Wests Tigers
Encyclopedia
The Wests Tigers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's mid-western suburbs. They have competed in the National Rugby League
since they were formed at the end of the 1999 season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers
and the Western Suburbs Magpies
.
The Wests Tigers started playing in the 2000 NRL season and won their maiden premiership in 2005. Although this is the Wests Tigers' only NRL premiership to date, the club has a heritage of eleven premierships won by Balmain and four by Western Suburbs, both foundation clubs from the NSWRFL's creation in 1908. The Wests Tigers also won the World Sevens
in 2004.
The Wests Tigers have three home grounds: Leichhardt Oval
(the home ground of Balmain), Campbelltown Stadium
(the home ground of Western Suburbs) and the Sydney Football Stadium. They also play one "home" game at the Sydney Cricket Ground
. They are currently coached by Tim Sheens
and captained by Robbie Farah
.
began in 1908 as the New South Wales Rugby League premiership
(NSWRL) which had nine teams from the Sydney, Australia area. Two of those teams were clubs based in Balmain and the Western Suburbs. The Balmain club, who later adopted a Tiger as their emblem, in their tenure in the NSWRL won eleven premierships in twenty grand finals and was one of the forces in the NSWRL competition. However their last premiership success was in 1969 and in the 1990s with many new clubs being established, there was pressure on clubs to perform to survive in the first grade competition in Australia.
The Westerns Suburbs club was less successful, only winning four premierships in twelve grand finals over the tenure of the NSWRL competition. The Western Suburbs Magpies, like the Balmain Tigers, had a dismal 1990s winning rate, and again there was pressure on the foundation clubs to perform. The NSWRL competition was replaced by the Australian Rugby League competition
(ARL) in 1995 due to the expansion of rugby league within Australia.
With a media driven rival competition being set up, the pressure for clubs to survive and preserve their short-term future. Both the Magpies and the Tigers signed with the ARL whereas eight clubs of the 1995 ARL competition signed with the rival Super League
competition for 1997. In 1998, the ARL and Super League were unified into a National Rugby League
(NRL) competition. As part of the deal with the ARL and Super League, the NRL competition would reduce down to fourteen teams in 2000 from the twenty two that had competition in both competitions in 1997. With the addition of a team in 1998, this meant that nine teams would be forced out before the 2000 season.
6 million funding for clubs that merged together, many clubs that were struggling to compete were negotiating to merge. Balmain had garnered interest to merge with the Parramatta Eels
and Gold Coast Chargers
while Western Suburbs had talked with the Canterbury Bulldogs
and Penrith Panthers
. Both Balmain and Western Suburbs felt that those offers were seen more as takeovers of their clubs rather than mergers. By June 1999, both club’s boards had unanimously voted to merge with each other to make a competitive entity.
Each club took a 50% share in the club which would be known as the Wests Tigers. Due to Western Suburbs record breaking dismal season in 1999, they supplied just six of the twenty five players to the new joint venture. However the club’s board would garner two members from each club with a chairman which rotated between foundation clubs each year. Because the playing roster was supplied mostly by Balmain, the chairman and chief executive officer was supplied by Western Suburbs to even the deal.
Balmain coach Wayne Pearce
was the initial coach of the Wests Tigers and new recruit Jarrod McCracken
was named captain. A large crowd attended the first trial match played by the team.
Before the first round the Tigers were controversially denied a place in the double header at Stadium Australia. The debut match for the side was therefore held at Campbelltown, against eventual premiers the Brisbane Broncos
, where after leading 18–6 the side snatched a 24-all draw after falling behind late in the game. John Skandalis
scored the Tigers' first ever try.
The Tigers surprised many by maintaining a high place on the ladder for most of the year (often in second place). Losses to the Penrith Panthers
(after leading 31–8) and in the snow against the Canberra Raiders
combined with injuries to key players saw the Tigers slide out of the top eight.
The loss of captain Jarrod McCracken
from a spear tackle against Melbourne was a crucial blow.
A highlight of their first season is that Wests' Joel Caine
claimed the 2000 NRL season's top point-scorer spot.
was appointed to the position. This was a controversial selection because of animosity from Balmain supporters due to an incident involving Ellery Hanley
in the 1988 Grand Final (see Terry Lamb entry for more information).
