Save Our Sides Protest Rally - SUN 05FEB11

[Cultured_Bogan]

Galahs, in respect to the distribution of home games at CSS, I don't think the current arrangement is unfair. It is the perfect balance between the fiscal responsibility of being financially compensated for playing blockbuster games at a larger stadium like the SFS and still respecting the traditions of the JV clubs by playing 4 games each at both LO and CSS.

What I believe can be done to improve the current situation is more equitable distribution of opposition between CSS. I'd alternate between seasons. It feels like we seem to draw Melbourne, Cronulla and Easts at LO, and Penriff, Parramatta & Bulldogs at CSS.

In the name of being fair and equitable, you'd have to give LO the same allocation of games if you increased the CSS quota, and that's not financially viable.

In respect to the kids on wages, I agree with Smeg. I was $160 a week in my first year as an apprentice. I never had any money as it was going on public transport (I was travelling anywhere between Penriff to Manly/Campbelltown/Cronulla/CBD,) and feeding myself, but I stuck it out in the hope that it would lead to something better. The reality is that not every one of these kids is going to make it and the it is their choice to slug it out in the hope that it leads to something better.

 

[bigdamo]

join the rest of the real world no one cares wests and balmain are dead not coming back. this is all petty and unimportant .good luck with the meeting in the phonebox wests this wests that take youre bat and ball home and have a cry. :blah :blah :blah

 

[Scorcher]

the balmain fans never travel to see the wests tigers play at ctown stadium any way and tbh balmain has no junior base

That is the exact attitude that put West's into the position they are now in. Can't see past yourself, the age group that I have been involved with from Balmain has had no trouble beating West's since U/13's through to now. Now either there is a problem with West's selction criteria/development or they just aren't as talented as the Balmain boys, I honestly hope they get to play each other in SG Ball just to make the point.

 

[Blackandwhite]

Now either there is a problem with West's selection criteria/development or they just aren't as talented as the Balmain boys, I honestly hope they get to play each other in SG Ball just to make the point.

The Wests people doing the selection at younger ages 13 14 15 are dreadful.

A special mention to the idiot who thought a current NRL player wasn't good enough to make the best 40 kids in Campbelltown at age 14\. Even worse I still see this clown behind the goal posts at junior games…and Yes I always remind him. :laughing:

I like to see Balmain and Wests win I support all the Balmain and Wests Juniors but Balmain is a far superior orgainsation in terms of professionalism.

 

[Original_Magpie]

its a fact that the magpies have brought more to the table than balmain have. if you look at it the macarthur is one of the fastest growing areas if not the fastest growing area in sydney. the majority of the best talent at wests tigers comes from one of rugby leagues best nurseries the macarthur reigion. ever since the merger happened its been slanted against the magpies side of the merger and it has never been 50/50.

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

its a fact that the magpies have brought more to the table than balmain have. if you look at it the macarthur is one of the fastest growing areas if not the fastest growing area in sydney. the majority of the best talent at wests tigers comes from one of rugby leagues best nurseries the macarthur reigion. ever since the merger happened its been slanted against the magpies side of the merger and it has never been 50/50.

Original Magpie, this thread is not about Balmain and the purported inequities and injustices that have been allegedly perpetrated by them. This is about Western Suburbs junior and representative Rugby League and attempts by the local community to have their concerns heeded about the lack of fundamental support in the area. The rally organiser has already stated that the area has been abandoned by Wests Leumeah, which is the catalyst for the rally.

There's no issue debating that the Macarthur is growing and there is a large talent base there, but there's no need to vilify Balmain in the process when this is a Wests internal issue. I truly hope there is a positive outcome for the Macarthur region as we've drawn some high quality players from there (as well as the rest of the NRL,) and as long as it isn't to the detriment of the Wests Tigers, I am happy for the necessary steps to be made.

 

[Scorcher]

I think you are appropriately named "Original Magpie" (enough said). Appreciate your honesty Blackandwhite, I don't think there would be too many Wests/Balmain people who support both clubs at a junior level.
We actually have a couple of West's kids with the Balmain SG who were pretty much written off by West's when younger and we are very happy to have them, one of them was named Balmain's best Forward in last years SG Ball and will play 20's this year or next.

