Wests Tigers CEO Justin Pascoe has delivered an impassioned letter to fans, guaranteeing the club’s fragmented geographical state while praising his own sterling display of financial CPR.
Dear Tigers fans,
Let’s get things straight. The Wests Tigers may be second last on the ladder, but we’re not going anywhere.
Earlier this week, licensed provocateur Buzz Rothfield suggested a Sydney club should be relocated to Brisbane. He heavily implied it should be our Tigers.
Rothfield believed shifting us north will increase crowd averages, plus satisfy Brisbane’s sudden lust for afternoon games after they exhausted storage space hoarding advertising dollars.
In response to this, I can guarantee the Tigers will not be relocating to Brisbane.
How can we relocate thousands of kilometres north if we won’t even move to Campbelltown?
After spending years refusing the advantages of a comparatively safer region down the road with running water, Brisbane doesn’t stand a chance.
Rothfield’s recklessly re-heated suggestion to fling us to Queensland has the potential to disenchant our large swathe of fans.
(AAP Image/Michael Chambers)
Disenchanting fans is something the Wests Tigers are not in the business of, unless you’re referring to those in the south-west of Sydney.
Despite the potential to secure a heartland and broaden our community reach, we’ve decided basing the club in the south-west is unfeasible for business.
In light of this, the club will retain its sturdy foothold in transience.
We vow to our fans to remain half-pregnant, teasingly engaged enough with the Macarthur region, and near enough to Benny Elias’s two-bedroom solarium for nostalgic means.
And definitely not in Brisbane.
As for those suggesting relocation because they believe the club is a blazing administrative dumpster, these are the facts.
Not only are member numbers and sponsorships booming, the Tigers are now almost 47 days without a boardroom incident. That’s nearly as long as our current losing streak. It truly is the rudest state of health.
In addition, the club is also on track to apparently ‘post a profit’, whatever that is.
This fiduciary Houdini act has been underpinned by finalising our loan with the NRL, which was repaid with a sweepstakes cheque received in the mail from Readers Digest.
We are also thrilled by our enormous recruiting drive for 2018.
Russell Packer, Ben Matulino, Josh Reynolds and the guy from the Titans who looks like he’d rob you for smokes have signed with the club to counterbalance the desolation of the Luke Brooks extension.
Off the field, our chairperson Marina Go is working hard forming relationships with the game’s dignitaries that will benefit the club in the long term.
She assures me she has held encouraging discussions with Tom Greenburger, Joey Grant and the coach of one of the Origin clubs of which she could not recall, nor recognise.
Nevertheless, apparently he’d heard of the club, so it was a win.
The club’s massive strides forward have also been recognised by Channel Nine for end of season scheduling.
The Tigers have been scheduled to show on free-to-air more often than Karl Stefanovic, which is a timely boost despite exposing a wider audience to our pumpkin soup defence.
So in response to Rothfield’s implied suggestion to ship us to Brisbane, remember this: the Tigers are one of the top two joint ventures in this town, and we’re not moving for anyone. Not even our fans.
For proof this isn’t just a fanciful vision held by the club, check the results of the public poll conducted after the article.
In another win, the Tigers came first!
Rocky
Guest
Based at Springfield (South West of Brisbane) 6 x home matches at nearby Ipswich, and 6 x home matches at Suncorp Std - renamed West Moreton tigers? if that's to drastic, Wests Tigers can remain as their name.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
If Adelaide or Darwin can have decent numbers of NRL followers, nothing wrong with GWS having a few in Oran Park.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Not that long ago the Sharks were on the planned chopping block, and the usual media'experts" were pushing foe that to happen. Funny how things can change in a short time span.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
They'll need to get greatly improved Tv audiences in Sydney,being static at a very low base for many years is hardly a great incentive. Having great crowds for 1 club and poor Tv audiences for both is not a persuasive argument for TV execs. In the time frame anycase Brisbane and Perth will have their NRL teams, and the Titans and Knights will have been sold. Adelaide has shown there is support for an NRL club based on the Roosters v Storm game with 18,000 locals attending.Let's face it Adelaide needs a wider choice of top class winter sports.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
They used the GWS calculator I;m told.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
I thought Greater Western Sydney encompassed the huge megatropolis area of Sydney/Canberra.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Yet some of their biggest crowds of late have been at the so called " gentrified " Balmain/Leichhardt area. Even Glebe I understand has started up a rl team and plan for juniors.