Early in the season, key players Craig Field
and Kevin McGuinness
tested positive to prohibited drugs and received long suspensions. Field was the team's halfback and playmaker whilst McGuinness was a leading try scorer for the club.
Later in the season another big name player was suspended: John Hopoate
earned world wide notoriety when he was charged with inserting his finger into the anus (pushing the players' shorts) of opposition players. Hopoate quit the club and received a long suspension. Lamb was criticised for seeming to condone the activity.
During the season the club announced Terry Lamb would not have his contract renewed. The side struggled near the foot of the ladder and only a large victory over Souths moved them clear of the wooden spoon position.
The coaching job for 2003 was offered to (and rejected by) both Craig Bellamy and Ian Millward
before Tim Sheens
was selected. The selection was by no means seen as a positive move by the media as Sheens' most recent coaching stint had seen him sacked by the North Queensland Cowboys
.
The 2003 season was notable for the emergence of new young players through the team as the club moved away from the era of big names and big money signings and focused on developing junior talent. Most notably Benji Marshall
, then a schoolboy prodigy with no senior league experience, made his debut against the Newcastle Knights
.
The Tigers improved greatly in 2004 aided by signings of players such as Brett Hodgson
and Pat Richards
who began to blend well with the younger players emerging as talents. The Tigers narrowly missed the playoffs after losing their final three games when a single victory would have guaranteed finals football for the first time.
2005 was the Wests Tigers best season yet, as they not only made it to the finals for the first time, but also reached the top four in the round robin part of the competition, setting crowd attendance records at three different grounds: Campbelltown Stadium (20,527), Telstra Stadium (29,542) and Leichhardt Oval (22,877).
After a slow start, bookmakers rated the Tigers a 150–1 chance to win the premiership. However the club emerged from the bottom half of the table to win a club record eight in a row before finishing fourth. The team developed a reputation as a flamboyant attacking side who played at a rapid pace to compensate a lack of forward size.
The Tigers played their first ever final as a joint venture club at Telstra Stadium against North Queensland Cowboys
. Backed by a passionate crowd the team won 50–6. They then beat the Brisbane Broncos
34–6 and premiership favourites St George Illawarra Dragons
20–12 to book a spot against the Cowboys.
Based on their winning form (they had won 11 of their last 13) and their big win over the Cowboys in the opening finals game, the Wests Tigers were rated favourites to win the 2005 grand final. After a slow start, Bryce Gibbs and Pat Richards
scored tries to give the Tigers a 12–6 lead. The Richards try was ranked the second best try of all time in the NRL's Centenary of Rugby League 100 Hot Tries survey. The try was started by five-eighth Benji Marshall, who received the ball from Brett Hodgson 98 metres from the opposition tryline. He beat Cowboys five-eighth Johnathan Thurston
and Matt Sing
. Marshall then ran 60 metres, only to be caught by Cowboys fullback Matt Bowen
. He made a flick pass to Pat Richards behind his back, who then fended off Rod Jensen
to score.
In the second half the Tigers gained control with tries to Anthony Laffranchi
and Daniel Fitzhenry
. After withstanding a Cowboys fightback, a Todd Payten
try on full time sealed a 30–16 win. Captain Scott Prince
was awarded the Clive Churchill Medal
for 2005.
The premiership victory meant that the club joined an exclusive group that won premierships in their first finals appearance, which had not been achieved in almost 100 years. The group also includes Souths
in 1908 and Newtown
in 1910.
At the end of the 2005 season, Wests also signed Malaysian car manufacturer Proton as its major new sponsor on a contract estimated to be worth more than $1 million.
and Wigan Warriors
respectively). New signings included Jamaal Lolesi (Bulldogs), Keith Galloway
(Cronulla Sharks) and Ryan O'Hara
(Canberra Raiders).
As defending premiers, the Wests Tigers began the season by travelling to England to play English Super League
champions the Bradford Bulls
. Missing many of their star players, the Tigers tried hard but were eventually beaten 10–30. After a come from behind win over competition heavyweights St George-Illawarra, the team struggled with injuries to key players. Most notably Benji Marshall and Brett Hodgson missed large portions of the season. The team suffered a number of narrow losses late in games and also two golden point (extra time) matches in controversial circumstances.
