A lack of parity exists between the Western Suburbs Magpies and Balmain Tigers in the joint venture.
This lack of parity exists in deed and in fact, on and off the playing field and includes the quality of games allotted to each home ground.
It exists also in the media with commentators referring to them all too often as ‘Balmain’, and extends down to merchandise, with little if any including the Magpies logo.
This Tiger-dominated situation exists despite Balmain being in voluntary administration and is something that Magpies supporters generally find extremely egregious.
Balmain dominate their joint venture with Western Suburbs. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
This letter is in response to the polite brush-off given to an inquiry I made of the club. It is not just about Magpies supporters. It is about the future of the game in the Macarthur region and, by extension, the game generally.
It is fully understood that the clubs are ‘independent businesses subject to their own corporate governance’. It is also understood that relying on this as any sort of satisfactory response is a cop-out.
The NRL issues the licences allowing clubs to participate in the competitions it administers. The NRL also licences merchandise. But most importantly, as peak body, it has a responsibility to ensure the health and long-term viability and growth of the game.
We are all aware that Wests Ashfield intends to keep harvesting talent from the Macarthur region for its largely inner-city team through its alleged gateway program, while continuing to pay lip-service to the region in terms of time and resources.
Meanwhile, the Magpie logo is slowly being stripped away, extending now to the juniors.
The Wests Tigers, at least under the current board, will never be a team of and for the Macarthur region.
The region deserves better than this. It deserves a team it can truly embrace as its own.
If this is not done, the far more forward-thinking men and women of the AFL and A-League will step in and the region will become a rugby league backwater.
If the NRL supports the Wests Tigers remaining as a team, then consideration should be given to restricting that team to the Ashfield and inner-city areas and actively seeking an individual or group willing to financially support a new franchise for the Macarthur Region, to be known as the Macarthur Magpies. This should be done in time or season 2022 – the year earmarked for possible expansion.
The tone and language of the response I received from the club is not one responsive to a fan.
It is one keen only on pushing the idea that the NRL and the teams within it, are corporations and that ‘the brand’ is everything from a sales point of view. The fan who made the inquiry is totally left out of the reply and the equation – except as a source of revenue – if only he would get on board with the program.
At least the NRL is not even attempting to hide the fact the game no longer belongs to the average punter.
But I challenge the NRL to prove this wrong.
I challenge the NRL to commission a poll in the Macarthur region asking the simple question: “Would you prefer to have the Wests Tigers inner-city team play here three times a year or have a team based here and known as the Macarthur Magpies?”
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
How is it that the "West Tigers" jersey has a "tiger" on it, and yet the Western Suburbs Magpies jersey has the Maggie AND a bl00dy tiger?
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
be great if the Maggies returned as an independant club being a foundation club and all.
James Preston
Roar Guru
More focusing on your comments as opposed to the article, you're very quick to label the Balmain side of the venture as now dragging down the merger but at the same time you're huge on history. Let's focus on your comments of the "dead Tiger." In the first instance the NRL would have accepted the application from the Tigers NOT the Magpies, independent assessments also established that Balmain could have continued operating (for at least a few years - yes, they were by no means in great shape) whereas Magpies were completely shot with no capital behind them - not to mention truly horrendous on field performance for several consecutive years. At the time it was Balmain who offered a lifeline albeit through a merger of convenience. The Magpies logo has been included on EVERY kit since the clubs inception and over the last 10 years the amount of orange/gold - a distinctly unique colour in the competition has continued to be reduced, to suggest that Magpies history/legacy is fading in a visual sense is completely false. WESTS TIGERS pays homage to both sides. On history itself, BOTH, are foundation clubs. You've raised a point of Magpies having 8 decades of history thrown out, yet, you're more than comfortable doing so to Balmain despite having 11 premierships to Magpies 4, despite featuring in what many believe the greatest grand final (and one of the best ever matches) in '89, despite the likes of Laurie Nichols, despite calling Leichardt Oval - a ground steeped in history and nostalgia and still viewed as the ultimate venue in Rugby League and despite the countless legends that have played for the club. The bias is staggering. Very few are calling for more games in Campbeltown (crowds are rubbish to start with) and the current split is even - despite there being a strong desire for more Leichardt games. The key problem as others have illustrated is there should be more use of suburban grounds in general. But, you either need to pick history or current standing as your argument, they contrast one another, and if you're going for the current situation then put simply the branding is too strong amongst fans and the NRL and you risk disenfranchising more than half of the current supports - Balmain holdovers and those who have only known Wests Tigers. The idea of a Magpies standalone is inane.
