My day at the WTSA meeting Wests Ashfield last Saturday.

My name is Tutty (it isn’t but I’m supposed to be anonymous) and I’m a Wests Tigers supporter. 

I would like to share with fellow Wests Tigers supporters my experiences last Saturday at the Wests Tigers Supporters Anonymous meeting. I attended what must be my 10th or so meeting of WTSA and as I entered Wests Ashfield at 2pm I could immediately feel a chill & the overwhelming desire to yell “Get ‘em onside!” & “Lolly legs!” to anyone standing nearby but I knew I had to keep myself under control. I walked upstairs & bought myself a beer, I needed a sedative or all hell could’ve broke loose, one “they’ve been doin” it all day!” and who knows what might’ve happened, I shiver now at the thought. With a fellow sufferer, Mick, at my side we entered the auditorium. An immediate smile of reassurance crossed my face as I spotted the dozen or so supporters already there preparing for our session. I let out a “Tigers!!!” as I joined a table of friends, we felt at ease knowing we were with like minded, long term sufferers. We exchanged pleasantries & discussed the game that would be taking place within the hour & one or two other Wests Tigers issues. We knew we were solving nothing but we also knew the discussion was our therapy & a way to deal with our own battles that only other Wests Tigers supporters could truly understand. Once settled we sat & waited for that sound, that one blow of a whistle that could make or break us, I held my glass tight, almost trembling as I took another swallow, “c’mon boys!”, it had begun. Naden was penalised for being a disrupter & Steve exclaimed with resignation “here we go”, it wasn’t a good start. A hammy to Toa as he looked to be close to scoring from a kick meant another trip to the bar, “another trip” how that phrase came back to haunt me. Bradman Best was giving Nado & Charlie big problems but we were hanging in there. Garry scoffed a pizza, comfort food in the hope it’d provide the comfort he needed right then. But we were always chasing the game & as Wests Tigers supporters were always chasing that hit, that shot of adrenaline when a win comes. But we know it doesn’t come often & we do what we do to get through. When the final whistle blew our session was almost over. We discussed what went well, what went wrong, I got another beer, Rachel got another wine & Yoti a Canadian Club. We drank & waited for the rain to stop before departing, but it feels like it’s always raining doesn’t it. I smiled as I walked back to the station to catch my train, happy that I had once again shared my day with people who understand. And I remembered these words:

Richo, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, The courage to change the things I can, And the wisdom to know the things I can.