The Wests Tigers narrowly missed the finals and the chance to defend their title. One highlight of the season was the debut of several players including Chris Lawrence
and the emergence of up and coming players such as Dean Collis
. Brett Hodgson played for the New South Wales team in the interstate State of Origin series
in all three games. Another highlight was an upset win over eventual premiers the Brisbane Broncos
at Suncorp Stadium where a second-string Tigers side missing Hodgson, Marshall, Whatuira and Gibbs beat the more experienced Broncos 20–6.
Joining the club for the 2007 season was John Morris
(ex Parramatta Eels
) to replace Scott Prince who signed with the Gold Coast Titans
. Other players to leave at the end of the 2006 season were John Skandalis
, Anthony Laffranchi and Shane Elford
– all members of the 2005 grand final team.
The Wests Tigers had a bad start to the season losing their opening four games by narrow margins. They then had a six game winning streak to move into the top four. The Tigers' five-eighth Benji Marshall and full-back Brett Hodgson missed the majority of the season with injuries.
The Wests Tigers' ended their attempt at a finals berth and finished the season on a disappointing loss to the Newcastle Knights
, 26–24 at the then-Telstra Stadium
.
In February 2008, the Wests Tigers announced the extension of Benji Marshall
's contract by one year, to the end of 2009. They also announced the signing of Gareth Ellis
, the Leeds Rhinos
second-rower and international representative, to a three-year deal commencing in 2009.
In February 2010, the Wests Tigers announced the signing of former Rugby Union
star Lote Tuqiri for three years, and the signing of Benji Marshall
for a further five.
2010 turned out to be a positive year for the club, finishing third in the minor premiership competition, narrowly missing out on a grand final spot after losing to eventual premiers St. George Illawarra Dragons in the preliminary final by one point.
. The Western Suburbs Magpies have two leagues clubs, one representing their former inner-city base Ashfield
, and the other established when they relocated to the outer west in the 1980s Campbelltown
.
The Wests Tigers are based at Concord Oval for training and administrative purposes but are historically linked to the inner-west of Sydney and the Campbelltown
region in Sydney's outer-west. Concord is coincidentally, however, virtually on the border of the original geographic heartlands of both Western Suburbs on the western side, and Balmain towards the city side.
The Wests Tigers do not have a single home but play at a number of grounds each year. Home games are split between traditional games played at the former home grounds of Balmain and Western Suburbs and financial games played at grounds which offer playing incentives.
Traditional home games are played at Campbelltown Sports Stadium
and Leichhardt Oval
, the former home grounds of Wests and Balmain respectively. The grounds are around 50 km apart and attract different supporter bases.
Marquee home games were previously played at ANZ Stadium, the former Olympic Stadium used for the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. From 2004 until 2006, a "home game" was played at AMI Stadium against the Auckland
based New Zealand Warriors
. This agreement was not renewed for 2007 and in that year a game was played at Bluetongue Stadium
in Gosford
against Melbourne Storm
. In 2008, one home game was played at the Sydney Cricket Ground
as part of the Centenary of Rugby League celebrations, and also one game at the Sydney Football Stadium.
In late 2008, CEO Scott Longmuir announced the Wests Tigers would move from ANZ Stadium at Homebush to the Sydney Football Stadium at Moore Park for the 2009 season. The Wests Tigers also play an annual pre-season friendly game known as the Foundation Cup at the Sydney Football Stadium, against their neighbouring club to the east and main tenant at the venue, the Sydney Roosters
. The name of the Cup reflects the fact that Balmain, Western Suburbs and the Roosters, are the only foundation clubs to have participated in some form in every season of Rugby League played in Australia, since 1908. A friendly, but growing, rivalry is being developed between the Wests Tigers and Sydney Roosters.
Stadiums used by the Wests Tigers as home grounds:
Present:
Former:
In 2009, to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the joint venture, a predominantly white strip with an orange 'V' was unveiled.
, Anthony Field
, Jimmy Barnes
, Harry Triguboff
, Michael Clarke
, Mark Schwarzer
. and current NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell
.
