Beginning of the end for the Wests Magpies

Terry. Have you got a long neck cos you're a goose. They've both been there since 1908. Both have a great history. People like you are the reason why I don't follow the new side. You and your mate blockhead roach.

Balmain were getting the bullet too. You are full of it. Focus on the Wests tigers? I bet you wear a balmain jumper to games.

Balmain did not pass the criteria. Get your facts straight. It didn't hold enough people, the grandstand was infested. Oh and no juniors. The criteria was bull dust anyway. Kogarah didn't pass either. Don't talk bollocks.

Kids don't follow balmain? Why then are kids who wouldn't remember balmain, wearing balmain jumpers???? And wests were predominantly black not white. I see a lot of people in the crowd wearing balmain jumpers and all the adverts have balmain jumpers not Wests tigers. If its not one eyed, I'm not here. I don't blame balmain, I blame wests. They have never had good administrators and have let balmain walk all over them. It is very strange since wests have the money, two leagues clubs and remember balmain fans. Wests supply 99% of the juniors. I love the magpies but they have killed themselves.

Well Kevin humphries got his wish through his son. The magpies are dead.

I have been told Wyong are after or have Wests position already.They were in the Newcastle league for a while,most fans would say they added nothing to the Newcastle Rugby League.Very disappointed to see wests go,makes it hard when you really think about it what the game truly is now.It is hard to get excited about mercenary players who are only there for the dollars,

Hi, Well said. I said this would happen from the very start. I never follwed the Wests tigers. Once they ceased being the Magpies i gave them up. Stephen Humphries is picking up from where his father left off and has finally got the job done in getting rid of the Magpies. It is very sad as i was a season ticket holder and born in a black and white jumper but I am over it now as I've hade over a decade to do so. I don't understand how Balmain got the upper hand as Wests had two leagues clubs and 99.9% of the juniors. I can only put it down to really inept management (which Wests always had.) The Magpies should have stuck it out like Souths. Ah well, Hindsight is always 20/20. Now Steve Roach will be able to call the Tigers all he likes. He hates the Wests side of it. I had a good 28 years of following The Maggies and stuck with them all the way. The game will now roll on and the Magpies will be all but for forgotton. Thanks John Ribot and Co.

Im a massive WESTS TIGERS supporter, growing up I was raised in a family that had been supporting Balmain Tigers through 6 generations before me. So, naturally I became a fierce Tigers supporter and found my own love for the team, however whats happening NOW - is ridiculous. I hate how this has once again made a divide between the fans and has taken a lot of our attention off the field and instead at each others throats on forums and social networks. STEVE HUMPHRIES and co. need to sort this out and make it the joint venture it was promised to be. Meaning joint opportunities and joint rights. Though I come from a Tigers background, the truth of the matter is - they're gone, as are Maggies. The only fair thing to do is honour both clubs and allow them to be respected EQUALLY. If Rabbitoh fans can contribute to saving their club, I think Wests Tigers supporters could unite under one banner and find a way to save the Maggies, regardless of who we first originally supported. I didn't even realise the big spit up of Magpie fans til I joined forums and heard the MASSIVE cry to be heard and for justice in the matter. The unfortunate thing is that its created ongoing arguments between supporters even though we as fans have ZERO say in the matter. So, this is the time to do it. To put to rest all of the bickering between each other and as a WHOLE UNIT seek a way of retribution for the Magpies and see the JOINT venture that we ALL originally anticipated. Now, as eager as I am to move forward with this motion - I wouldn't know the first thing to do in order to get that going. But the sooner we start, the sooner something just might happen. ALL SUGGESTIONS WOULD BE HUGELY APPRECIATED!!!

Calling all Magpie Fans Please email Wests Ashfield with your concerns. Below is what I had to say Hi I have been told the contract is up between the West's & Balmain in the end of 2013 is this correct? If so will the Magpies be the dominant factor when the contract is renewed or will the Magpies be gong forever? I seen on the news last night the hi-lights of the Tigers & Cronulla game unfortunately I could only see black & gold there was no sign of the Black & White that we all love it was a one sided Balmain Tigers side in the Comp. So why are West's Ashfield still pumping money into Balmain? With West's a foundation club. should the games played at Campbelltown be in the West's Magpie colours & the games played at Balmain ground maybe played in black & gold. West's Ashfield please help a dying Magpie. Thank you Stephen Walker A dying Magpie. PS if this email has gong to the place at Wests Ashfield could you please redirect it, Thank you Also please check out facebook page, just type in my name.