Paulie
Roar Rookie
An attack on the Tigers Brand is an attack on a viable joint venture. Forget the hurt feelings, forget Balmain and Western Suburbs. The social structures and demographics that fed those foundation teams is just history. History to be honoured but it is from a past that is unrecognisable to the young fan of 2019. The Tiger is a superior brand to the Nagpie because the Tiger is an Apex Predator in the natural world. When the ancient Romans asked the question: Who would win in a fight between a lion and a Tiger they pitted them against each other in the Colloseum. The Tiger ripped the Lion apart. On the other hand, the Magpie is ... well let’s survey the brand attributes of the current NRL lineup: Roosters- Cocks of the Walk Dragons- Fiercesome mythical beasts Titans- Giants that walked the Earth before Man Raiders- Relentless pillagers Broncos - Wild untamed horses possessing an independent spirit Eels - Slippery and elusive Sea Eagles- soaring free on wings of desire to greatness Bulldogs- tenacious and loyal, unforgiving in pursuit of its prey Rabbits - prolific in breeding, ubiquitous in nature Cowboys- tough individualists who combine as a team to tame their adversaries Storm - tempestuous sons and daughters of Thor, the harbingers of lightning. Knights- elite warriors bound by a solemn oath of fealty and chivalry Sharks- the apex predator of the worlds oceans Warriors- Polynesia’s best and strongest , on land and sea. and the Magpie? A scavenger bird, at home amongst roadkill. A bin diver. It’s about the Brand, not the wistful remininiscnes of old men.
Sammy
Guest
The Wests Tigers have an affiliation with two Sydney districts and two NSW regions known as: * Inner West = Leichhardt + Ashfield + Marrickville + Burwood + Canada Bay * Macarthur = Camden + Campbelltown + Wollondilly * Southern Highlands = Mittagong, Bowral, Moss Vale (Group 6 CRL) * Namoi / New England = Tamworth, Armidale (Group 4 & 19) Their territory is disjointed but that has nothing to do with being the Club starting out as a JV. Both constituent clubs (shareholders) have their origins in Sydney's Inner West. The old Western Suburbs Magpies have zero capital and zero junior Clubs in the Macarthur region. From 2019 the Macarthur Junior League is no longer called WSDJRL, which was a Magpies entity that went into liquidation in 2018. The junior clubs have now formed a League called "Wests Tigers Macarthur District Junior Rugby League Limited", which is associated with Wests Tigers, not the shareholders of Wests Tigers. The Club / Entity that participates in the is "Wests Tigers Rugby League Football Club Pty Ltd" which is a private company limited by shares. The identity of the shareholders is irrelevant. It just so happens that Wests Tigers RLFC Pty Ltd is owned by Wests Ashfield Leagues Club which is a not-for-profit hospitality organisation and Balmain Football Club. After 20 years, the original identities of the shareholders (Balmain and Western Suburbs Football Clubs) are simply marketing brands with some historical intellectual property that is collectively owned by Wests Tigers RLFC Pty Ltd and its members. The CRL (Groups 4, 6 and 19) have partnerships with Wests Tigers, NOT the individual shareholders of Wests Tigers. Other Sports Clubs like Western Suburbs League Club (Campbelltown) Ltd and Ryde Eastwood Leagues Club Limited deal with Wests Tigers, NOT the individual shareholders of Wests Tigers.
steve blockass
Guest
I just woke up and was thinking the same thing, then I opened this article up and you literally took the words out of my mouth. You hardly ever hear of the magpies or the real western sydney. They pay homage to people out hear in the macarthar region with "wests" but really its a blanket word, I really do not identify with people who live in Ryde and bilmain, it is not our western sydney. I hate it when people say "lets go you wests balmain Tigers". And further more, its an even insult when they put the smallest magpie, to pay homage to our Magpies. The bilmain tigers are just taking our money and our talent. they being paid to much to actually want to win anything. 700k for a water boy. I say bring back the magpies. But don't worry I see to it it will eventually happen, considering Macarthur has recently got a new a league team. And the population is going to boom even more.
terrance
Guest
A somewhat weird inaccurate article has moved towards total make-it-up as you go. In the theme of non stop unrealistic relocation articles, lets just move the West Tigers to Perth and call them the Perth Tigpies and then forget about the free-loading Balmain Tigers and the never successful West Magpies forever. Canterbury, Parramatta, Penrith and St George can all look after the Macarthur (who even uses that name? Most people in Sydney wouldn't know where or what that is, let alone those outside of Sydney. The Macquarie Fields Magpies might have more appeal, most people have heard of Macquarie Fields.)
terrance
Guest
When merged in 1999 there was never a forced merger of there juniors. Still isn't. That was a made up fact of convenience. Both teams were feeder clubs to the NRL and had their own junior rep teams and competitions. Over time (rather recently) the lack of teams in the Balmain local area and funding saw them move into competitions broadly based across northern Sydney (but they aren't alone there). Both the Balmain Tigers and Wests Magpies still field their own teams in the S G Ball (u18s) and Harold Matts (u16s). In the 20s (Jersey Flegg) it is a combined West Tigers. That's a more accurate light on the subject.