* Average home crowd
holds the record for most first grade appearances for the Tigers, having played 185 games. He had previously played 64 games with the Magpies
before the merger with Balmain
. Of the current squad, Chris Heighington
has the most appearances with 155.
The highest point-scorers for the club have been players who have undertaken goalkicking duties for a period. Brett Hodgson
has scored the most points for the club (786), followed by Joel Caine
(526), and Benji Marshall
(426). In 2005, Hodgson scored a record 308 points during the season, the most points ever scored by a fulllback in one season. In the semis of 2005, he also scored 30 points in one match against the North Queensland Cowboys
.
Benji Marshall
holds the record for most tries scored for the Tigers, with 53. He is ahead of Chris Lawrence (rugby league)
(49) and Daniel Fitzhenry
(44). Tuiaki scored a club-record 21 tries during the 2009 season.
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
since they were formed at the end of the 1999 season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers
Balmain Tigers
The Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles...
and the Western Suburbs Magpies
Western Suburbs Magpies
The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia...
.
The Wests Tigers started playing in the 2000 NRL season and won their maiden premiership in 2005. Although this is the Wests Tigers' only NRL premiership to date, the club has a heritage of eleven premierships won by Balmain and four by Western Suburbs, both foundation clubs from the NSWRFL's creation in 1908. The Wests Tigers also won the World Sevens
Rugby League World Sevens
The Rugby League World Sevens, usually referred to as the World Sevens and sometimes as the World Cup Sevens, were a pre-season rugby league sevens tournament made up over the years primarily of New South Wales Rugby League , Australian Rugby League and mostly recently National Rugby League ...
in 2004.
The Wests Tigers have three home grounds: Leichhardt Oval
Leichhardt Oval
Leichhardt Oval is a football stadium in Leichhardt, New South Wales, Australia. It is a home ground for the Wests Tigers rugby league team. The stadium has a nominal capacity of 20,000, with recorded highest crowd figures of 23,000 in the 1981 KB Tooth final South Sydney Rabbitohs versus...
(the home ground of Balmain), Campbelltown Stadium
Campbelltown Stadium
Campbelltown Stadium, formerly Orana Park and Campbelltown Sports Ground, is a rugby league stadium in Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia. It is the full time home ground for the Western Suburbs Magpies District Rugby League Football Club and is one of three home grounds for the Wests Tigers...
(the home ground of Western Suburbs) and the Sydney Football Stadium. They also play one "home" game at the Sydney Cricket Ground
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
. They are currently coached by Tim Sheens
Tim Sheens
Tim Sheens is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. He currently coaches the Wests Tigers of the National Rugby League and in 2009 was appointed coach of the Australian national team, the Kangaroos...
and captained by Robbie Farah
Robbie Farah
Robert Peter "Robbie" Farah is an Australian professional rugby league player for the Wests Tigers club in the National Rugby League competition. He primarily plays at hooker and can operate as a half-back...
.
History
Background
The game of rugby leagueRugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
began in 1908 as the New South Wales Rugby League premiership
New South Wales Rugby League premiership
The New South Wales Rugby League premiership was the first rugby league football club competition established in Australia. Run by the New South Wales Rugby League from 1908 until 1994, the premiership was the state's and later the country's elite rugby league competition...
(NSWRL) which had nine teams from the Sydney, Australia area. Two of those teams were clubs based in Balmain and the Western Suburbs. The Balmain club, who later adopted a Tiger as their emblem, in their tenure in the NSWRL won eleven premierships in twenty grand finals and was one of the forces in the NSWRL competition. However their last premiership success was in 1969 and in the 1990s with many new clubs being established, there was pressure on clubs to perform to survive in the first grade competition in Australia.
The Westerns Suburbs club was less successful, only winning four premierships in twelve grand finals over the tenure of the NSWRL competition. The Western Suburbs Magpies, like the Balmain Tigers, had a dismal 1990s winning rate, and again there was pressure on the foundation clubs to perform. The NSWRL competition was replaced by the Australian Rugby League competition
Australian Rugby League
The Australian Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in Australia. It is made up of state bodies, including the New South Wales Rugby League and the Queensland Rugby League...
