It was last playing second last on a chilly August night at Parramatta Stadium. Neither the Eels or the Tigers are going to figure in September and will only contribute a handful of players to the Rugby League World Cup.
One club has no depth, its Under-20s team is 13th on the ladder and its NSW Cup feeder team is 10th out of 14.
The other club just let go of one of the most marketable players in the game.
In terms of the 2013 season, this game ranked lower than a dead rubber, but in the grand scheme of things, it reveals some startling truths about rugby league.
Leichhardt, Campbelltown and Parramatta lie scattered across the code’s heartland in Western Sydney; the glory, folklore, legends and history of each club is long and storied.
But both are doing it tough at the moment, and that’s troubling for the future of the game.
With the expansion of AFL into the area (it’s a strange irony just a week before the Eels-Tigers game, the GWS Giants claimed their first win of the season), the persistent spread of football and a growing concern over the physical (see: violent) nature of the sport, it’s no good to see these two proud clubs floundering at the foot of the table.
For rugby league to remain strong, it’s essential for the heartland clubs to be faring well.
Since Queensland’s State of Origin reign began, there’s only been one all-Sydney grand final (Dragons-Roosters in 2010). Compare that to the three New South Wales derbies (Knights-Eels in 2001, Panthers-Roosters in 2003 and Bulldogs-Roosters in 2004) played in the seven years leading up to Queensland’s dominance, which began in 2006.
Two of the four other finals in the seven years prior to Queensland’s reign were also won by Sydney sides – the Roosters in 2002 and the Tigers in 2005.
There’s surely a trend here.
Some of the play was pretty poor, to say the least, as the Eels snapped a 10 match losing streak with a 26-22 win over the hapless Tigers.
Defence often went missing, but in a crazy game in which the lead changed hands seven times, there were glimpses of the magic each side can produce too.
All tries were scored by outside backs, ensuring a high level of entertainment, even if it meant a tough old night for the kickers – who did remarkably well considering.
A healthy crowd turned out for the dead-rubber match and both sides obliged with an entertaining match that went down to the wire.
Benji Marshall’s off season continued, but Jarryd Hayne was back taking the line on and involved in a lot of the Eels’ attack.
How things might have been different if the Hayne Plane was in flight during Origin.
More exciting for these sides and for rugby league in the west was the amount of young talent on the field – although you’d imagine the Tigers will have more cause for confidence.
Their back three of James Tedesco, Marika Koroibete and David Nofoaluma have done some great things this season.
They say Koroibete is faster than Akuila Uate in his prime and the Tigers winger scored twice, while Nofoaluma can dine out on his miracle try against Manly the other week for years.
Throw Curtis Sironen in the mix with some of the young halves coming through the Tigers ranks, and you’ve got the foundation for a half decent football club.
Things are more ominous at Parramatta, but with Ricky Stuart shaking things up and starting to blood some youngsters towards the back end of the season, they too can begin thinking about the future.
New South Wales fans will be hoping the next batch of State of Origin winners are in there somewhere too.
Horatio
Guest
Ahh theres that Kempsey Queenslander Inglis again but Dugan from the ACT plays for NSW. Its no accident that the 4 WS teams played in western Sydney last weekend when the AFL had a game at ANZ. Speaking of which if there were 6, 611 at Penrith last night, I will streak at panthers club where I bet there were more than 6K...
Glenn Innis
Guest
The Queensland Origin team for game 3 was Matt Scott - Longreach Cameron Smith - Logan Sam Thaiday - Townsville Chris Mqueen - Kingaroy Corey Parker - Brisbane Dale Cherry - Evans - Redcliffe Ben Teo - New Zealand Matt Gilett - Bribie Island Josh Papali - Logan Billy Slater - Innisfail Darius Boyd - Gold Coast Greg Inglis - Kempsey Justin Hodges - Cairns Brent Tate - Roma Jonathon Thurston - Brisbane Cooper Cronk - Brisbane.
Glenn Innis
Guest
I disagree that Western Sydney is the Rugby league heartland, the sports real heartland is provincial and rural QLD and NSW - look at the stats for were our players come from. Football is pretty strong in Western Sydney and quite popular in South East Queensland but once you move more than about 100 miles from the Brisbane GPO League is the only game in town and I am sure NSW is much the same.
Benched
Guest
As a lifelong Parramatta supporter who grew up in the region during the halcyon days, it would be disconcerting for the management to hear my thoughts. I haven't been near an Eels match for years, and I won't be going back. I can't expose my kids to a bunch of redneck, racist, homophobic drunken louts abusing players, refs and even other supporters. Further, to spend money on a match that frankly, when watching live, seems to lack action and is over all too quick. It seems more time is spent waiting for video ref decisions, players trundling to an uncontested boring scrum, waiting for conversions and the amount of time wasted on penalties blown etc. The games lack atmosphere and simply just aren't worth the effort to attend when I can watch it from home if I'm interested in the match. On the other hand. I have just renewed my foundation membership with the Wanderers and attended not just most of their home games last season, but several away matches including Adelaide and Melbourne. I have no trouble taking the kids and the atmosphere (particulalrly from the RBB) is electric and contagious. I feel I get much better value for money from a Wanderers match. Just my 2 cents worth.