 

[Goose]

I think you are appropriately named "Original Magpie" (enough said). Appreciate your honesty Blackandwhite, I don't think there would be too many Wests/Balmain people who support both clubs at a junior level.
We actually have a couple of West's kids with the Balmain SG who were pretty much written off by West's when younger and we are very happy to have them, one of them was named Balmain's best Forward in last years SG Ball and will play 20's this year or next.

I think most West tigers fans who have an interest in the juniors support both dont they??
I know I do.

the infighting at board level on here is toxic for the Magpie people.

 

[Vicious]

The point is that the Wests Tigers are not and should never become a club who recruits 80% of their squad from other clubs. Sure class players need to be recruited from time to time, but the most successful clubs are made up of a core base of local talent OR players who have been with the club since a young age. This builds the tribalism and passion that seperates rugby league from many other sports.

The Wests Tigers will simply not survive long term if they are hell bent on recruiting the majority of their squad. Although we have the support of Harry Trigaboff, he does not have the same passion and will not provide the same level of financial support as the likes of Nick Politis.

A very important thing to remember is that the majority of top class rugby league players come from working class families. The Macarthur region mainly consists of working class families hence the reason so much talent originates from the region, quite a few who have slipped the net of the Wests Magpies/Wests Tigers such as Jarryd Hayne, Israel Folau, Krisnan Inu and Trent Hodkinson just to name a few.

There is a very good reason why many of these players slip through the net and that`s because the surrounding clubs such as Parramatta know that very little money is put in to these kids and they are easy to poach.

To conclude, I don`t believe there is many people from the Macarthur region except the players who give a **** about the Wests Magpies, but the up and coming kids are not stupid and when they are asked to travel the Concord each day for training on small wages to play for BRET when they could potentially avoid the traffic and play for clubs such as Cronulla, Parramatta, Canterbury, Penrith ect for the same money and cut out a bit of travel time, why would they and why should they choose to play for BRET or the Wests Tigers?

As per one of the major points in this thread, what is the harm of having two Reserve Grade Sides as feeder clubs for the Wests Tigers?
It worked in `2005 and it simply eliminates the potential problem mentioned above!

 

[system]

I would honestly prefer the one State Cup, One Bundy Red Cup team as I think it fills a far greater void in the development path since the introduction of the NYC.

We should be looking to elevate the standard of the State Cup competition as a whole and we are not going to do that by fielding two average sides with NRL players distributed.

What would be good is for WT to commit to one day per week training at CSS

 

[Vicious]

I would honestly prefer the one State Cup, One Bundy Red Cup team as I think it fills a far greater void in the development path since the introduction of the NYC.

We should be looking to elevate the standard of the State Cup competition as a whole and we are not going to do that by fielding two average sides with NRL players distributed.

What would be good is for WT to commit to one day per week training at CSS

That`s a reasonable outcome as well Smeg.
You need to be on the board, you are a fair man.

 

[Benjirific]

I must admit when the Wests Tigers first started the Magpies board were not as accepting of the joint Venture as Balmain were. That was the first mistake.

but the Magpies new board are all Wests Tigers supporters and understand that the Magpies position is to develop juniors from the Liverpool and Macarthur region into NRL players for the Wests Tigers.

However for what ever reason, since 2006 the Wests Tigers want to break down the Magpies. This could only happen if a member of Wests board voted along with it. Wests Leagues Club Campbelltown was that member.

In 2006 - 2007 all Magpie juniors in the Wests Tigers top 25 were forced to play with Balmain Tigers in the Premier League (NSW Cup) when not required for NRL duty.

The Magpies chairman Kevin Hammond strongly fought this idea and got the players back for 2008 - 2009.
Kevin left the Magpies and straight away the Wests Tigers were at it again.

In 2011 the Magpies lost the core of their semi final team as they were again forced to play for Balmain Tigers. The Magpies at the last minute had to rebuild an entire new team from scratch.s
They actually did very well in the back end of the season against all odds which is proof to the talent depth in the region. Most of these kids have now been signed to rival clubs, which is great they were signed, but a shame not by Wests Tigers.
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In 2012 the Wests Tigers again put forward the motion to disolve the Magpies and for a single Wests Tigers NSW Cup team based out of Concord.