(ARL) in 1995 due to the expansion of rugby league within Australia.
With a media driven rival competition being set up, the pressure for clubs to survive and preserve their short-term future. Both the Magpies and the Tigers signed with the ARL whereas eight clubs of the 1995 ARL competition signed with the rival Super League
Super League (Australia)
Super League was an Australian rugby league football administrative body that conducted professional competition in Australasia for one season in 1997. Along with Super League of Europe, it was created by News Corporation during the Super League war which arose following an unsuccessful attempt to...
competition for 1997. In 1998, the ARL and Super League were unified into a National Rugby League
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
(NRL) competition. As part of the deal with the ARL and Super League, the NRL competition would reduce down to fourteen teams in 2000 from the twenty two that had competition in both competitions in 1997. With the addition of a team in 1998, this meant that nine teams would be forced out before the 2000 season.
Foundation
With the NRL offering guaranteed entrance into the 2000 competition and A$Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
6 million funding for clubs that merged together, many clubs that were struggling to compete were negotiating to merge. Balmain had garnered interest to merge with the Parramatta Eels
Parramatta Eels
The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League...
and Gold Coast Chargers
Gold Coast Chargers
Gold Coast were a professional Rugby league football club which played in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership from 1988 to 1994, the Australian Rugby League premiership from 1995 to 1997, and the National Rugby League premiership in 1998...
while Western Suburbs had talked with the Canterbury Bulldogs
Canterbury Bulldogs
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Belmore, a suburb in the Canterbury-Bankstown region of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, as well as New South Wales Rugby League junior competitions...
and Penrith Panthers
Penrith Panthers
The Penrith Panthers are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in the western Sydney suburb of Penrith. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, the top rugby league football competition in Australasia. For the 2012 NRL season they will be coached by Ivan...
. Both Balmain and Western Suburbs felt that those offers were seen more as takeovers of their clubs rather than mergers. By June 1999, both club’s boards had unanimously voted to merge with each other to make a competitive entity.
Each club took a 50% share in the club which would be known as the Wests Tigers. Due to Western Suburbs record breaking dismal season in 1999, they supplied just six of the twenty five players to the new joint venture. However the club’s board would garner two members from each club with a chairman which rotated between foundation clubs each year. Because the playing roster was supplied mostly by Balmain, the chairman and chief executive officer was supplied by Western Suburbs to even the deal.
Balmain coach Wayne Pearce
Wayne Pearce
Wayne John Pearce OAM is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. An athletic Lock Forward for the Balmain Tigers, he was affectionately known as 'Junior'...
was the initial coach of the Wests Tigers and new recruit Jarrod McCracken
Jarrod McCracken
Jarrod McCracken is a New Zealand former rugby league footballer of the 1990s. He is a former captain of the New Zealand national rugby league team and is the son of New Zealand rugby league international, Ken McCracken...
was named captain. A large crowd attended the first trial match played by the team.
Before the first round the Tigers were controversially denied a place in the double header at Stadium Australia. The debut match for the side was therefore held at Campbelltown, against eventual premiers the Brisbane Broncos
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...
, where after leading 18–6 the side snatched a 24-all draw after falling behind late in the game. John Skandalis
John Skandalis
John Skandalis is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Wests Tigers of the NRL. He played previously for the Western Suburbs Magpies and Huddersfield Giants...
scored the Tigers' first ever try.
The Tigers surprised many by maintaining a high place on the ladder for most of the year (often in second place). Losses to the Penrith Panthers
Penrith Panthers
The Penrith Panthers are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in the western Sydney suburb of Penrith. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, the top rugby league football competition in Australasia. For the 2012 NRL season they will be coached by Ivan...
(after leading 31–8) and in the snow against the Canberra Raiders
Canberra Raiders
The Canberra Raiders are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the national capital city of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. They have competed in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership since 1982...
combined with injuries to key players saw the Tigers slide out of the top eight.
The loss of captain Jarrod McCracken
Jarrod McCracken
Jarrod McCracken is a New Zealand former rugby league footballer of the 1990s. He is a former captain of the New Zealand national rugby league team and is the son of New Zealand rugby league international, Ken McCracken...
from a spear tackle against Melbourne was a crucial blow.
