We've all heard the question asked about our club, "What is the Wests Tigers identity?" And to be honest I'm not sure myself. I do know, like the vast majority of fans, that Wests Tigers are a club forged out of the merger of Western Suburbs and Balmain Tigers. But it seems to me that Wests Tigers are not proud of that fact.
Anyway, today I looked at both the Brisbane Lions website and the St George Illawarra website to see what kind of information they provide on their history. Both sites provide significantly more than the Wests Tigers who, it must be noted, provided next to nothing. In fact this is about all you get:
"Wests Tigers is an NRL club based in the Inner West and South Western Sydney. The club was formed at the end of the 1999 NRL season as a result of a joint-venture between the Balmain Tigers and Western Suburbs Magpies."
Now compare that with Brisbane Lions who have a 5 paragraph summary of their history as well as links to a Hall of Fame (Fitzroy, Brisbane Bears and Brisbane Lions), names of all past players and officials and even a Historical Society set up "..for the safekeeping, repairing and maintenance of the Club's memorabilia."
St George Illawarra have an overview and historical timeline, a picture of the first St George Illawarra team as well as links to the Founding clubs, Saint George and Illawarra. There are also links to Club and individual records. It's well worth a look and really does put the Wests Tigers efforts to acknowledge their own history on their website to shame.
I only raise these points, and the question of "Who are We?" because I think we are actually trying to create an identity when the club's identity is right there before our eyes but we are doing as much as we can to ignore it. I've heard plenty of fans say that we must move away from Wests and Balmain and be our own club. The club will evolve over time there's no doubt about that but it's been 22 years now and I'm still unsure who we are and what we stand for. I'm just not sure why we can't be Wests Tigers, a club formed out of a merger between two great old clubs, two foundation clubs Wests and Balmain. Should we be ashamed of that or should we be embracing it? Isn't there strength in unity? To me this is where the strength of the club is, it's in its own foundation. You only need look at the other clubs who use their history to strengthen their identity, Souths with "Glory, Glory..", Saints with the big red V, the Roosters with "the Roosters way" (whatever that is). Souths and the Roosters are always going on about their rivalry and how it dates back to foundation days. for them it is not a weakness, it simply strengthens their identity. And by the way do we even have a club song? Is it "Eye Of The Tiger"? Surely not. It can't be "It's My Jungle...On the bus". Perhaps one day we'll have a club song that give us pride to sing it, which will be ours and ours only.
I might be completely off the mark and I'm fine with that but right now it's my opinion that the Wests Tigers Football Club will always struggle to be as strong as they can be until they take the first step and embrace their own history. Once they do that they will go a long way strengthening their identity because over the past 22 years I think we've really lost our way.
Great post! The problem is the club isn’t run by people with forward vision and confidence.
Wests Tigers Podcast - Talking everything Wests Tigers!
While ever we keep looking back at the Balmain Tigers or the Western Suburbs Magpies we won’t be looking forward, 22 years now. Always said it would take a generation (25 years) for the merger to solidify. Wests Tigers have there own history now, good and bad, and that’s where we need to draw our identity from. At the same time acknowledge the foundation clubs but that’s all. The future is the Wests Tigers, not throwbacks to the foundation clubs.
While ever we keep looking back at the Balmain Tigers or the Western Suburbs Magpies we won’t be looking forward, 22 years now. Always said it would take a generation (25 years) for the merger to solidify. Wests Tigers have there own history now, good and bad, and that’s where we need to draw our identity from. At the same time acknowledge the foundation clubs but that’s all. The future is the Wests Tigers, not throwbacks to the foundation clubs.
Do you see Campbelltown and Leichhardt strategy being a step back Mike?
Wests Tigers Podcast - Talking everything Wests Tigers!
While ever we keep looking back at the Balmain Tigers or the Western Suburbs Magpies we won’t be looking forward, 22 years now. Always said it would take a generation (25 years) for the merger to solidify. Wests Tigers have there own history now, good and bad, and that’s where we need to draw our identity from. At the same time acknowledge the foundation clubs but that’s all. The future is the Wests Tigers, not throwbacks to the foundation clubs.
Do you see Campbelltown and Leichhardt strategy being a step back Mike?