When the Magpies opposed this decision as they believed it wasn't the best for their region, Wests Tigers spat the dummy.

They have stopped ALL support of the Magpies NSW Cup team. The Magpies are not going to get any Wests Tigers players not required for NRL or U20s duty, in fact they they are choosing to send kids to the Concord Burwood Bundy Cup team rather than back to the Magpies.
They are also refusing to provide even basics like strapping and gatorade to the Magpies.

However, Wests Tigers are continuing to fully support Balmain Tigers NSW Cup and make it the SOLE feeder of the Wests Tigers.

So much for a joint venture. So much for the kids out in Sydney's South West.

Our club has tried to negotiate a peace deal with the Wests Tigers but they have basically told us to get stuffed.

So here we are…
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All we want is a return to what worked for everybody in 2005.

- The Magpies NSW Cup team based in Campbelltown, giving local kids a chance to play and train locally.

- The Wests Tigers then supply us with an equal amount of players along with Balmain not required for NRL or U20's.

- We want to play our home games prior to Wests Tigers NRL games at Campbelltown where possible.

- We would like to see more than 4 NRL games a year at Campbelltown Stadium.

- We want to make sure that the Magpie on the sleeve of the Wests Tigers jersey isn't slipping away, as it seems to have fallen from the shoulder, as is law in the Wests Tigers constitution, to the cuff off the sleeve.
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In return, we are more than happy to ensure the Magpie junior and NSW Cup teams are run in accordance to the requirements of the Wests Tigers.
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I really don't think that is too much to ask. So why are they opposed to this?

Ok, let me preface this by saying I'm a Wests Tigers supporter, and nothing else.

I'll first say that referring to the Wests Magpies Constitution in regard to Wests Tigers issue is a bit silly in my opinion, as regardless of the Wests Magpies Constitution, all decisions made by the board members of Wests Tigers, whichever side they may lie, should be made in the best interests of Wests Tigers, not the respective side of the joint venture which they come from. This, I believe, is the primary issue with this protest in regard to Wests Tigers.

I also don't believe that Wests Tigers are trying to form a single junior representative side in each age group, so there is no reason that Wests Magpies can't develop juniors from the Liverpool and Macarthur area still for Wests Tigers.

But the primary issue is making decisions in the best interests of Wests Tigers, not Wests Magpies. It is in the best interests of Wests Tigers to have a sole feeder team in the NSWRL State Cup. Wests Tigers decided that this would be the way they were going, and Wests Magpies decided they didn't agree. This has been the case each time it has happened. Wests Tigers provide no direct financial support to the Balmain Tigers State Cup team, nor do they for their juniors, hence why Balmain is understandably struggling a bit financially. Balmain pay for their own Gatorade and strapping.

If Wests Tigers decide that they want a single State Cup team, then that is surely their own prerogative. So when Balmain agree with this and Wests don't they simply make Balmain Ryde Eastwood's already entered State Cup team the direct feeder team, rather than mess around with the system. So in making this decision, I don't see why Wests Tigers are required to then financially prop up another State Cup team who they don't have any players playing for (not that they do that for Balmain anyway). Clearly, the Wests Magpies State Cup team entered for 2012 was done knowing that there would be no Wests Tigers support.

While I agree that Wests Tigers are probably not wanting anything to do with Wests Magpies as a result of the former administrators defiance to the joint venture, protest rallies such as this will not help the situation. Having two State Cup teams is not in the best interests of Wests Tigers, as players are stupidly split up, rather than always playing together. Wests Tigers also want that team kept together for training at their first grade base at Concord, which is a smart idea.

These kids who want to play for Wests Tigers travel to Concord to use the best facilities, which are not on offer for Wests Magpies at the low quality training facility they use in Liverpool. I think it is completely unreasonable to ask full time professionals not in the first grade squad to travel all the way out to Liverpool to use sub-standard facilities.

And the naive people who keep referring to how things worked in 2005 completely miss the point. We won the 2005 premiership in spite of the system, not because of it. We had a terrific run in regard to injuries, and when you look at the team which went on to win, hardly any of them played any more than a couple of games below first grade in that season, hence why the system below that wasn't tested. When it was tested in 2011 under the single State Cup system, it clearly worked.

