This is who we are...

[GNR4LIFE]

I like Mbye more than most, but missing that kick was inexcusable. Set the tone for what was to come. I’ll be stunned if he sees out his contract.

 

[ElleryHanley]

I like Mbye more than most, but missing that kick was inexcusable. Set the tone for what was to come. I’ll be stunned if he sees out his contract.

He is on massive money...but is a really average center, who is not good at anything in particular. Has failed at FB (Can't catch bombs) and in the halves (can't read a game).

Would be a poor 9 also.

Given what he is on...and given what he offers...we would likely have to pay 70% of his wages to get another club interested.

Reality = he is worth 300 000 a year, maybe.

Current pay = 800 up.

Horrible deal...one of the worst in the NRL.

 

[Telltails]

Having had a night to sleep on it...I have to say that this one really stings.

Mainly because it means YET AGAIN our entire season will be remembered for losing to the cellar dwellers. We have had tons of improvement, have a nice young core of a pack, and several players are having their best seasons.

But the entire off season will be "Tigers failed again, how did they lose to the Titans (who had not won in a calendar year) and the Warriors (who had 4 players leave the country and two blokes not even know everyone's name yet!'.

That will be the entire off season...and our media people will wheel out Madge and whoever the new captain is and go through the whole "the new wests tigers don't do that' cliched dribble again.

I just want to move past all that and have a team that is known for toughness and aiming at the top 4. Manly were a rabble 3 years ago. Now they are known as tough and aiming for the top 4 each year.

Sharks are decimated and have a terrible roster this year...still winning and, led by Graham, play tough.

Yet we are stuck in the same spot.

The Sharks have a terrible roster - really? Most of their players would walk into our first grade side without question. People bag Woods and yet he is exactly what we miss a front rower who consistently goes forward.

 

[ElleryHanley]

Having had a night to sleep on it...I have to say that this one really stings.

Mainly because it means YET AGAIN our entire season will be remembered for losing to the cellar dwellers. We have had tons of improvement, have a nice young core of a pack, and several players are having their best seasons.

But the entire off season will be "Tigers failed again, how did they lose to the Titans (who had not won in a calendar year) and the Warriors (who had 4 players leave the country and two blokes not even know everyone's name yet!'.

That will be the entire off season...and our media people will wheel out Madge and whoever the new captain is and go through the whole "the new wests tigers don't do that' cliched dribble again.

I just want to move past all that and have a team that is known for toughness and aiming at the top 4. Manly were a rabble 3 years ago. Now they are known as tough and aiming for the top 4 each year.

Sharks are decimated and have a terrible roster this year...still winning and, led by Graham, play tough.

Yet we are stuck in the same spot.

The Sharks have a terrible roster - really? Most of their players would walk into our first grade side without question. People bag Woods and yet he is exactly what we miss a front rower who consistently goes forward.

Did you see their squad last night? They have players out all over the place and are using several guys from Newtown State Cup.

We also beat them fairly easily. So, yeah, I'd say we have a better squad than Cronulla. We also have a better coach...

What they have MILES better than us are vet leaders who set the tone and culture.

 

[tiger_one]

In July 1968 on a Thursday night, my dad took me to Lidcombe oval for my first ever Rugby League match. West Magpies played France who was out here for the World Cup. I remember it clearly, football under the rubbish lights at Lidcombe oval . Noel Kelly was the coach but did not play that night. Now, does this sound familiar. Wests scored more tries but missed their goals and lost after the siren to France. I was 7 years old and can remember it clearly. The deflated experience again that I had tonight.

It was so predictable. I mean I said to my son, " Mbye's going to miss this kick at goal.!!!

We all knew tonight's games was a worrying game for our run for the top eight when it should not have been We have seen it now for twenty years. All of us knew at 8 nil up ...............we have not won this.

All of us got annoyed that they only got urgent in the last 5 minutes.

All of us got angry at the poor kicks on the fifth tackle being kicked to the second-best fullback in the world instead of the third-best Jennings brother.......not mention landing 20 metres away from the goal line

All of shook our heads at the fifth tackle options.