A highlight of their first season is that Wests' Joel Caine
Joel Caine
Joel Caine is a retired Australian rugby league player.Caine's position of choice was as a or on the .He played for St. George Dragons, Balmain Tigers and Wests Tigers in the NRL...
claimed the 2000 NRL season's top point-scorer spot.
Building towards success
2001 was a bitter year for the joint venture club, including off-field incidents. After Wayne Pearce announced he would no longer coach the team, Terry LambTerry Lamb
Terry Lamb OAM, is an Australian retired professional rugby league footballer and coach. He played 349 games , with Wests , and Canterbury . Lamb was known for his support of the ball-carrier - his ability to be in the right place at the right time netted him 164 tries. This earned him the moniker...
was appointed to the position. This was a controversial selection because of animosity from Balmain supporters due to an incident involving Ellery Hanley
Ellery Hanley
Ellery Cuthwyn Hanley MBE is a British former rugby league footballer of the 1970s, 80s and 90s, and former head coach of Great Britain, St. Helens and Doncaster. As a player he played most of his games at /, or /. Over a period of nineteen years, he played for Bradford Northern, Wigan, Balmain,...
in the 1988 Grand Final (see Terry Lamb entry for more information).
Early in the season, key players Craig Field
Craig Field
Craig Field is an Australian former professional rugby league player. Field played for South Sydney, Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, Balmain Tigers and Wests Tigers. His primary position was at halfback...
and Kevin McGuinness
Kevin McGuinness
Kevin McGuinness is an Indigenous Australian retired professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. He played for Salford City Reds in the UK Super League, the Western Suburbs Magpies, Wests Tigers and Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the Australian National Rugby League competition...
tested positive to prohibited drugs and received long suspensions. Field was the team's halfback and playmaker whilst McGuinness was a leading try scorer for the club.
Later in the season another big name player was suspended: John Hopoate
John Hopoate
John Hopoate is a former professional rugby league footballer and boxer. He played club football for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, Wests Tigers and Northern Eagles in the National Rugby League competition. Hopoate also gained selection for Tonga, in the Australian national team and in the New...
earned world wide notoriety when he was charged with inserting his finger into the anus (pushing the players' shorts) of opposition players. Hopoate quit the club and received a long suspension. Lamb was criticised for seeming to condone the activity.
During the season the club announced Terry Lamb would not have his contract renewed. The side struggled near the foot of the ladder and only a large victory over Souths moved them clear of the wooden spoon position.
The coaching job for 2003 was offered to (and rejected by) both Craig Bellamy and Ian Millward
Ian Millward
Ian Millward is an Australian rugby league coach and former player. Millward is currently the head coach at Super League side Castleford....
before Tim Sheens
Tim Sheens
Tim Sheens is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. He currently coaches the Wests Tigers of the National Rugby League and in 2009 was appointed coach of the Australian national team, the Kangaroos...
was selected. The selection was by no means seen as a positive move by the media as Sheens' most recent coaching stint had seen him sacked by the North Queensland Cowboys
North Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
.
The 2003 season was notable for the emergence of new young players through the team as the club moved away from the era of big names and big money signings and focused on developing junior talent. Most notably Benji Marshall
Benji Marshall
Benji Marshall is a professional rugby league footballer with the Wests Tigers of the National Rugby League . A goal-kicking five-eighth, he is the current captain of the New Zealand national team, with whom he won the 2008 World Cup and 2010 Four Nations tournaments...
, then a schoolboy prodigy with no senior league experience, made his debut against the Newcastle Knights
Newcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
.
The Tigers improved greatly in 2004 aided by signings of players such as Brett Hodgson
Brett Hodgson
Brett Hodgson is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Warrington Wolves of Super League...
and Pat Richards
Pat Richards
Pat Richards is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Wigan Warriors of Europe's Super League. An Ireland and Exiles international representative winger, he previously played in the National Rugby League for Sydney clubs the Parramatta Eels and Wests Tigers, winning the 2005...
who began to blend well with the younger players emerging as talents. The Tigers narrowly missed the playoffs after losing their final three games when a single victory would have guaranteed finals football for the first time.
