far away distant, Concord based Wests Tigers.
Macarthur and Liverpool based kids, working full-time jobs, are now basically denied the opportunity to play Toyota Cup by the tyranny of distance, with the Tigers team being based at the distant and poorly public transport accessed Concord complex.

Ø We demand that the NSWRL re-affirm the status of the Western Suburbs Magpies as the District Club of Liverpool- Campbelltown.
Ø We DEMAND that the Liverpool, Campbelltown and Macarthur region retains its own NSW Cup, SG Ball and Harold Matthews representative sides as the Western Suburbs Magpies.
Ø We demand that Wests Leagues Ashfield re-affirm the status of the Western Suburbs Magpies DRLFC as their heritage.
Ø We demand that the Wests Tigers and Wests Leagues Campbelltown stop meddling in the affairs of the Western Suburbs Magpies DRLFC
\
\
\
\
**The Western Suburbs District Junior League**

There are way too many stories here to list- not teams lost, but of whole clubs lost, whole age groups, whole senior competitions, volunteers refused registration for speaking their mind, volunteers too intimidated to voice opinions, volunteers made examples of and given punitive 2-7 year suspensions for sending texts/ emails voicing dissatisfaction with the conduct of the competitions. One volunteer, Daniel Draper of the East Campbelltown Eagles, was banned for a conversation at a local pub.
http://macarthur-chronicle-camden.whereilive.com.au/news/story/eagles-officials-face-life-ban-from-western-suburbs-district-junior-rugby-l/
http://macarthur-chronicle-campbelltown.whereilive.com.au/news/story/david-lucas-banned-for-18-months-over-texts/

The most telling is their common factor status in many bitter disputes against the NSWRL (refusing to affiliate), the WSDRLFC (refusing to affiliate amongst others), the CRL, CRL Group 6 and a number of its own clubs down the years.

Ø We demand that the Board of the NSWRL or the new Independent Commission complete a rigid and thorough examination as to why in 1991 this junior league had 20 clubs and in 2012 will be down to 12-13 clubs and why this junior league has lost 400 players senior players in the last two seasons. How can this be possible when the area has trebled in population? The Wests junior league should also be called to account on how it lost the operation of an entire 5 grade senior competition between 1991 and 1997.
Ø We demand that a thorough and rigid investigation of the ‘health’ of the unaffiliated Western Suburbs District Junior League (to the District Club and NSWRL) is conducted, and upon receipt of negative findings, is placed under the administrative control of the NSWRL and immediately re-affiliated to the WSDRLFC and NSWRL.

The separation of the Combined Wests Juniors/Group 6 Competition in 2011 has seen 3 senior clubs and over 400 local Wests senior Rugby League players (aged 16yo and older) make the move to play and train in the Group 6 area. These three clubs requested to be based to play/train in the Campbelltown area but were driven out of the area by the junior league to continue playing semi-professional Rugby League in the bordering CRL Group 6 competition. Campbelltown has been deprived of a high standard semi- professional Senior Rugby League competition since the original split from Group 6 back in 1983\. The running of the senior Competition should be handed back to its rightful owner the Group 6 Senior Country Rugby League.
We DEMAND that CRL Group 6 be allowed to professionally run a Sunday Senior Competition for all clubs in the Campbelltown and Liverpool district.
We DEMAND that Rugby League clubs be allowed to play and train at a Home Ground of their own choosing.
http://www.macarthuradvertiser.com.au/news/local/sport/rugby-league/group-6-votes-to-accept-defectors/2000023.aspx
http://www.macarthuradvertiser.com.au/news/local/sport/rugby-league/give-us-our-footy-back-its-a-bloody-disgrace-says-henry/2181668.aspx
http://digitaledition.macarthurchronicle.com.au/default.aspx?iid=48810&startpage=page0000006#folio=005
\
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\
\
**The Wests Tigers- the absent parent**

Driven from Campbelltown to Concord lately? It’s a fair hike. There ain’t much in common between the two areas. One could be mistaken for thinking that the old inner-city guard put the old Balmain and the old Western Suburbs together to form a super Ashfield- Concord team.

What does Campbelltown get out of this ill-conceived arrangement? Four games against the out of town, low marquee event teams.