All of us wondered why we cant get out of our 20 meters like other sides after receiving a kick.

I follow the Wests Tigers with just as much passion as I did that night when I was 7. I grew up in the Balmain district but followed the Magpies. But I have to put up with this rubbish of a so-called professional club now for 55 years.
There is something wrong with the management of the club.

I mean what club with any idea of what a football roster looks like has big money tied up in six halfs and 5/8s ( Brookes , Walters, Benji , Mbye, Reynolds Doueihi). Of which none seem to be able to run a team.

We still do not have a goal kicker. Just buy one. Any winger faster than Jennings who can kick must be better.

We have not had a center since the two clubs joined 20 years ago. Mbye couldn't break a Jatz biscuit let alone the line.

We have not had a running second row since Gareth Ellis. In fact, he was the last one and only reasonable buy the club has made in 20 years.

We hang on to players way too long. Name me one player the Roosters got rid of who went on to better things in the last 50 years.

Lawrence must go at the end of the year
Benji must go at the end of the year
Brookes needs to be told to test the market
Buy a goal kicker ......go to the UK and get one. Don't care if he cant run get a kicker who will kick at 80%
Get a running second row who is faster than me at 60 years old .
Mybye needs to be sacked as captain, as a centre and as first-grade player
Reynolds must go
Jennings must go.
Somebody (Brett Hodgson) needs to sit with Adam Doueihi and teach him positional play in defense.
Packer must go. Too old next year and too risky
Taylor must be moved on
Walters is not the answer.

Move to one ground and build a fortress
Get a proper head of the football division
Let Madge have 3 years then if no result move him on.
Do not sign him to an extension without results.

So still since that night in July 1968............I have that same old feeling after a game that I have come to expect.

This is a post of posts!
Says everything.
It has to go to the top - send it to Lee Hagipantelis, and ask for his personal response!

 

[Telltails]

Having had a night to sleep on it...I have to say that this one really stings.

Mainly because it means YET AGAIN our entire season will be remembered for losing to the cellar dwellers. We have had tons of improvement, have a nice young core of a pack, and several players are having their best seasons.

But the entire off season will be "Tigers failed again, how did they lose to the Titans (who had not won in a calendar year) and the Warriors (who had 4 players leave the country and two blokes not even know everyone's name yet!'.

That will be the entire off season...and our media people will wheel out Madge and whoever the new captain is and go through the whole "the new wests tigers don't do that' cliched dribble again.

I just want to move past all that and have a team that is known for toughness and aiming at the top 4. Manly were a rabble 3 years ago. Now they are known as tough and aiming for the top 4 each year.

Sharks are decimated and have a terrible roster this year...still winning and, led by Graham, play tough.

Yet we are stuck in the same spot.

The Sharks have a terrible roster - really? Most of their players would walk into our first grade side without question. People bag Woods and yet he is exactly what we miss a front rower who consistently goes forward.

Did you see their squad last night? They have players out all over the place and are using several guys from Newtown State Cup.

We also beat them fairly easily. So, yeah, I'd say we have a better squad than Cronulla. We also have a better coach...

What they have MILES better than us are vet leaders who set the tone and culture

Yep saw their squad and stand by what I said. Rudolph Uele Woods Graham Johnson Ramien Dugan all without doubt - and all would be a huge improvement on what we have got.

 

[jirskyr]

Can someone remind me why any of us support this team? We are not even a joke. We are so below average that other teams don't even think about us because we are such a non-entity.

Well 2 things. Firstly, you don't really have much of a choice, it's ingrained in you. Only flakes take up sport to support the team that wins year on year. It's a badge of honour to still support your team when they stink, and many of us were fairly indoctrinated by our Dads and families, so it's not really something we "chose". Because fundamentally sport only has one basic purpose - to fuel an innate desire for tribal competition. Sports results don't really matter on a city- nation- or world-wide scale.

