The Wests Tigers Lament Thread

[batboy]

That’s rubbish.

Here he is with the Black and white flag....
No it isn't.

 

[batboy]

I’ve said this before but I don’t think it’ll be this way for as long as you think.

As a 20-year-old who was born after the merger, the Western Suburbs and Balmain thing means absolutely nothing to anyone my age or younger.

Completely different to the netball thing in my opinion, it literally just never comes up because all we’ve ever known is one club.

Man - I'm past 40 and it means absolutely nothing to me....

In truth, There's a poofteenth of fans that can not, have not, and will not let it go.
- Problem is, WT's board is full of those types.

 

[twentyforty]

I’ve said this before but I don’t think it’ll be this way for as long as you think.

As a 20-year-old who was born after the merger, the Western Suburbs and Balmain thing means absolutely nothing to anyone my age or younger.

Completely different to the netball thing in my opinion, it literally just never comes up because all we’ve ever known is one club.

Are you suggesting Wests Magpies have zero or a very limited number of young fans?
If that’s the case, I wonder how they will survive?

 

[KingRobbie]

Are you suggesting Wests Magpies have zero or a very limited number of young fans?
If that’s the case, I wonder how they will survive?

Yes, that’s what I’m suggesting, why would they gain new supporters who’ve only been alive since Wests Tigers have been the first grade outfit?

I think they will remain as simply a feeder club for Wests Tigers.

They’ll have their NSW Cup, Ron Massey Cup etc. teams like Mounties do.

They’ll also have junior rep outfits at SG Ball and Harold Matthews level, as Balmain do.

 

[twentyforty]

Yes, that’s what I’m suggesting, why would they gain new supporters who’ve only been alive since Wests Tigers have been the first grade outfit?

I think they will remain as simply a feeder club for Wests Tigers.

They’ll have their NSW Cup, Ron Massey Cup etc. teams like Mounties do.

They’ll also have junior rep outfits at SG Ball and Harold Matthews level, as Balmain do.

I think I understand.. so many young people appearing from the womb post the noughties prefer Wests Tigers as opposed to Wests Magpies?
I dont attend Magpies games so your information is new to me.
So, it was apparently easy to migrate young people from WM to WT, but the old timers wont budge.

 

[gallagher]

Yes, that’s what I’m suggesting, why would they gain new supporters who’ve only been alive since Wests Tigers have been the first grade outfit?

I think they will remain as simply a feeder club for Wests Tigers.

They’ll have their NSW Cup, Ron Massey Cup etc. teams like Mounties do.

They’ll also have junior rep outfits at SG Ball and Harold Matthews level, as Balmain do.

I don't think any Wests tigers fans want anything more than that. A few that only go for the Magpies want more but why do we care about that? They wouldn't be on here.

 

[Merlot]

you young folk should,join in ,jump on the Wests v Balmain wagon..its who we are ,where we came from .dont let it slip away .

 

[Honkylips]

Hey there Dennis . . . .. when those from the Wests side of things bring up stuff like this, they are told to grow up and get over it.
If you want to be selective, let me show you what selective can sound like:
The Magpies side of the merger has never been fairly represented. Fact.
In the general media, the team is mostly referred to as the Tigers. Fact.
And lets face the fact that if not for the WESTS Ashfield club generously paying Balmain's debts, Balmain would be bankrupt. WESTS generously gave them a bail out, and a voice on the board. For zero economic gain. Balmain could not meet their financial contractual obligations to the merger, remember ?
Why is it so hard for you Balmain supporters to properly respect and acknowledge what WESTS Ashfield so graciously did for your club ?
Personally Dennis, I've been happy with the merger since it still gave me a team to support.
Us older blokes have a lot more skin invested, and so are probably the ones that get narky about it. I've got a dozen WT jerseys, and only 2 Magpies jerseys.
But let's be fair here mate. It's a bit rank to pull out personal opinion of what might have happened 23 years ago, while conveniently forgetting to acknowledge that Wests Ashfield saved Balmain's back side a few years ago. They could insist that all junior teams be Wests Magpies branded, but they don't. It is their money, after all. You shouldn't resent a team playing as WESTS, because, you know . . . the bills.
I'm expecting the standard backlash from this post. But before you all go nuts, please look at the post that I'm directly replying to. Please look at the quotes that I'm directly replying to.
Just trying to even up the ledger.
Now you can go nuts . . . .

Great Post.

 

[Yossarian]

This stuff about club finances is ridiculous. Wests Ashfield grant to the Wests Tigers was $1m in 2021. The NRL grant is what 12-13m? That’s before you even consider membership and merchandise.

 

[Pascoes_barber]

you young folk should,join in ,jump on the Wests v Balmain wagon..its who we are ,where we came from .dont let it slip away .

Both clubs were complete loser train wrecks by the end.

 

[Merlot]

Both clubs were complete loser train wrecks by the end.

just gloss over that bit,

 

[Fade.To.Black]

Both clubs were complete loser train wrecks by the end.

And combined.....we still are😂

 

[pawsandclaws1]

you young folk should,join in ,jump on the Wests v Balmain wagon..its who we are ,where we came from .dont let it slip away .

Merlot, you raise an excellent point. My two sons folllow Balmain in the SG Ball and HM and also WTs. I tell them to never forget the roots of the Club - Wests Magpies and Balmain Tigers.

 

[jadtiger]

Merlot, you raise an excellent point. My two sons folllow Balmain in the SG Ball and HM and also WTs. I tell them to never forget the roots of the Club - Wests Magpies and Balmain Tigers.

That is one thing that i hope all our supporters do and that is to respect our heritage but to realise it is our heritage not our future which is WT

 

[OzLuke]

Great Post.

Great post....
facts are that if Balmain didn't merge with wests would've gone (under original KPI)
If wests didn't help recently Balmain would've been gone
If Balmain and wests didn't merge then we would've merged with Parramatta....
100% it gave us a team to follow, and I'm still surprised we are having these conversations 20 odd years later....

 

[gallagher]

Great post....
facts are that if Balmain didn't merge with wests would've gone (under original KPI)
If wests didn't help recently Balmain would've been gone
If Balmain and wests didn't merge then we would've merged with Parramatta....
100% it gave us a team to follow, and I'm still surprised we are having these conversations 20 odd years later....

Because the club has done a horrible job of forming one club. It's still a half arsed merger.

 

[gallagher]

Just one question I see in memories thread you say club is half assed merger and I agree . When you say you follow both ? Do you mean Wests Tigers and Western Suburbs Magpies ?

Yes I do. Why would I have stopped following the Magpies?

 

[Stevec]

Yes I do. Why would I have stopped following the Magpies?

Good all clear . I only support Wests Tigers

 

[Jedi_Tiger]

Your all about unity but then want to do what another merged club does? Lol.

I would like to have the one team wests tigers to cheer for in lower grades such as nsw cup. I don't support the Magpies I supports wests tigers.
St George don't get much right however they at least have realised the nsw cup should be the same side as nrl.