Finally in response to your final points:

- There is nothing stopping Wests Magpies having a team in the NSWRL State Cup, and providing their local juniors with a place to develop their rugby league outside of the Wests Tigers system. In regard to their training - if they want to make it in rugby league, they're going to have to train at Concord anyway, so I don't have an issue with them travelling their in their development to use the best facilities.

- The split State Cup system is pure madness and not in the best interests of Wests Tigers. I don't agree that Balmain should simply receive all the players, rather their should be a Wests Tigers State Cup team based wherever the first grade squad is based.

- Again, there is nothing stopping Wests Magpies playing before first grade at Campbelltown, other than NRL scheduling and any issues which Wests Magpies seem to have with Campbelltown Stadium and their wishes.

- At the moment, more than four games at Campbelltown isn't viable. The current system allows a decent income for bigger games, and a continuation of the local and traditional feel of the club. Until Campbelltown sells out a game or two, there won't be any more games there. I've also never heard of any media uproar about fans being locked out of Campbelltown Sports Stadium…....

- This is the silly little arguments that many people got frustrated with the former administration over. It seems this has been done because of sponsorship on the shoulder, and considering we have the most valuable jersey in the competition, I don't see any reason to change this for a little issue. Also, why do we have two Magpies on our jersey and only one Tiger? If you're talking about fairness in the joint venture, maybe we should have the Wests Magpie on one sleeve, and the Balmain Tiger on the other....just something to think about.

 

[Guest]

the balmain fans never travel to see the wests tigers play at ctown stadium any way and tbh balmain has no junior base

Deliberate trolling such as this will result in you being placed on mod review if it continues. Grow up and post sensibly - or not at all.

 

[Guest]

I must admit when the Wests Tigers first started the Magpies board were not as accepting of the joint Venture as Balmain were. That was the first mistake.

but the Magpies new board are all Wests Tigers supporters and understand that the Magpies position is to develop juniors from the Liverpool and Macarthur region into NRL players for the Wests Tigers.

However for what ever reason, since 2006 the Wests Tigers want to break down the Magpies. This could only happen if a member of Wests board voted along with it. Wests Leagues Club Campbelltown was that member.

In 2006 - 2007 all Magpie juniors in the Wests Tigers top 25 were forced to play with Balmain Tigers in the Premier League (NSW Cup) when not required for NRL duty.

The Magpies chairman Kevin Hammond strongly fought this idea and got the players back for 2008 - 2009.
Kevin left the Magpies and straight away the Wests Tigers were at it again.

In 2011 the Magpies lost the core of their semi final team as they were again forced to play for Balmain Tigers. The Magpies at the last minute had to rebuild an entire new team from scratch.s
They actually did very well in the back end of the season against all odds which is proof to the talent depth in the region. Most of these kids have now been signed to rival clubs, which is great they were signed, but a shame not by Wests Tigers.
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In 2012 the Wests Tigers again put forward the motion to disolve the Magpies and for a single Wests Tigers NSW Cup team based out of Concord.

When the Magpies opposed this decision as they believed it wasn't the best for their region, Wests Tigers spat the dummy.

They have stopped ALL support of the Magpies NSW Cup team. The Magpies are not going to get any Wests Tigers players not required for NRL or U20s duty, in fact they they are choosing to send kids to the Concord Burwood Bundy Cup team rather than back to the Magpies.
They are also refusing to provide even basics like strapping and gatorade to the Magpies.

However, Wests Tigers are continuing to fully support Balmain Tigers NSW Cup and make it the SOLE feeder of the Wests Tigers.

So much for a joint venture. So much for the kids out in Sydney's South West.

Our club has tried to negotiate a peace deal with the Wests Tigers but they have basically told us to get stuffed.

So here we are…
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All we want is a return to what worked for everybody in 2005.

- The Magpies NSW Cup team based in Campbelltown, giving local kids a chance to play and train locally.

- The Wests Tigers then supply us with an equal amount of players along with Balmain not required for NRL or U20's.

- We want to play our home games prior to Wests Tigers NRL games at Campbelltown where possible.

- We would like to see more than 4 NRL games a year at Campbelltown Stadium.