Yep. If you listen to Pascoe, it’s his idea and against those of the Board. While I appreciate everything Pascoe had done for the club, he is on shaky ground here.
While ever we keep looking back at the Balmain Tigers or the Western Suburbs Magpies we won’t be looking forward, 22 years now. Always said it would take a generation (25 years) for the merger to solidify. Wests Tigers have there own history now, good and bad, and that’s where we need to draw our identity from. At the same time acknowledge the foundation clubs but that’s all. The future is the Wests Tigers, not throwbacks to the foundation clubs.
Do you see Campbelltown and Leichhardt strategy being a step back Mike?
Yep. If you listen to Pascoe, it’s his idea and against those of the Board. While I appreciate everything Pascoe had done for the club, he is on shaky ground here.
I don't think he is saying the board are against it, more that it would be his preference.
In memory of Geoff Chisholm (1965-2022)
I don’t think Campbelltown is the future. We struggle to get crowds there.
I did see under the "foundation" link in the Wests Tigers site another link to "heritage" which it is hoped that a museum will be established recognising the history of the club. This is a wonderful idea. Imagine players walking into the Centre Of Excellence and seeing a a part of it especially dedicated to the history of the club, seeing pictures of greats dating back to last century and this, great moments etc. Perhaps some would be filled with a greater sense of pride knowing the history of the club dates back to foundation. It might even mean more to Wests juniors and Balmain juniors. I spoke to Rua Ngatikaura at the captain's run last week and when I mentioned that I was brought up in Lidcombe and had been following Wests and Wests Tigers for 50 years his eyes lit up and he replied "That's mad". Now I often think it's mad too but I understood what he meant despite my inability to keep up with the language of the youth these days. I wonder if I'm woke, I doubt it. Anyway, I don't know of anymore about the proposed museum mentioned on the Tigers site. I'm not sure why it isn't a big deal either because it should be. Does anyone know anything about it?
While ever we keep looking back at the Balmain Tigers or the Western Suburbs Magpies we won’t be looking forward, 22 years now. Always said it would take a generation (25 years) for the merger to solidify. Wests Tigers have there own history now, good and bad, and that’s where we need to draw our identity from. At the same time acknowledge the foundation clubs but that’s all. The future is the Wests Tigers, not throwbacks to the foundation clubs.
Do you see Campbelltown and Leichhardt strategy being a step back Mike?
Yep. If you listen to Pascoe, it’s his idea and against those of the Board. While I appreciate everything Pascoe had done for the club, he is on shaky ground here.
I don't think he is saying the board are against it, more that it would be his preference.
Sorry but that’s exactly what he said.
While ever we keep looking back at the Balmain Tigers or the Western Suburbs Magpies we won’t be looking forward, 22 years now. Always said it would take a generation (25 years) for the merger to solidify. Wests Tigers have there own history now, good and bad, and that’s where we need to draw our identity from. At the same time acknowledge the foundation clubs but that’s all. The future is the Wests Tigers, not throwbacks to the foundation clubs.
Do you see Campbelltown and Leichhardt strategy being a step back Mike?
Yep. If you listen to Pascoe, it’s his idea and against those of the Board. While I appreciate everything Pascoe had done for the club, he is on shaky ground here.
I don't think he is saying the board are against it, more that it would be his preference.
Sorry but that’s exactly what he said.
If you are talking about what he said at the Ambush event, he said the board might not agree but he would like to see a move to the traditional grounds. Unless he said it elsewhere he hasn't said the board are against it?
In memory of Geoff Chisholm (1965-2022)
While ever we keep looking back at the Balmain Tigers or the Western Suburbs Magpies we won’t be looking forward, 22 years now. Always said it would take a generation (25 years) for the merger to solidify. Wests Tigers have there own history now, good and bad, and that’s where we need to draw our identity from. At the same time acknowledge the foundation clubs but that’s all. The future is the Wests Tigers, not throwbacks to the foundation clubs.
Do you see Campbelltown and Leichhardt strategy being a step back Mike?
Yep. If you listen to Pascoe, it’s his idea and against those of the Board. While I appreciate everything Pascoe had done for the club, he is on shaky ground here.
I don't think he is saying the board are against it, more that it would be his preference.
Sorry but that’s exactly what he said.