Wests Tigers do not have a presence in the schools of Liverpool, Campbelltown or Macarthur. Requests for player appearances fall on deaf ears from the Concord Tigers club. It’s a bit far from Concord.

Macarthur and Liverpool based juniors are now denied opportunity to play NSW Cup for a Campbelltown- Liverpool based club with the imminent death of the Magpies. Successful Macarthur juniors kept by the Tigers have to travel to the inner city and play for the Balmain Tigers NSW Cup team, making a mockery of the concept of a ‘local junior’. Four Campbelltown- Liverpool juniors took the field for the Wests Tigers in the Toyota Cup semi final against North Queensland. How is this providing opportunity for the youth of Liverpool- Macarthur?

-We DEMAND that the Wests Tigers establish a Campbelltown office.
-We DEMAND that the Wests Tigers at least relocate the training operations of their NYC Toyota Cup team and ‘Cubs Program’ to the Macarthur region.
\
\
\
\
\
\
**Campbelltown Council and JRLC Amenities/ Infrastructure**

Take a drive around Campbelltown and compare the different fields of the codes. Case closed.
Ask any junior league volunteer how hard it is to deal with employees at Campbelltown Council.

Problem solved with a new junior league administration and the return of semi- professional Rugby League.

Rugby League in the Liverpool, Campbelltown and Macarthur regions has been slowly dying since the loss of the Magpies to the NRL in 1999\. We won’t be losing them as the District Club of the area. Enough is enough. It is time for the Wests Tigers to stop interfering in the Magpies and Rugby League throughout the Liverpool and Campbelltown regions. Go run the NRL team as you were charged to do.

After 20 years, change is far overdue in the ranks of the local Junior League. Retire them gracefully, give democratic power in the Junior League back to the volunteers and clubs, and install new blood at the helm.

At 10am on Sunday February 5th, Magpies supporters once again have to rally to save their club. Supporters of Rugby League in Campbelltown will rally also for long overdue change at Junior League level.

This is an invitation for you to join us.

Save or Sides Action Group,

Graeme Szynal
Western Suburbs Magpies Member 366
\
\
Trevor Williams
East Campbelltown Eagles Life Member
Click to expand...
 
@willow said:
Yeah, I can see these "demands" going a long way. **Biting the hand that feeds you generally isn't the smartest thing to do**. Still, it will be interesting to see how far you get with these "demands".
Click to expand...

Thats the part I cant get past… They want the Leagues Clubs to 'but out', but want thier funding???

and they want more games at Campbelltown, but cant fill the stadium when they do get the games???

When is it Magpie Season... Has anyone seen my tennis racket? :bash
 
That press release made me angry. I dont know where to start.

The original post had some merit in my eyes, I think that we should put time and money into juniors, not only for elite development, but part of the league mantra should be encouraging and making it easy for kids of all age and abilities to play.

But these demands are clearly not about that, alot of it is anti balmain vitrol and revolves around bickering in A Grade mens football. I have always hated that in many junior leagues the kids thru rego end up indirectly subdising player payments in A grade

I also think it is rich demanding parties what they do with their money and so forth.

I have gone from being sympathetic on many points to disapointed.
 
@Tiger Watto said:
Thats the part I cant get past… They want the Leagues Clubs to 'but out', but want thier funding???
Click to expand...

My understanding is that this is a reference to Wests Campbelltown who do not actually provide any funding to WSDRLFC. As per this demand below:

@galahs said:
Ø We demand that the Wests Tigers and Wests Leagues Campbelltown stop meddling in the affairs of the Western Suburbs Magpies DRLFC
Click to expand...

Whilst I am not sure of the role Wests Campbelltown should play, I believe Wests Tigers should be working with the WSDRLFC. If I had invested into a business, I would want to work alongside them to ensure my investment value is increasing.

@Tiger Watto said:
and they want more games at Campbelltown, but cant fill the stadium when they do get the games???
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Give it a break. The ground has averaged 15,000 the past 3 seasons, predominantly against regional teams and with only 3 Sunday afternoon matches from 11\. The ground is averaging 75% capacity with these impediments.
 