Secondly we aren't below average, and I think that's the hardest part. Tigers are often EXACTLY average, hence the running gag about being 9th. Problem about always finishing top of the worst teams means there is always a glimmer of hope. If you were a Titans fan you'd legit write season 2020 off before it started, and you'd have every reason to do so. If you are a Warriors fan, you are just proud of big efforts like last night, because no club in their difficult position is going to play finals football.

But Tigers; Tigers are always there and abouts, which means there's always a little hope. Being an old Balmain supporter, they really SUCKED in the 90s, to the point I used to wonder how much we'd be beaten by, not whether or not we had a chance to win. It's hard to be too disappointed when your team really does suck and the roster is clearly reserve-grade level.

But as a Wests Tigers supporter, there's always a chance, and that's why it makes it so hard for some people.

Personally, last night was the worst loss of the season, really disappointing. I'll keep supporting though; it's part of who I am. I love watching footy, it plays a big part in my life and I look forward to each match and each new season, doesn't really matter how bad we have been. That's probably a form of madness, but I recognise that and I'm happy for it.

I'm also not going to be one of those fans who protests by abandoning the club financially. I understand money is tight, but people need to recognise it does nothing for the club to withdraw finances. For a club that isn't one of the financial heavyweights, it hurts our club more. By all means, stop membership or buying merch/tix if that's your decision, but it's only going to hurt the club more, because without money Tigers have even less chance to play finals footy and it creates a vicious cycle. The organisation also won't even notice your ended membership, you'll just be one of the many thousands that don't renew in any given year. And it particularly won't have meaning because the club already knows the on-field results aren't good enough; I don't think it's going to make things any different if a thousand members cancel in protest about something the club is already keenly aware of.

 

[Sart0ri]

but we all say the same thing every year - we need a massive clear out.

lets be real though, its impossible because we are a business first, football club second. you cant just clear a team out.

My biggest gripe is i think an incredibly simple one that needs to change asap and that should really have been addressed on Madge's first day (who i still think is the right and best coach we've had in years) - we need a CAPTAIN.

And i mean a REAL captain. a player who is vocal, who leads by the front, who pulls teammates up when not performing, who doesn't hug and smile with their opposition after a loss at the final whistle (oh my goodness how that s*!ts me up the wall). someone who bleeds for the club they play for. a LEADER.

We don't have this. and it shows desperately.

I dont know about you, but in my younger days when i played league and union, when i had a captain who gave it their all and who i respected, i would play my guts out for them and the team....but maybe that's lost nowadays in the current generation....

I really don't understand this. These are professional athletes who need to be responsible for their own motivation.

Did you seriously play poorly when your captain was injured or off the field? Who inspired/motivated the captain?

When Madge says everyone should be a leader he means that everyone should be doing the inspirational stuff, not just waiting for the captain to do it.

 

[jadtiger]

Personally, last night was the worst loss of the season, really disappointing. I’ll keep supporting though; it’s part of who I am. I love watching footy, it plays a big part in my life and I look forward to each match and each new season, doesn’t really matter how bad we have been. That’s probably a form of madness, but I recognise that and I’m happy for it.

That says it all about me and i am sure most if not all of us.You support your club no matter how much pain it gives you it is an integral part of your life

 

[jirskyr]

Personally, last night was the worst loss of the season, really disappointing. I’ll keep supporting though; it’s part of who I am. I love watching footy, it plays a big part in my life and I look forward to each match and each new season, doesn’t really matter how bad we have been. That’s probably a form of madness, but I recognise that and I’m happy for it.

That says it all about me and i am sure most if not all of us.You support your club no matter how much pain it gives you it is an integral part of your life

It's kind of the same thing with kids and family and pets. You love them even though they cause you grief, sometimes a lot of grief and sometimes a little, but it's never completely smooth sailing, but you love them and it's part of who you are.

My poor lad last night, he's 4 years old, we went to the game, he was disappointed that Warriors got 26 and Tigers only got 20. And I looked at him and saw the makings of a life-long affiliation with a team that may never win anything. That's been my experience: 3 GFs for 1 win my whole life. 6 finals appearances in my entire life, since I started supporting. My Dad before me, in his entire supporting life Tigers have been to 6 grand finals and won 2 premierships. Still a paying member though.