If you are talking about what he said at the Ambush event, he said the board might not agree but he would like to see a move to the traditional grounds. Unless he said it elsewhere he hasn't said the board are against it?
If you’d recorded it we could have gone to the tape 😆😆😆
Wests Tigers Podcast - Talking everything Wests Tigers!
While ever we keep looking back at the Balmain Tigers or the Western Suburbs Magpies we won’t be looking forward, 22 years now. Always said it would take a generation (25 years) for the merger to solidify. Wests Tigers have there own history now, good and bad, and that’s where we need to draw our identity from. At the same time acknowledge the foundation clubs but that’s all. The future is the Wests Tigers, not throwbacks to the foundation clubs.
Do you see Campbelltown and Leichhardt strategy being a step back Mike?
Yep. If you listen to Pascoe, it’s his idea and against those of the Board. While I appreciate everything Pascoe had done for the club, he is on shaky ground here.
I don't think he is saying the board are against it, more that it would be his preference.
Sorry but that’s exactly what he said.
If you are talking about what he said at the Ambush event, he said the board might not agree but he would like to see a move to the traditional grounds. Unless he said it elsewhere he hasn't said the board are against it?
If you’d recorded it we could have gone to the tape 😆😆😆
Good call lol
In memory of Geoff Chisholm (1965-2022)
This is my last post in regards to Wests Tigers identity as I prefer to occasionally promote debate rather than take a great part in the debate. I think this topic is worth a little debating but probably with greater minds than my own. I may be grasping at straws here but today I thought how common it is for people with an indigenous background to acknowledge how proud they are of their heritage and how it gives them a greater sense of identity. You can also say this of most people who have different cultural backgrounds. You can also say it of yourself. Knowing the stories of your parents, grandparents etc gives you a greater sense of identity. Generally people are proud of their heritage, it contributes to who they are and who they become. It's rare for people to ignore it although due to circumstances that can happen. I don't think it is too different to a football club that is the product of a merger between two other, older football clubs. It's our choice although by not using it to strengthen our identity are we missing an opportunity to make us a better club?
This is my last post in regards to Wests Tigers identity as I prefer to occasionally promote debate rather than take a great part in the debate. I think this topic is worth a little debating but probably with greater minds than my own. I may be grasping at straws here but today I thought how common it is for people with an indigenous background to acknowledge how proud they are of their heritage and how it gives them a greater sense of identity. You can also say this of most people who have different cultural backgrounds. You can also say it of yourself. Knowing the stories of your parents, grandparents etc gives you a greater sense of identity. Generally people are proud of their heritage, it contributes to who they are and who they become. It's rare for people to ignore it although due to circumstances that can happen. I don't think it is too different to a football club that is the product of a merger between two other, older football clubs. It's our choice although by not using it to strengthen our identity are we missing an opportunity to make us a better club?
I think leveraging of the identity of Wests and Balmain was fine in the early days, but the club has been around for over 20 years now. I don't want to be hearing about Benny Elias and Blocker Roach, we have our own history and our own legends. It is time to step away from Mum and Dad and forge our own identity, no longer be looked at as the child of Wests and Balmain but an entity in our own right.
In memory of Geoff Chisholm (1965-2022)
This is my last post in regards to Wests Tigers identity as I prefer to occasionally promote debate rather than take a great part in the debate. I think this topic is worth a little debating but probably with greater minds than my own. I may be grasping at straws here but today I thought how common it is for people with an indigenous background to acknowledge how proud they are of their heritage and how it gives them a greater sense of identity. You can also say this of most people who have different cultural backgrounds. You can also say it of yourself. Knowing the stories of your parents, grandparents etc gives you a greater sense of identity. Generally people are proud of their heritage, it contributes to who they are and who they become. It's rare for people to ignore it although due to circumstances that can happen. I don't think it is too different to a football club that is the product of a merger between two other, older football clubs. It's our choice although by not using it to strengthen our identity are we missing an opportunity to make us a better club?
I think leveraging of the identity of Wests and Balmain was fine in the early days, but the club has been around for over 20 years now. I don't want to be hearing about Benny Elias and Blocker Roach, we have our own history and our own legends. It is time to step away from Mum and Dad and forge our own identity, no longer be looked at as the child of Wests and Balmain but an entity in our own right.
💯 spot on @garry
