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Wests Magpies NSWRL Participation for 2020
Friday 04 October 2019
A Message to Members and Supporters of Western Suburbs District Rugby League Football Club (WSDRLFC)Western Suburbs Magpies would like to advise its members and supporters of a change in New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) competition participation for Season 2020.
Western Suburbs Magpies will continue showcasing our 1908 Foundation Club (as has been since 2018) at its highest level in the NSWRL which is the Canterbury Cup NSW. However, the club will not be fielding a team in the Ron Massey Cup (RMC) for Season 2020.
Western Suburbs Magpies participation in RMC since 2013 has provided some form of continuity in Senior Rugby League participation particularly during our 5 years of exile from the NSW State Cup.
Some may recall Western Suburbs Magpies competing on and off in previous incarnations of RMC including the old Metropolitan Cup in the 1980s and 1990s.
Wests Ashfield (principle financial supporters of WSDRLFC), with its majority ownership of Wests Tigers, brings with it a significant (financial and resource) investment into Rugby League propagation, more than ever before.
Wests Tigers NRL
Western Suburbs Magpies Canterbury Cup NSW
Wests Tigers Jersey Flegg
Wests Tigers Tarsha Gale Cup
Wests Tigers Harvey Norman Women’s
Western Suburbs Magpies SG Ball + Harold Matthews
Western Suburbs Magpies Junior Development Squadsand will soon provide support to
Balmain Tigers SG Ball + Harold Matthews
Balmain Tigers Junior Development Squads
Balmain District Junior Rugby League (Grass Roots Kids Footy in the Inner West)Since late 2012 (when WSDRLFC decided to return to RMC), the Ownership and Shareholder make up of the Wests Tigers NRL Franchise has changed significantly with the departure of Wests Campbelltown Leagues and the demise of the Balmain Leagues Club business. The recent 75% Wests Ashfield ownership structure has paved the way for Western Suburbs Magpies to return to State Cup participation which has immensely lifted our brand profile and identity to new levels, brought back old sponsors such as Masterton and Victa and seen us on TV for the first time in decades and also put the Western Suburbs Magpies on NRL game days.
It is worth noting that no other licensed leagues club supports both an NRL team as well as an RMC team. RMC (and Sydney Shield) competitions are operated in a separate draw alignment to NRL, CCNSW and Jersey Flegg making it difficult to resource teams efficiently and hampers support potential.
With this change, comes an opportunity in 2020 for Western Suburbs Magpies members and supporters to get out to ONE Western Suburbs Magpies match each week rather than having to spread support and promotion over various venues and conflicting schedules.
We hope to see this support match what fellow foundation club Newtown Jets (who focus solely on State Cup participation) have today. Western Suburbs Magpies is intent on celebrating our heritage with the production of further Retro Merchandise, Jersey Re-makes, planning for more events at Lidcombe Oval and planting the seeds for a return to Pratten Park.
Western Suburbs Magpies would like to thank the many players who have proudly represented Western Suburbs Magpies in Ron Massey Cup over the last 7 seasons. Thanks also to those who have coached at the Ron Massey level with special thanks going to the RMC volunteers and support staff who have committed so much of their time to ensuring Western Suburbs Magpies RMC gave it their best.
We wish all current RMC players the best in the next steps of their Rugby League career.
We look forward to seeing you at the ground in 2020 to cheer on our Magpies Junior Reps and our Magpies Canterbury Cup team as we champion the much loved Western Suburbs Magpies legacy in harmonious partnership with Wests Tigers.
Board of Directors
WSDRLFC -
This seems like a bad thing, right? I’m trying to work out the positive in this. They haven’t said anything about a replacement team.
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Well damn
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@Kazoo-Kid said in Wests withdraw from RMC 2020..:
This seems like a bad thing, right? I’m trying to work out the positive in this. They haven’t said anything about a replacement team.
More money spent on WT’s hopefully.
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I don’t really understand the ramifications of this announcement at this stage, but it sounds like a GOOD move to me.
It sounds like a positive attempt to spread the Wests ‘Tigers’ name while keeping the Wests ‘Magpies’ name alive and healthy.
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@MAGPIES1963 said in Wests withdraw from RMC 2020..:
I don’t really understand the ramifications of this announcement at this stage, but it sounds like a GOOD move to me.
It sounds like a positive attempt to spread the Wests ‘Tigers’ name while keeping the Wests ‘Magpies’ name alive and healthy.
Well it keeps wests magpies in a senior comp and ensures Balmain juniors are funded. Sounds alright to me.
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I’m ‘Really Interested’ to hear the hard-line and rusted on views of someone like @cochise, for example :fa-smile-o: .
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Fiji will have a team in RMC next year with a view to moving up to CC. Wonder if Wests dropping out has anything to do with the rumour not long ago that Fiji will be a feeder club to WT.
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I think it’s more a function of the RMC having already served its purpose and now being surplus to requirements. It’d be nice if we buddied up with say Ryde Eastwood in that comp to keep a toe in the old Balmain area.
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G’day @TheDaBoss: you’ve got your finger on the pulse as well as the button, and I respect your views
…so why “well damn”??
Have a great day Boss :fa-smile-o: -
???@MAGPIES1963 said in Wests withdraw from RMC 2020…:
I’m ‘Really Interested’ to hear the hard-line and rusted on views of someone like @cochise, for example :fa-smile-o: .
?
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@Yossarian said in Wests withdraw from RMC 2020..:
I think it’s more a function of the RMC having already served its purpose and now being surplus to requirements. It’d be nice if we buddied up with say Ryde Eastwood in that comp to keep a toe in the old Balmain area.
Balmain were buddied up with Ryde/Eastwood and were tipping the tin to help them with their commitment to the WT.
I understood they just pulled out and that share Balmain then had to make up. Correct me if I am wrong.
I wouldn’t have anything to do with them personally - bought my last beer there donkeys ago.
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@Russell said in Wests withdraw from RMC 2020..:
@Yossarian said in Wests withdraw from RMC 2020..:
I think it’s more a function of the RMC having already served its purpose and now being surplus to requirements. It’d be nice if we buddied up with say Ryde Eastwood in that comp to keep a toe in the old Balmain area.
Balmain were buddied up with Ryde/Eastwood and were tipping the tin to help them with their commitment to the WT.
I understood they just pulled out and that share Balmain then had to make up. Correct me if I am wrong.
I wouldn’t have anything to do with them personally - bought my last beer there donkeys ago.
It was more a ‘for example’ than anything. Could be Concord or Leichhardt Wanderers.
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Hopefully this means the Magpies will stop promoting RMC players to CC. Flegg should be providing players, not RMC
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@balmain-boy good point.
