Wests Tigers Podcast Episode 0138

A bit disappointed with this episode with only 3 guys stating their preference to a home ground. Joel did say he would run another poll but I would have loved some outside noise (Tiger fans ringing in to voice their opinions).

like always with the NRL the ‘top’ Sydney clubs get everything on a platter. Penrith getting a brand new state of the art stadium, Roosters getting a new state of the art stadium stadium and Parramatta get another new stadium.

outside of Sydney I drool about stadiums for Broncos, Cowboys, Newcastle, Gold Coast and even Canberra.

but be one of the lesser Sydney teams and you have to settle for ancient suburban grounds or you have to share grounds.

I live in central Qld so I can’t go to games but I still want a top home ground for my team - I am not happy seeing the gypsy Tigers butterflying all over the place.

Good discussion again guys,

I don't mind the split of CTown and Leichhardt as long as they receive a bit of an update.

I think the Tamworth game is very important and every club should take a game to a country area.

Good debate on the stadium, the club has one chance to get this right they need to take time with it and ensure the move is the best for the club. 

Historically campbletown is where teams go to die

Leichardt not up to scratch in 2022

Homebush is a big 80k stadium with COE just down the road

I think as a club we need to spread our wings over Sydney and still play some LO and CSS and at a homebush or SFS. 

I would love the club to poll its members on what grounds, reason being some of our great Tigers fans don't live in Sydney and don't attend games but support the club so they watch on TV. advocate for one stadium 

If the members don't support one stadium to go to then we die as a club

This is perhaps the biggest issue the club faces and when a decision is arrived at,you want to make sure there is firm united support for it across the board.Inevitably there will be dissenting voices and opposition,but c’est la vie.We can’t afford as a serious stakeholder to be still bobbing about like a cork in the ocean.We do have to establish the fortress mentality,and my argument is the logic of following the demographics.For mine then it has to be predominantly Campbelltown/Macarthur centric(then ratio it with Leichhardt how you will).People have argued that the highrise developments of the inner western corridors are incredible growth areas also,but if you scratch below the surface I don’t think the demographics will be screaming out Rugby League nursery at you.Establishing ourselves in the massive SouthWest will in my opinion shore up our survival if there are future attempts to re rationalise the Sydney based sides.

I believe the model of developing a partnership with the MacArthur Bulls soccer side is a smart affiliation and gives greater leverage to future stadium funding.We also gain the advantage of not sharing a ground with other NRL entities which absolutely undermines the true ,tribal,parochial advantage of home ground status which is at the heart and soul of Rugby League.The absolute absurdity of playing our home game against the Eels at BankWest as we have in the past defies logic,considering our past status as 9th place specialists.The game is so tight now you can’t afford to relinquish the slightest advantage.

Another great pod!

Like the hot topic focus.

I was a little surprised you all end up pretty much agreeing that:

- 30k stadium at homebush would be the most ideal

- Given that isn't happening, 30k stadium at Ctown the next best option

- Leichardt isn't up to scratch for a professional football team in 2020

- having 8 of the 'event' games at Ctown (at least) cements it as our 'home ground' would encourage memberships 

I think while everyone has landed on different options - if you ran the  poll I think most fans would agree with the above

Great pod. A good idea to respond to a topical issue. As much as I enjoy hearing views of the team it would really set your pod apart if you could leverage your contact with the club to get some sort of dialogue going where we can have this discussion together with them rather than the fans have a one sided conversation with themselves

Posted by: @canberratiger

Good discussion again guys,

I don't mind the split of CTown and Leichhardt as long as they receive a bit of an update.

I think the Tamworth game is very important and every club should take a game to a country area.

Can’t disagree with you CT on your last sentiment,as country rugby league has been raped and pillaged for too long.How long can centralised RL keep drinking from the well without replenishing it?

Hey guys , 

Always a divisive topic but personally like mentioned the preference would be a 30k stadium at Homebush and would happily take 12 games their. 

Without that I wouldn't prefer to keep the mix we have this year. 3 at Leichardt and Campbelltown, 4 at bankwest and Tammworth and Magic Round and every 2nd year 1 a t Homebush for the Easter game 

I think the big games need to be at Bankwest or Homebush against Souths, Dogs, Eels and any special events like Anzac day. 

the 3 games at Lecihadt make them event games, the 3 at Campbelltown should be aginst Penrith and then out of town teams because away fans just won't travel to Campbelltown and in reality very very few from the inner west will either. 