MEDIA RELEASE FROM WESTS MAGPIES 25/01/2012 4:09:06 PM Meetings of the Board of Wests Ashfield Leagues Club and the new Board of Western Suburbs Football Club have breathed new life into the Magpies to ensure the team will compete in the 2012 State Cup and provide a springboard for junior players to aim for the highest levels of Rugby League. The Board of Wests Ashfield last week agreed to restore funding to the Magpies, and that further funds would be available in future years, subject to the outcome of governance matters relating to the football club. These were resolved at the Magpies meeting on Tuesday January 24 with the election of former player Mick Liubinskas as Chairman. The new administration is committed to developing a plan to ensure the Magpies will continue to look after their district at all levels. Wests Ashfield Leagues Club will remain the primary source of funding for the Magpies, but the level of funds provided as always will depend on future developments relating to the club industry which is under considerable pressure from various outside forces. Talks will continue between the Leagues Club, the Magpies and Wests Tigers regarding the possibility of uniting the State Cup teams of foundation clubs Wests and Balmain beyond 2012. Discussions will be expanded to include Wests Campbelltown Leagues and the wider Wests community and will consider the views of all. No decision on the likely operations of any of the shareholders in Wests Tigers has yet been made, but the Magpies have taken the lead in being prepared to discuss the future and want to listen to the concerns of their members. The new Magpies Board believes that a strengthened link with Wests Tigers will satisfy Sydney’s growing south-western region’s appetite to compete in Rugby League at all levels and any new opportunities that might emerge, while providing football with connections proudly dating back to the launch of the game in 1908. The Board will continue to support and promote the unequalled treasure house of history and tradition that has enabled Wests to survive various carve-ups and relocations to become an important contributor to success in the NRL through The Magpies and Wests Tigers. Under the Chairmanship of Mick Liubinskas, the Magpies will keep warbling throughout their second century.  

Where did I say that campbelltown should get more games? Or where did I mention that I didn't support the successful union of both teams by not following the wests tigers? I also sed that people of balmain weren't "rich", I was merely indicating that the balmain area and it's people were better off financially that those of the campbelltown area in general, and going off the costs of living and real estate prices, that would be true. My comment was aimed at the division of history of clubs eluded to by tigergerry whom seemed to just want to take away from the pride of western suburbs and then sugar coat it by saying that we just focus on the unity... My reply was simply casting aside the individuality of the teams by not saying one was better than the other, just that they were both valuable and should be seen as equal. The crowds of grounds was my opinion of why leichardt gets more than ctown, NOWHERE did I say that one should get more games than the other. My point was that people are more likely to go to leichardt games as its a traditional ground with more history, and ctown is... Well ctown... Out of all the home games, why do you only " occasionally" go to campbelltown?

As I said above, if the good people of Macarthur want more games played in their region, all they have to do is turn up to the games. Why should Campbelltown get more games when more people show up the Leichhardt (which is consistently sold out) and the SFS (which consistently gets over 20,000 and sometime over 30,000)? There's a simple remedy. Make it impossible for the club not to schedule more games at Campbelltown by making it economically attractive to the club. Buy a ticket!

Geez! You talk about typing "tripe" on one hand, and then follow it up with: "Believe it or not, people from campbelltown don’t have money to throw around when the other option is to go to a mates house for a BBQ and watch it on his fox… Not saying that people of Balmain are rich, but they arent exactly struggling to pay their 300 grand mortgage or living in housing commission…. Just cause people don’t go to games doesn’t mean they don’t support a team is what I’m saying." So what you're saying is that most Balmain supporters are better off than the average Wests supporter? That may or may not be the case, but it's an entirely moot point. I'd doubt there's any real evidence for it. I certainly aren't what you'd call "rich". Nor do I live in any of the Wests Tigers local districts. Notwithstanding all of that, the fact is that nobody cares what the reasons for fans not turning up at a particular ground are, they only care that they don't. We hear a lot of bleating that Campbelltown doesn't get enough games (even though Leichhardt gets the same amount and sells out every one), but why SHOULD Campbelltown get more games when Leichhardt consistently sells out, and more people front up for games at the SFS than Campbelltown? I understand that you don't have to buy a jersey, go to a game or buy a membership to be a supporter. What you need to understand that clubs, merged or otherwise, like any business, will service paying customers over those that don't. It's simple economics. You have to pay to play. As a "Balmain" supporter I understand that times have long past that my team would be a stand alone entity. I'm a club member of the Wests Tigers, I go to games at Leichhardt and the SFS and occasionally Campbelltown. I wear a Wests Tigers hat and I show my support for Balmain by wearing a retro jersey. I'm a Wests Tigers supporter who became so via Balmain. If Campbelltown starts to pack out then I'll have no problem with the club transferring some of the SFS games to Campbeltown. Until then, enjoy the fact that your team is a successful one and maybe even get to a game or two. Cheers.

Eh, Balmain get no recognition on the jersey??? Could have sworn there's a Tiger on the left hand side of the jersey above the heart. Not circa pre-merge logo but still a Tiger.

west sydney tigers rolls much better off the tongue

Only one team I remember that said no and fought to stand alone,, and everyone laughed at them, ? Th mighty south Sydney...Look at we're all these clubs are now... Gone!!!! GLORY GLORY

Sad but true, spot on from what I hear matty

10 times more supporters than wests ever had and a far more prestigious history? You have to be kidding me.. I agree both teams need each other in this day and age to exist but that is complete crud. I'll admit being bias to the magpies thru being the son of an ex player, and a friend of the western suburbs magpies director, however I'd stop short from writing tripe about balmain for both teams have proud history's in the same way a club like newtown does.. To compare crowds at leichardt and campbelltown is silly, one is a traditional ground with history and the other isn't, you also have to take note of the affordability of people in each area.... Believe it or not, people from campbelltown don't have money to throw around when the other option is to go to a mates house for a BBQ and watch it on his fox... Not saying that people of Balmain are rich, but they arent exactly struggling to pay their 300 grand mortgage or living in housing commission.... Just cause people don't go to games doesn't mean they don't support a team is what I'm saying.

Their name should be the West Sydney Tigers or Western Sydney Tigers.