@galahs said:
And doesn't this say it all

Saturday, February 18, Campbelltown Sports Stadium
3.30pm: NSW State Cup: Balmain Ryde Eastwood Tigers v Newtown Jets
5.15pm: NYC: Wests Tigers v Sydney Roosters
7.30pm: NRL: Wests Tigers v Sydney Roosters

A Balmain squad (full of Magpies) playing before Wests Tigers at Campbelltown.

how did our joint venture end up so broken
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It does say it all - they move the trial from Leichhardt to Campbelltown and you still find something to whinge about…
 
@Yossarian said:
@galahs said:
And doesn't this say it all

Saturday, February 18, Campbelltown Sports Stadium
3.30pm: NSW State Cup: Balmain Ryde Eastwood Tigers v Newtown Jets
5.15pm: NYC: Wests Tigers v Sydney Roosters
7.30pm: NRL: Wests Tigers v Sydney Roosters

A Balmain squad (full of Magpies) playing before Wests Tigers at Campbelltown.

how did our joint venture end up so broken

It does say it all - they move the trial from Leichhardt to Campbelltown and you still find something to whinge about…
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

Exactly….there is no pleasing some.
 
After reading the updated release, this rally has the potential to do absolutely nothing, except further alienate WSDRLFC from the juniors, Wests Group and Wests Tigers.

I also expect that the rally will be hijacked by Magpies zealots and the original message the rally was meant to convey will be lost.
 
The truth will come out, The facade for this rally is becoming more and more transparent with every post…
One minute it's about Junior pathways,
NEK MINUTE....
The Magpie isn't big enough or in the right place on the Jersey??
I bit my tounge until I was certain, But it is more than clear that this is "Once Again" About glorifying of the Dying Magpie.
It's unfortunate... Heartbreaking even, But truth told you can't run a rabble of an organisation from the ground up and expect anyone to keep pumping endless amounts of dollars into it.
It's only come to the fact that you are having your funding CUT for any of you to say anything about anything..
Surely all these "Ever so important" Issues were present before the funding was cut?
Y'all can blame who you like.... But I suggest getting your own back yard in order before telling the guy up the road what to do with his....
 
@Gary Bakerloo said:
Give it a break. The ground has averaged 15,000 the past 3 seasons, predominantly against regional teams and with only 3 Sunday afternoon matches from 11\. The ground is averaging 75% capacity with these impediments.
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I agree campbelltown is well patronised and any criticism of this is unwarranted.
 
I cant wait for your rally to be over and done with. The petty and childish Wests V Balmain crap you lot are carrying on with is doing more damage than good to your cause and damage to not only the future of Western Suburbs junior rugby league but the Wests Tigers too. You've come a long way from a rally about trying to gain access to grounds for local juniors and trying to improve junior league for local kids which was great. But to the point where you are "demanding" more games at Campbelltown, consistently whinging about the jerseys, the magpie on the sleeve. The Magpies knew these were the conditions of the merger 13 years ago.

One point that really stuck out to me was your demand to relocate the NYC team to campbelltown. Where is the logic in that? Its a selfish immature demand that will if anything hinder the development of the squad as they are no longer with the first grade squad just so 4 or 5 boys don't have to travel to concord.

I've been reading in several places that fans supporting the rally are no longer going to support the WESTS Tigers and walk away from them. To people like that I say good riddance. We don't need infighting or bickering of petty and childish actions. Time to stop living in the 70s. Sport is a business now and as far as I'm concerned the Wests Tigers have established a strong and successfull business. I can't understand all this fighting over a NSW Cup team. We are fighting over reserve grade for Christ sake.

As for the aw Campbelltown never gets any good games crap. This year Campbo has two Western Sydney Blockbusters against Penrith and Parramatta. The Raiders who are just a couple of hours down the road and always a decent game and they haven't beaten us in years. And the Cowboys to finish, a side with the golden boot winner and a rematch of the 05 grand final. If your not happy with turning out to watch the likes of Hayne, Gordon, Thurston, Dugan, Bowen, Lewis, Scott, Sims, Campese, Shillington and Learoyd-Lars then you're hard to please.

The sooner this is over the better. Bring on March.
 
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