michael holland
Guest
Port Moresby Hunters - (2035+) Nth QLD Cowboys Sunshine Coast Dolphins - Sunshine Stadium (2025+) (Take 4 games to Redcliffe) Brisbane Broncos West Brisbane Jets - Ipswich Stadium (2035+) Gold Coast Titans Newcastle Knights Central Coast Sea Eagles - (2020+) (Take 2 games to Brookvale) Penrith Panthers - Penrith Stadium (Takes 1 game to Bathurst) Parramatta Eels - Parramatta Stadium (Takes 1 game to Darwin) Western Sydney Tigers - Campbelltown Stadium (Take 2 games to Leichardt) Canterbury Bulldogs - (Liverpool Stadium) or ANZ (takes 2 games to Belmore) - (Take 1 game to Christchurch NZ) (possible future relocation) (rename Canterbury Bulldogs)(2050) Sydney Roosters - Allianz Stadium South Sydney Rabbitoh's - Allianz Stadium (take 1 game to Hobart) Cronulla Sharks - (take 1 game to Coffs Harbour)(relocate to Coffs Harbour)(2050+) Illawarra - St George Dragons - Wollongong (Take 2 games to Kogarah) Canberra Raiders Melbourne Storm Adelaide Bulls - (2025+) Perth Redbacks - (2022+) Auckland Warriors Wellington Wolves (2022+)
Peter Bolland
Guest
Bring on the Magpies.
michael holland
Guest
Maybe the best solution is to have Balmain Tigers (one day I hope) & Western Suburbs Magpies playing in the NSW Cup while a name change to Western Sydney Tigers might be more appropriate, I believe either build a new stadium in Liverpool & share with the Bulldogs or play the majority of games at Campbelltown & take a 2 games to Leichardt & maybe 1 game to ANZ stadium with Parramatta on Easter Monday
John Hopkins
Guest
I agree that Western Suburbs Magpies is losing it's identity.
Sammy
Guest
All junior clubs in the Macarthur Region are now members of a Junior League called “Wests Tigers Macarthur District Junior Rugby League Limited”, NOT the Magpies. The CRL Group 6 has a partnership with Wests Tigers, NOT the Magpies. The West Tigers RLFC Pty Ltd are the club that is part of the NRL, NOT the Magpies. It’s pointless referring to the shareholders of the West Tigers nowadays. Who cares who owns the Club. It’s a private company limited by shares.
Larry1950
Guest
MacArthur deserves its own team indeed, but no more than rugby league heartlands like Ipswich, Toowoomba, Central Qld etc before there are any further NSW teams in the NRL competition. I recall it was the failing Sydney club comp that resulted in expansion bringing in Qld sides but you never had the guts to cull anyone. How Cronulla is seen as anything other than the established club St George's little brother I don't know. What has MacArthur actually done for league over the last 100 odd years.
Ben
Guest
Can’t see further NSW teams as the ideal growth scenario, I doubt the mighty Bears will ever be seen again on the central coast either. The future is national- Perth and Adelaide, potentially with Wellington and another Qld team (maybe Brisbane-Ipswich, maybe Central Qld - Rockhampton/Gladstone ). Perhaps there is some chance of the Magpies and Bears relocating to one of these areas but I’m betting the Sharks will see the light and relocate prior to the next TV deal.
max power
Guest
of course there is no evidence of fudged figures. have a look next time on TV and think of the incentive to do so
peeeko
Roar Guru
why does illawarra get a team?
bazza200
Roar Rookie
Your not getting another team in sydney.
greg parker
Roar Rookie
So in ten years, the first ten years of WT will be wiped as not counting – and that will include their sole premiership. How arbitrary and convenient your take on history is. It is indeed my opinion – based on a body of facts. infrastructure, juniors, ISP, growth estimates and that thing you hate called history all point to Macarthur being deserving of a team. The Bulldogs can have Liverpool. So you believe the Wests side of the JV should continue to lug around the dead Tiger even in a move back to Campbelltown? LOL .
BA Sports
Roar Guru
Yep I care very little for history more than 20 years ago because I am worried about attracting new people and new people don’t care about 1955, they just don’t. And it isn’t a fact that the Macarthur deserve their own team, it’s your opinion, which you are entitled to. But that doesn’t make it a fact. Macarthur is no more entitled to their own team than Liverpool and Fairfield who have a bigger population and who through history have produced just as many players. So since neither is going to happen, how about a team that represents all of them? But if you want to persist with the Macarthur, since the magpies spent fewer years in the Macarthur than the Tigers have, perhaps Tigers is more relevant since they have more history in the Macarthur?