THe current apporach gives local games to fans across the West. 

Also I can't see big name sponsors wanting games at Campbelltown - I work in a large corporate in the city and you just couldn't get execs out to Campbelltown and thats something they want for their sponsor $$ but you would get them to Parra or Homebush 

Why isn't concord oval being considered? There is not enough seating based on the redevelopment as it stands today but there is potential for more seating on at least two sides. Concord would be a genuine home ground for the Wests Tigers and importantly its not linked to either Wests or Balmain foundation clubs.

@boonboon good post, it is the campbletown factor of big end of town will  OT support or go to the ganes out there. Historically it has never worked even with a big new stadium I have my doubts it would still work. Many families move out south west to purchase homes etc and have strong ties to previous teams they support e.g. parra or dogs etc my other fear is whatever way we go we alienate half our membership base if it is a full time move to Campbelltown or Leichardt (not that it would happen)

I’m actually in Campbelltown today and each time I come here I really get the sense that it is separate to Sydney. The Macarthur region needs its own team but I think it’s only going to work if it’s a 100% commitment, not a Sydney club that swans in and out.

Do we really want to be that commuted? Is there a way of making this work when the COE is in Concord? I just don’t know.

It’s going to be interesting to see how this plays out.

Posted by: @helmesy

I’m actually in Campbelltown today and each time I come here I really get the sense that it is separate to Sydney. The Macarthur region needs its own team but I think it’s only going to work if it’s a 100% commitment, not a Sydney club that swans in and out.

Do we really want to be that commuted? Is there a way of making this work when the COE is in Concord? I just don’t know.

It’s going to be interesting to see how this plays out.

Agree, it needs its own team. Not a half hearted attempt. That has failed before and will fail again.  

With the COE at Concord, Campbelltown is not our future full time.

The SFS, Stadium Australia or a purpose built stadium at Homebush are our best options at growing the brand, at both the fan and corporate level. Anything less and we are taking a backwards step (again). 

We need some forward thinking on this.

The growth out West is surpassed by the growth in the inner city and surrounding suburbs. They are not stagnant. The number of units going up is growing continuously, accelerating even and won’t stop anytime soon. Look up. The 1/4 acre blocks are going and making way for units upon units. This seems to be ignored by our chairman and it will be to his detriment if he continues to do so. 

Yeah enjoyed the pod guys and I have to agree with Gary that we should play mainly out of Campbeltown. 35K stadium would be ideal. Because don’t they play the round ball game out there aswell?

But what do we do whilst the ground is getting an upgrade? I mean that would take about a year to complete wouldn’t it?

We really have been turned over here by a combination of the LNP state government and the NRL.

A redeveloped Homebush was and is the optimum solution from the Tigers and when funding was pulled from this, I agree with Garry, we should have been more vocal.

We should be even more vocal now as it's transpired that the funding earmarked for Homebush, which we were told was being diverted to pay for schools and hospitals(remember that one) is actually going to pay for nice shiny new stadiums for Penrith, Manly and St George and as for the Tigers well you'll need to share with the Bulldogs.

There is not a single reason why a new stadium is needed at Penrith, they have an adequate stadium there already which they share with no one except the odd Wanderers match and is easily accessible by road. I apologise for getting political here but it's just the latest blatant example of LNP pork barrelling in a swing constituency. 

We should be calling this out and asking a number of questions:

• Why do we need to replace the stadium at Penrith when there is a adequate stadium there already and there are teams with no stadiums of their own.
• Why does it seem to be acceptable for the Tigers to ground share with the Bulldogs but not for Cronulla to share with St George when their current home grounds are 10km apart.
• Why is the funding earmarked for Homebush, previously diverted to schools and hospitals, being diverted to other build stadiums which will be used much less than world class stadium at Homebush.

It looks very much to me that the NRL are trying to marginalise the Tigers and make us vulnerable to a move or amalgamation and now we are financially stable it's time for the club to stand up and be vocal about this. We should be pushing hard to get the Homebush redevelopment back on the table, it makes sense for everyone involved and we should be categorically stating that we will not accept a ground share with the Dogs at Liverpool. at the very least, as Garry said, if we move to the Macarthur it should be to a new stadium.

We should be at the front of the queue for a new stadium given our predicament but instead we don't even seem to be in the conversation.