Talking Footy

How West was lost
Paul Kent
The Daily Telegraph
January 12, 201212:00AM

SHED a tear for the final demise of the Western Suburbs Magpies and make it heavy on the nostalgia, light on the reality. The truth is the Magpies have been dead since 1999 when the joint venture with Balmain Tigers was first announced, just no one wanted to identify the body.

The Tigers got the better of it then - the Tiger, the predominantly black and gold colours, the ethos - and Magpies officials have always felt more than a little aggrieved because of it. Now news has emerged that the Magpies' NSW Cup team is entering its final season this year, and possibly sooner, bringing to an end a run that goes all the way back to 1908 but seems much longer, on account there hasn't been a lap of honour for more than half of those years.

Since the joint venture the Magpies have been playing in NSW Cup as part of the partnership terms in what was a well-intentioned bid to retain the Western Suburbs and Balmain Tigers identities, but never really came close to doing that.

How many Magpies fans, threatening to now walk away after reading the news yesterday, ever went to see the Western Suburbs Magpies play?

There were more significant concerns yesterday.

The question was rightfully pondered about what the death of the Magpies might do for rugby league in the Greater Western Suburbs - the Campbelltown kind, not the Lidcombe kind - particularly in light of the Godzilla-like threat of that other team marketing itself to the ratepayers of Greater Western Sydney.

Outrage was considered as the first appropriate response before being quickly discarded.

Concern was next, replaced by confusion and ultimately frustration.

Once again, rugby league's incompetency is mostly one of its own doing, and the demise of the Magpies falls directly under that.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 6242159632

King-Eliagh wrote:

Hmm yes quite a shame and I agree rugby league has allowed this rich club to fall without putting enough of a fight up. Cant agree on the GWS godzilla analogy, there's just no evidence to support their success as yet, especially if one is suggesting GWS is 'taking over RL in the west'. This suggestion is simply laughable.

Topper wrote:

This is why I believe that the merger of West Tigers and Parramatta be more likely than Parramatta and Penrith.

Xman wrote:

The timing and location could not be better for the AFLs new team.

NSWAFL wrote:

"particularly in light of the Godzilla-like threat of that other team marketing itself to the ratepayers of Greater Western Sydney"

That quote is from the article in the OP. King actually put his finger on the nub of the problem. No fight.

Dave, there's nothing stopping a merged club from merging again with another.

Raiderdave wrote:

Xman wrote:

The timing and location could not be better for the AFLs new team.

a club that hasn't competed in the NRL for 12 years folding ... means the AFL's timing for GWS couldn't be better ?


please

let go of those straws

Raiderdave wrote:

Xman wrote:

The timing and location could not be better for the AFLs new team.

a club that hasn't competed in the NRL for 12 years folding ... means the AFL's timing for GWS couldn't be better ?


please

let go of those straws

cooee wrote:

The opposite is happening with the Dragons. They are bring back Illawarra this season to the NSW Cup.