In 1999 we agreed to a joint Venture NRL team, but insisted we would remain stand alone in ALL other grades so we could keep the history of our proud club on the paddock, plus due to the geographical distance between the two clubs, provide Macarthur locals a "Pathway to Success" to the Wests Tigers.
Players were spread evenly between the Magpies and Balmain, 6 games each at LO and CSS. Everyone was happy.
2005, Campbelltown goes from having 6 games a year to 3\. The beginnings of grumblings amongst Wests fans begin. This protest got drowned out however by the fact the Wests Tigers won a Premiership :sign:
Under the cloud of the premiership glory, 2006, 2007 and now 2011 BRET were sneakily made the official feeder team for the Wests Tigers. The Wests side got angrier. I remember in 2007 watching Liam Fulton and and Stuart Flanagann score for BRET against the Magpies at Gosford. Why should us Wests fans be happy about that. The Magpies picked up consecutive spoons.
Now we have to watch Waters, Mullaney and Akeripa tearing up our Magpies.
It was going to happen in 2008 -10 as well if it wasn't for the determination of Kevin Hammond not to see the Magpies win another wooden spoon in its Centenary year. All because the Wests Tigers weren't giving us any of their contracted players. He entered discussions with Canberra, they agreed to send us their over age players who weren't needed for NRL duties, Wests Tigers got scared that they were about to lose the junior nursery they claim but don't nurture. So the Wests Tigers backflipped, gave us players and we made the semi finals for 3 years running, Wests are happy again.
Now Kevins gone, Wests Tigers have again done the dirty on the Magpies and now we have gone from a finals side to one looking like we will struggle to make the finals.
Tell me how that's fair!