Premiership success
- For more information, see 2005 Grand Final
2005 was the Wests Tigers best season yet, as they not only made it to the finals for the first time, but also reached the top four in the round robin part of the competition, setting crowd attendance records at three different grounds: Campbelltown Stadium (20,527), Telstra Stadium (29,542) and Leichhardt Oval (22,877).
After a slow start, bookmakers rated the Tigers a 150–1 chance to win the premiership. However the club emerged from the bottom half of the table to win a club record eight in a row before finishing fourth. The team developed a reputation as a flamboyant attacking side who played at a rapid pace to compensate a lack of forward size.
The Tigers played their first ever final as a joint venture club at Telstra Stadium against North Queensland Cowboys
North Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
. Backed by a passionate crowd the team won 50–6. They then beat the Brisbane Broncos
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...
34–6 and premiership favourites St George Illawarra Dragons
St George Illawarra Dragons
The St George Illawarra Dragons is an Australian professional rugby league football club, representing the St. George and Illawarra regions. They have competed in the National Rugby League since 1999 as a joint venture between Sydney's historic St. George Dragons club and 1982 expansion club, the...
20–12 to book a spot against the Cowboys.
Based on their winning form (they had won 11 of their last 13) and their big win over the Cowboys in the opening finals game, the Wests Tigers were rated favourites to win the 2005 grand final. After a slow start, Bryce Gibbs and Pat Richards
Pat Richards
Pat Richards is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Wigan Warriors of Europe's Super League. An Ireland and Exiles international representative winger, he previously played in the National Rugby League for Sydney clubs the Parramatta Eels and Wests Tigers, winning the 2005...
scored tries to give the Tigers a 12–6 lead. The Richards try was ranked the second best try of all time in the NRL's Centenary of Rugby League 100 Hot Tries survey. The try was started by five-eighth Benji Marshall, who received the ball from Brett Hodgson 98 metres from the opposition tryline. He beat Cowboys five-eighth Johnathan Thurston
Johnathan Thurston
Johnathan Dean Thurston is an Indigenous Australian professional rugby league footballer in the NRL with the North Queensland Cowboys whom he co-captains...
and Matt Sing
Matt Sing
Matthew Charles Sing is an Australian semi-retired professional rugby league footballer for the Central Comets in the Queensland Cup. His first grade career spanned much of the 1990s and 2000s...
. Marshall then ran 60 metres, only to be caught by Cowboys fullback Matt Bowen
Matt Bowen
Matthew Jeremy "Matt" Bowen is an Australian rugby league player. He has spent his whole professional career with the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League , playing in over 200 matches and holding the club's record for the player with the most NRL appearances. He appeared in the...
. He made a flick pass to Pat Richards behind his back, who then fended off Rod Jensen
Rod Jensen
Rod Frederick Jensen is a professional rugby league footballer for the Northern Pride in the QLD CupHe has previously played for Huddersfield Giants in Super League in the United Kingdom....
to score.
In the second half the Tigers gained control with tries to Anthony Laffranchi
Anthony Laffranchi
Anthony Laffranchi is an Australian professional rugby league player for St Helens RLFC in the European Super League. He primarily plays in the second-row. He previously played for the Wests Tigers...
and Daniel Fitzhenry
Daniel Fitzhenry
Daniel Fitzhenry is a former Australian professional rugby league player in Australia's NRL. He played for Wests Tigers in the National Rugby League competition before his switch to Hull KR before his release in October 2009. He returned to Wests Tigers in 2010...
. After withstanding a Cowboys fightback, a Todd Payten
Todd Payten
Todd Payten is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Wests Tigers in the National Rugby League competition. He previously played for the Sydney Roosters and the Canberra Raiders, and played junior football with the Temora Dragons...
try on full time sealed a 30–16 win. Captain Scott Prince
Scott Prince
Scott Prince is an Australian professional rugby league footballer and current captain of the Gold Coast Titans club of the National Rugby League...
was awarded the Clive Churchill Medal
Clive Churchill Medal
The Clive Churchill Medal has been presented to the man-of-the-match of the National Rugby League's annual Grand Final match ever since the 1986 season. The award was created to honour Clive Churchill, one of the greatest rugby league players in Australian history, following his death in 1985...
for 2005.