Ken
Guest
The concept that it's more important for the heartland clubs to be doing well doesn't really wash with me. By definition, in any given year, half of the teams are going to be doing better than average and the other half aren't. The clubs that do well get all sorts of benefits, memberships, merchandise, dormant supporters come out of the woodwork and new supporters are wooed. Clubs that aren't doing so well whittle away their fair weather supporters and even some of the hardcore put off their new jersey purchase til next year or might wait til next week to go to the game because it's a bit cold. All of this is given of course but I don't see any arguments there that is specific to the Sydney heartland clubs. The Queensland clubs are all doing poorly too and they are all suffering - Queensland is possibly more of a battleground than Sydney. They love their league but they love Queensland more, if their AFL teams or their Union team is doing well, they will support them instead. The Warriors have the ability to pull support from all of NZ if they are sticking it to those Aussies but if they're not doing well they might well just decide that they'll stick with Union. Melbourne is hardly heartland but I think most people would consider it for the good of the game if they're strong (within the rules of course). Anyone doing well is promoting the game in their area, unfortunately only half of the teams in the comp can be thought of as doing well.
ciudadmarron
Guest
It's an unfounded reputation. Crowds in Sydney drop by the same percentage crowds in Melbourne drop when a team doesn't make the finals.
Marldon
Guest
Q.E.D. Guess I am getting a bit fed up of whinging sydneysiders who think they have a god given right to the game.
Brendan Bradford
Roar Pro
Marldon, you've missed the point by a fair way there mate. I'm merely pointing out that there's a correlation between NSW teams making the GF and NSW doing well in Origin. And for what it's worth, I'm from NZ.
liatrevlis
Guest
Um , who cares !!! I guess it's a bit like an all Melb GF in the AFL !, and as for those states that don't get an opp to play in one , AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA HA A HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA ,
Brendan Bradford
Roar Pro
Yeah I might have been a bit cheeky saying Leichhardt is West. I'm sure most people in Leichhardt and Balmain would reject that idea too! And Johnno - love your passion!
Marldon
Guest
"there’s only been one all-Sydney grand final " WOW, how conceited can you get ???? How many all Brisbane GF's have there been ? or Melbourne ones ? or Perth or Adelaide ??? You complain because you haven't had an all Sydney GF for a while when other cities don't even get a team or even a game!
Matt_S
Guest
We'll see Allan what will happen if the Wanderers are on the lower reaches of the table. Do you think that famous Sydney sporting public & its reputation will hold fast for A-League? It is an amazing anomaly that Tigers, Parra and to a degree Penrith are nothing short of woeful for the last few years.
Allan
Guest
I'm a Westie and I don't believe for a second Leichhardt is Western Sydney, ask the residents they will vehemently deny it too. Nice rant though, dismiss AFL because we all know they won't last much longer but dismiss the A League at your own peril - the NRL are fast becoming the second code in town.
Johnno
Guest
When you say west sydney you think rugby league. It's west sydney's footy code. The premier rugby league heartland in the World. I remember my granddad would tell me as he was a west how all of west sydney, would look forward to going to lidcombe oval in the 50's,60's, and how he loved the mighty eels in the 70's and 80's, and rugby league was everything to baby boomers, and his generation of west sydney lads before the baby boomers, and how Jack Gibson was the best coached he saw. Rugby league needs west sydney, and west sydney needs rugby league. Baby boomers grew up playing rugby league and are ageing, and there grandkids the next generation gen X.Y.Z, love there sweet fix of rugby league. Tommy Radonikus and cattle dog style, rung through the viens of all westy kids today, and shouts of Sterlo. I feel like Australian poet Banjo Patterson. The stockman cracks the whip with those fluid tones. But rugby league is west sydney, from post-war baby boomers, crane the magpies,eels, newtown jets, panthers, and Doggies, and west tigers, the west;s love there rugby league, like nothing else. A few blow in codes try to capture the hearts of real aussies out west , but good on em, but rugby league runs through every westy's heart. Sterlo, to kenny to sterling, cut out-pass to Grothe, in the corner. Try time rex mossop and rabbits warren shout. And Jack Gibson's ghost flows over west sydney and Parra eels, and every westy. Love the 70's,80's90's, and the 2000's of west sydney rugby league. And long may it continue, and will continue. So the west tigers, and Eels, just need to hold strong, and battle on as Tommy Radonikus would say. They will be right, just the fans keep turning up supporting your west teams, the eels and Tiger's need you now. All the fibros, best way to tell the silvertails to get stuffed is to turn up and cheer on your team.