- We want to make sure that the Magpie on the sleeve of the Wests Tigers jersey isn't slipping away, as it seems to have fallen from the shoulder, as is law in the Wests Tigers constitution, to the cuff off the sleeve.
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In return, we are more than happy to ensure the Magpie junior and NSW Cup teams are run in accordance to the requirements of the Wests Tigers.
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I really don't think that is too much to ask. So why are they opposed to this?

Ok, let me preface this by saying I'm a Wests Tigers supporter, and nothing else.

I'll first say that referring to the Wests Magpies Constitution in regard to Wests Tigers issue is a bit silly in my opinion, as regardless of the Wests Magpies Constitution, all decisions made by the board members of Wests Tigers, whichever side they may lie, should be made in the best interests of Wests Tigers, not the respective side of the joint venture which they come from. This, I believe, is the primary issue with this protest in regard to Wests Tigers.

I also don't believe that Wests Tigers are trying to form a single junior representative side in each age group, so there is no reason that Wests Magpies can't develop juniors from the Liverpool and Macarthur area still for Wests Tigers.

But the primary issue is making decisions in the best interests of Wests Tigers, not Wests Magpies. It is in the best interests of Wests Tigers to have a sole feeder team in the NSWRL State Cup. Wests Tigers decided that this would be the way they were going, and Wests Magpies decided they didn't agree. This has been the case each time it has happened. Wests Tigers provide no direct financial support to the Balmain Tigers State Cup team, nor do they for their juniors, hence why Balmain is understandably struggling a bit financially. Balmain pay for their own Gatorade and strapping.

If Wests Tigers decide that they want a single State Cup team, then that is surely their own prerogative. So when Balmain agree with this and Wests don't they simply make Balmain Ryde Eastwood's already entered State Cup team the direct feeder team, rather than mess around with the system. So in making this decision, I don't see why Wests Tigers are required to then financially prop up another State Cup team who they don't have any players playing for (not that they do that for Balmain anyway). Clearly, the Wests Magpies State Cup team entered for 2012 was done knowing that there would be no Wests Tigers support.

While I agree that Wests Tigers are probably not wanting anything to do with Wests Magpies as a result of the former administrators defiance to the joint venture, protest rallies such as this will not help the situation. Having two State Cup teams is not in the best interests of Wests Tigers, as players are stupidly split up, rather than always playing together. Wests Tigers also want that team kept together for training at their first grade base at Concord, which is a smart idea.

These kids who want to play for Wests Tigers travel to Concord to use the best facilities, which are not on offer for Wests Magpies at the low quality training facility they use in Liverpool. I think it is completely unreasonable to ask full time professionals not in the first grade squad to travel all the way out to Liverpool to use sub-standard facilities.

And the naive people who keep referring to how things worked in 2005 completely miss the point. We won the 2005 premiership in spite of the system, not because of it. We had a terrific run in regard to injuries, and when you look at the team which went on to win, hardly any of them played any more than a couple of games below first grade in that season, hence why the system below that wasn't tested. When it was tested in 2011 under the single State Cup system, it clearly worked.

Finally in response to your final points:

- There is nothing stopping Wests Magpies having a team in the NSWRL State Cup, and providing their local juniors with a place to develop their rugby league outside of the Wests Tigers system. In regard to their training - if they want to make it in rugby league, they're going to have to train at Concord anyway, so I don't have an issue with them travelling their in their development to use the best facilities.

- The split State Cup system is pure madness and not in the best interests of Wests Tigers. I don't agree that Balmain should simply receive all the players, rather their should be a Wests Tigers State Cup team based wherever the first grade squad is based.

- Again, there is nothing stopping Wests Magpies playing before first grade at Campbelltown, other than NRL scheduling and any issues which Wests Magpies seem to have with Campbelltown Stadium and their wishes.

- At the moment, more than four games at Campbelltown isn't viable. The current system allows a decent income for bigger games, and a continuation of the local and traditional feel of the club. Until Campbelltown sells out a game or two, there won't be any more games there. I've also never heard of any media uproar about fans being locked out of Campbelltown Sports Stadium…....

- This is the silly little arguments that many people got frustrated with the former administration over. It seems this has been done because of sponsorship on the shoulder, and considering we have the most valuable jersey in the competition, I don't see any reason to change this for a little issue. Also, why do we have two Magpies on our jersey and only one Tiger? If you're talking about fairness in the joint venture, maybe we should have the Wests Magpie on one sleeve, and the Balmain Tiger on the other....just something to think about.