In what world of madness would I be expecting Balmain and then Wests Tigers to be a consistently winning, constantly finals-bound side?

 

[gallagher]

Can someone remind me why any of us support this team? We are not even a joke. We are so below average that other teams don't even think about us because we are such a non-entity.

By all means, stop membership or buying merch/tix if that's your decision, but it's only going to hurt the club more.
The organisation also won't even notice your ended membership,



That's exactly why I no longer send them my money.

 

[jirskyr]

That’s exactly why I no longer send them my money.

They'll notice you didn't send the money though.

Do you really think the club doesn't know it needs to win more football, and do you think anything changes because someone stopped buying tickets? If it's a protest, then it's about as effective as the fans pro- Robbie Farah protest that went down a few years ago.

If it's simply a matter of finances, I understand completely.

 

[hobbo1]

Can someone remind me why any of us support this team? We are not even a joke. We are so below average that other teams don't even think about us because we are such a non-entity.

By all means, stop membership or buying merch/tix if that's your decision, but it's only going to hurt the club more.
The organisation also won't even notice your ended membership,



That's exactly why I no longer send them my money.

You’ll get more bang for your buck at Dan Murphy’s ..trust me !

 

[gallagher]

That’s exactly why I no longer send them my money.

They'll notice you didn't send the money though.

Do you really think the club doesn't know it needs to win more football, and do you think anything changes because someone stopped buying tickets? If it's a protest, then it's about as effective as the fans pro- Robbie Farah protest that went down a few years ago.

If it's simply a matter of finances, I understand completely.

No, I have the money. And I don't expect it to change things. It's just that a club that wastes money can spend they're own money, not mine.

 

[gallagher]

Can someone remind me why any of us support this team? We are not even a joke. We are so below average that other teams don't even think about us because we are such a non-entity.

By all means, stop membership or buying merch/tix if that's your decision, but it's only going to hurt the club more.
The organisation also won't even notice your ended membership,



That's exactly why I no longer send them my money.

You’ll get more bang for your buck at Dan Murphy’s ..trust me !

Got my Jamesons there yesterday?. It's as bare as our trophy cabinet this morning.

 

[jadtiger]

Personally, last night was the worst loss of the season, really disappointing. I’ll keep supporting though; it’s part of who I am. I love watching footy, it plays a big part in my life and I look forward to each match and each new season, doesn’t really matter how bad we have been. That’s probably a form of madness, but I recognise that and I’m happy for it.

That says it all about me and i am sure most if not all of us.You support your club no matter how much pain it gives you it is an integral part of your life

It's kind of the same thing with kids and family and pets. You love them even though they cause you grief, sometimes a lot of grief and sometimes a little, but it's never completely smooth sailing, but you love them and it's part of who you are.

My poor lad last night, he's 4 years old, we went to the game, he was disappointed that Warriors got 26 and Tigers only got 20. And I looked at him and saw the makings of a life-long affiliation with a team that may never win anything. That's been my experience: 3 GFs for 1 win my whole life. 6 finals appearances in my entire life, since I started supporting. My Dad before me, in his entire supporting life Tigers have been to 6 grand finals and won 2 premierships. Still a paying member though.

In what world of madness would I be expecting Balmain and then Wests Tigers to be a consistently winning, constantly finals-bound side?

I have a record like your father 6 grand finals only 2 wins following Balmain/WT and it has been a combination of bitter/sweet and difficult/easy.My father was a soccer supporter and he never saw his team win anything (Birmingham City) and he lived into his 70s.My son like me follows Balmain/WT and has seen 1 win and 2 losses
I am an optimist by nature and feel that much better times are coming for our club but i doubt if i will see much if any of it,but as always i live in hope.Pain and pleasure both pass but i will support my club to the end

 

[Zach]

but we all say the same thing every year - we need a massive clear out.

lets be real though, its impossible because we are a business first, football club second. you cant just clear a team out.