Ray
Guest
The only problem with your argument is that Wests Tigers are made up of 60% Balmain supporters. The Magpies were dead and buried, so Penrith, Warriors & 3 or 4 other teams inherited the black and white.
Steve L.
Guest
Group 6 have the Picton Magpies, don't need a Sydney club trying to stake a claim here. Besides, there appears to be a lot more Balmain supporters down here than Western Suburbs supporters.
Lidcombe Oval
Guest
You forget though the Balmain side is broke have no leagues club OR MONEY and Wests own 75% soon to be 100% of the JV- You assume that people residing in inner city would follow Wests Tigers though - I doubt it - Balmain have dwindling junior areas whereas Macarthur and Group 6 whom they should form a partnership with have expanding junior areas. Oh they wont attract people to work at Campbelltown as it too far away- what a lot of croc and more attractive living in a shoe box inner city flat than a 5 or more bedroom house on a 1/4 block with front and backyards for kids to play in -your article makes me laugh how little you so called inner city dim whit yuppies know - oh have another organic expresso and a bowl of organic lentils. What a disparaging article from some dim whit called boonboon- what kind of name is that?
Lidcombe Oval
Guest
Swans and GWS are going great guns - better than most Sydney based NRL teams by far- even 15 k tonight vs the Cats is better than most Sydney based NRL teams get to attend their games.- Swans get 30 k plus apart from the Roosters vs St George Anzac day game no other NRL game in Sydney get even half that on average
Lidcombe Oval
Guest
They do mate and if the NRL don't do something the area will be lost to AFL as they put stacks of money into development - get rid of Balmain expresso sippers and hanger-on's like Back Door Benny/Crispy Crème Sirro and Blockhead Roach and rename them Macarthur Magpies based in Leumeah (Campbelltown) and develop Campbelltown Stadium and Macarthur and Group 6 junior area's backed by Wests at Ashfield and Leumeah (Campbelltown) - Balmain don't have any money nor a Leagues club even- what a joke
Lidcombe Oval
Guest
Time the boat anchor broke Balmain side of the JV was cut and Wests takeover - Macarthur Magpies in Black and White is dynamite is the only future for this club - Wests could then develop Macarthur Juniors including Group 6 and have Campbelltown stadium revamped and play all home games there as Balmain expresso sippers have no connection at all to Wests nor are they needed. Backdoor Benny good riddance to you and Crispy Crème Sirro and Blockhead Roach and co not needed not required
Lidcombe Oval
Guest
Tigers should be told relocate to Campbelltown or fold and Wests take over - Wests own soon to be 100% of this dysfunctional Balmain side dominated club and time this JV be based at Campbelltown and dump for ever the boat anchor Broke Balmain side. Time for a rename - Macarthur Magpies - back in the Black and White are dynamite Sack Pascoe too NOW
Rellum
Roar Guru
I have been reading for years that Sydney teams just need to relocate to Brissy and they will flourish. It seems to be the thinking down there that we will fall over ourselves with excitement that a Sydney teams is playing here. So yes there are plenty of Sydney types who spout this nonsense. Of course there are plenty who think relocation to Brisbane is nonsense, or relocating to anywhere.
Josh
Guest
The second team failed so let's start a 3rd. Brilliant.
Hunter
Guest
Honestly wouldn't be surprised if there's a third AFL team in Sydney before there's a second team in Brisbane. Unbelievable.
Birdy
Guest
R U are doing a fine job on their own setting the code back 100 years.
Bugo
Guest
Hi Jimbo. I know you may be a regular roarer but it seems you may not have read to many of Dane's articles. They are often very funny and obviously not fact based.
damascus
Guest
And a GWS Tigers combo winning the A league would set back Rugby Union a century