Benjirific, that is the most logical and well written post in this thread and I applaud you for going to the trouble to explain the reality of the situation and not try and colour it or twist it in any way, shape or form as others have a tendency to do in these types of threads. You've clearly got an excellent grasp on the bigger picture and I only hope that others on here can also see the commonsense in your post.

And you are certainly right in saying that protest rallies such as this will achieve nothing, they'll hurt the situation more than anything.

 

[galahs]

Benjirific, that is a well thought out response. I agree that Wests Tigers might think what they are doing is best for Wests Tigers. But I don not agree it's what is best for Rugby League. This is the dilema we face by having a joint venture spread over two disjointed geographic locations.

Now firstly it would be very interesting if the positions were reveresed. Wests Tigers based at Campbelltown, Wests Magpies the sole feeder… I'd like to see if many of the people who say we should just take it on the chin, suddenly become hypocrites.
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- - - The Magpie constitution was brought up as it states the reason why we must oppose the Wests Tigers proposition. The Wests Tigers proposal is not in the best interest for Rugby League in our area. The Magpies must put what is best for the area ahead of what is best for the Wests Tigers.
This does not mean we cannot do everything in our power to ensure we work towards achieving the best outcome possible for the Wests Tigers by ensuring the coaching matches Wests Tigers requirements.
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- - - There has been talk of the Wests Tigers replacing the Western Suburbs Magpies in Matss and Ball too. Whilst not on the top of the agenda. After the NSW Cup side is killed off, will these be next?
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- - - Balmain Tigers get all the contracted players. If that isn't financial support what is? They get the majority of their team for free. They get to operate out of Wests Tigers concord facilities. Balmain had their Hall of Fame gala night at the Hilton paid for by the Wests Tigers. What did Wests Tigers pay for the Magpies???
Nothing, but they sent us a bill for junior development. A club with $16 million turnover, says we will take over running your juniors then sends the Magpies a bill for it.
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- - - Wests Magpies will try to continue on for as long as possible in the NSW Cup, but obviously without any NRL or U20's grade players in the side we will struggle financially on and off the field.
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- - - Yes the kids may want to play for Wests Tigers. Kids from Penrith want to play for Penrith Panthers. They arn't stupid they know the way you get there is through Wests Magpies, Windsor Wolves, North Sydney Bears, Newtown Jets etc etc

For the fringe kids who arn't going to get a game in the U20's or NRL... surely the local kids from the Macarthur are better off back at the Magpies in the NSW Cup than playing for Concord Burwood in the Jim Beam Cup
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- - - 2005 worked! We have a Premiership to prove it. Yes we were lucky with injuries, but anyone who wins a Premiership is.
NRL teams like Melbourne, Canberra, Penrith, Parramatta, Sydney Roosters, South Sydney all send their fringe players off to play for Cronulla, Mounties, Wenty, Newtown, and Norths. These teams train to a system set in place from the NRL team as would the Magpies. It works fine!
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- - - Why should continue on our own outside the Wests Tigers system. We are a Joint Venture last time I checked.
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- - - If Wests Tigers go ahead with 1 NSW Cup feeder team as they are doing this year. Yes... it should be named Wests Tigers. Can we have that change made pronto :mrgreen:
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- - - I do not agree that more than 4 games at Campbelltown isn't viable. Penrith, Parramatta, St George Illawarra can all do it from small suburban grounds. Maybe if we got more block buster matches out there we would sell out.
Maybe the real reason is it isn't financailly viable to play more than 4 games at leichhardt?
Why not a 6 CSS, 4 LO and 2 SFS split then? Oh, will that be unfair to the Balmain side. better not, .... yet its ok to have Balmain as the sole feeder team.
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- - - The Magpie logo was moved without consultation. It was agreed in the Wests Tigers constitution that if the main logo was going to be the Tiger, then we get a magpies on each sleeve. Wests were happy, balmain were happy.
Having the Magpie higher on the shoulder didn't interfere with sponsorship in a great way. no more than it does having it down lower.
The decision was made knowing it would most likely upset the Wests side of the joint veture, yet there was no consultation with Wests... they just did it. Just like they just made Balmain the sole feeder team. Wests Tigers have no regard in keeping this joint venture happy. Its a pure dictatorship.