My biggest gripe is i think an incredibly simple one that needs to change asap and that should really have been addressed on Madge's first day (who i still think is the right and best coach we've had in years) - we need a CAPTAIN.

And i mean a REAL captain. a player who is vocal, who leads by the front, who pulls teammates up when not performing, who doesn't hug and smile with their opposition after a loss at the final whistle (oh my goodness how that s*!ts me up the wall). someone who bleeds for the club they play for. a LEADER.

We don't have this. and it shows desperately.

I dont know about you, but in my younger days when i played league and union, when i had a captain who gave it their all and who i respected, i would play my guts out for them and the team....but maybe that's lost nowadays in the current generation....

I really don't understand this. These are professional athletes who need to be responsible for their own motivation.

Did you seriously play poorly when your captain was injured or off the field? Who inspired/motivated the captain?

When Madge says everyone should be a leader he means that everyone should be doing the inspirational stuff, not just waiting for the captain to do it.

I dont disagree. As i said to my misses last night watching the game, i just don't get the mindset of professional athletes when they play that poorly, how do they not feel absolutely disgusted with themselves.

I do fundamentally believe however that strong leadership on the field breeds a sense of belief, ownership and commitment to the situation (for example playing poorly and losing in a game - like last night) among the WHOLE squad on the field.

With no leader, no accountability is taken - no one cares.

and we have ZERO true leaders.

 

[JD Tiger]

For me, it isn't about giving up on the club. I know I can't, they will get my hopes up again and again, fill me with hope, again and again, then break my heart and let me down, again and again. For me, it's about demanding better. Broncos wouldn't put up with 9 years of no finals (or is it 10 now, who can remember?), why should we?

What we need player wise, is two high profile leaders. A leading forward, and a leading half. Foran would be a great buy for the halves, on near $400k/500k for a couple of years. He could lead our backs and actually manage the sets.

For a forward, we need to throw big money at someone to entice them away from where they are, and to us. Get him to break their contract early, why not, it's either that or continue to be little push-overs also-rans who are content with their own mediocrity. I mean get an Isaac Yeo from Panthers, a Wade Graham from Sharks, a JWH from Roosters, a player who can lead us from the front, and is expecting to win.

I like Madge's attitude, but am not impressed with his actions. Our fullback is not good enough, our halves are rubbish, our captain is MIA, our goal kicker is, well, we don't have one. Fix this rubbish and maybe then I can start to believe in you Madge.

 

[Spud_Murphy]

Can someone remind me why any of us support this team? We are not even a joke. We are so below average that other teams don't even think about us because we are such a non-entity.

By all means, stop membership or buying merch/tix if that's your decision, but it's only going to hurt the club more.
The organisation also won't even notice your ended membership,



That's exactly why I no longer send them my money.

You’ll get more bang for your buck at Dan Murphy’s ..trust me !

And an even better deal at Spud Murphy’s! ?????

 

[Spud_Murphy]

For me, it isn't about giving up on the club. I know I can't, they will get my hopes up again and again, fill me with hope, again and again, then break my heart and let me down, again and again. For me, it's about demanding better. Broncos wouldn't put up with 9 years of no finals (or is it 10 now, who can remember?), why should we?

What we need player wise, is two high profile leaders. A leading forward, and a leading half. Foran would be a great buy for the halves, on near $400k/500k for a couple of years. He could lead our backs and actually manage the sets.

For a forward, we need to throw big money at someone to entice them away from where they are, and to us. Get him to break their contract early, why not, it's either that or continue to be little push-overs also-rans who are content with their own mediocrity. I mean get an Isaac Yeo from Panthers, a Wade Graham from Sharks, a JWH from Roosters, a player who can lead us from the front, and is expecting to win.

I like Madge's attitude, but am not impressed with his actions. Our fullback is not good enough, our halves are rubbish, our captain is MIA, our goal kicker is, well, we don't have one. Fix this rubbish and maybe then I can start to believe in you Madge.

We always need something we haven’t got, but are never likely to get it. It’s the same old story.