 

[Yossarian]

Galahs if WT trained at Leichhardt you'd have a point with the opening of your above post but they don't - they train at Concord Oval. I personally don't care where they train so long as the facilities are the best we can obtain. Of course playing 6 at CO and 4 at LO would be unfair. So would playing 6 at LO and only 4 at CO.

Anyway I'm not going to get bogged down in all this again because it gets repetitive. The OP was about a rally which contained some reasonable points. I think you should stick to those points without getting sidetracked by the whole Balmain vs Wests business. It does your cause no favours. The issue as I see is it is an internal Wests matter and that's where the "blame" and attention should properly rest.

 

[system]

Galahs you know as well as anyone else that we play games at the SFS/SCG because we get guaranteed income regardless of the weather and the simple reality is that the Nine Network prefer to televise games from large grounds as it looks better for the game barring a few games a season where the traditional grounds get talked about with a wistful nostalgic tone.

Bringing up Penrith and parra are terrible examples. They lose money hand over fist from their football operations and are supported solely on the gambling problems of their clubs patrons. This is not a sustainable future or a good business model. We want strong NRL clubs who make the majority of their income from sponsorship, merchandise and membership. We also want these clubs to turn a profit long term. A goal the WT achieved in 2011 from what I have been informed where we turned a profit excluding Leagues Club grants for the firts time in our history.

The cry of victimisation and pettiness in regard to the positioning of the logo is childish and simply untrue.

I agree that there should have been a team in the State Cup bearing the WT name. As it turns out that couldn't happen because of the opposition from the Western Suburbs factions on the board and the delays propegated by these people saw the deadline for license application lapse before anything could be ratified.

On the subject of the Hall of Fame dinner it was a Balmain Tigers event which WT tacked onto. If I remember correctly discussion on this forum at the time pointed to the Western Suburbs club being invited to take part but declining the invitation.

Again best of luck with the rally but lets at least keep this factual and not emotive. You know the facts in these areas Galahs and have chosen to gloss over some while overstating the effect of others from my perspective.

 

[Original_Magpie]

Galahs if WT trained at Leichhardt you'd have a point with the opening of your above post but they don't - they train at Concord Oval. I personally don't care where they train so long as the facilities are the best we can obtain. Of course playing 6 at CO and 4 at LO would be unfair. So would playing 6 at LO and only 4 at CO.

Anyway I'm not going to get bogged down in all this again because it gets repetitive. The OP was about a rally which contained some reasonable points. I think you should stick to those points without getting sidetracked by the whole Balmain vs Wests business. It does your cause no favours. The issue as I see is it is an internal Wests matter and that's where the "blame" and attention should properly rest.

training at concord isnt the best they could obtain,

UWS macarthur offered the facilities at the uni and the wests tigers board turned it down

 

[Yossarian]

Galahs if WT trained at Leichhardt you'd have a point with the opening of your above post but they don't - they train at Concord Oval. I personally don't care where they train so long as the facilities are the best we can obtain. Of course playing 6 at CO and 4 at LO would be unfair. So would playing 6 at LO and only 4 at CO.

Anyway I'm not going to get bogged down in all this again because it gets repetitive. The OP was about a rally which contained some reasonable points. I think you should stick to those points without getting sidetracked by the whole Balmain vs Wests business. It does your cause no favours. The issue as I see is it is an internal Wests matter and that's where the "blame" and attention should properly rest.

training at concord isnt the best they could obtain,

UWS macarthur offered the facilities at the uni and the wests tigers board turned it down

What makes you say UWS Macarthur is better than Concord? Let's remember they basically have free reign at Concord and the club also has room for its backroom people there.

 

[Flippedy]

ps it reads like there is a lot of bad blood between Wests magpies and some board members of wests Campbelltown which may stem back to the Magpies relocation to Campbelltown, if this is true then it is very unfortunate.

You would be correct. The sad thing is these long term grudges from the past are affecting kids opportunities today.

That is insane! It's worse than the Hatfield's and the McCoys! Someone needs to tell these old blokes that they really need to get over themselves and realise the damage they are doing to the present, and future, generations of kids. Geez, how do people like this get in these positions of power?