The premiership victory meant that the club joined an exclusive group that won premierships in their first finals appearance, which had not been achieved in almost 100 years. The group also includes Souths
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
in 1908 and Newtown
Newtown Jets
The Newtown Jets are an Australian rugby league football club based in Newtown, a suburb of Sydney's inner west. They currently compete in the NSWRL Premier League competition, having left the top grade after the 1983 NSWRFL season...
in 1910.
At the end of the 2005 season, Wests also signed Malaysian car manufacturer Proton as its major new sponsor on a contract estimated to be worth more than $1 million.
Grand final hangover
Following the premiership win several key players left the club. From the grand final team, Mark O'Neill, and Pat Richards signed with English clubs (Leeds RhinosLeeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
and Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
respectively). New signings included Jamaal Lolesi (Bulldogs), Keith Galloway
Keith Galloway
Keith Galloway is an Australian professional rugby league player for the Wests Tigers in the National Rugby League competition. He previously played for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks...
(Cronulla Sharks) and Ryan O'Hara
Ryan O'Hara
Ryan O'Hara is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who currently captains Welsh club Crusaders of Europe's Super League...
(Canberra Raiders).
As defending premiers, the Wests Tigers began the season by travelling to England to play English Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
champions the Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
. Missing many of their star players, the Tigers tried hard but were eventually beaten 10–30. After a come from behind win over competition heavyweights St George-Illawarra, the team struggled with injuries to key players. Most notably Benji Marshall and Brett Hodgson missed large portions of the season. The team suffered a number of narrow losses late in games and also two golden point (extra time) matches in controversial circumstances.
The Wests Tigers narrowly missed the finals and the chance to defend their title. One highlight of the season was the debut of several players including Chris Lawrence
Chris Lawrence (rugby league)
Chris Lawrence is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Wests Tigers of the National Rugby League...
and the emergence of up and coming players such as Dean Collis
Dean Collis
Dean Collis is an Australian professional rugby league player for the Cronulla Sharks club in the National Rugby League competition. He primarily plays at centre.-Career:...
. Brett Hodgson played for the New South Wales team in the interstate State of Origin series
Rugby League State of Origin
State of Origin is an annual best of three series of rugby league football matches contested by the Maroons and the Blues, who represent the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales respectively...
in all three games. Another highlight was an upset win over eventual premiers the Brisbane Broncos
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...
at Suncorp Stadium where a second-string Tigers side missing Hodgson, Marshall, Whatuira and Gibbs beat the more experienced Broncos 20–6.
Joining the club for the 2007 season was John Morris
John Morris (rugby league footballer)
John Morris is an Australian professional rugby league player for the Cronulla Sharks in the National Rugby League competition. He previously played for the Newcastle Knights, Parramatta Eels, and Wests Tigers....
(ex Parramatta Eels
Parramatta Eels
The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League...
) to replace Scott Prince who signed with the Gold Coast Titans
Gold Coast Titans
Gold Coast Titans are an Australian professional rugby league football club, based in the Gold Coast, Queensland. The club competes in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership. It is the newest of the sixteen clubs in the league, having commenced its...
. Other players to leave at the end of the 2006 season were John Skandalis
John Skandalis
John Skandalis is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Wests Tigers of the NRL. He played previously for the Western Suburbs Magpies and Huddersfield Giants...
, Anthony Laffranchi and Shane Elford
Shane Elford
Shane Elford , is an Australian rugby league player for the Penrith Panthers. He has previously played for the Wests Tigers in the National Rugby League and his position of choice is at Centre....
– all members of the 2005 grand final team.
The Wests Tigers had a bad start to the season losing their opening four games by narrow margins. They then had a six game winning streak to move into the top four. The Tigers' five-eighth Benji Marshall and full-back Brett Hodgson missed the majority of the season with injuries.
The Wests Tigers' ended their attempt at a finals berth and finished the season on a disappointing loss to the Newcastle Knights
Newcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
, 26–24 at the then-Telstra Stadium
Telstra Stadium
Stadium Australia, currently also known as ANZ Stadium due to naming rights, formerly known as Telstra Stadium, is a multi-purpose stadium located in the Sydney Olympic Park precinct of Homebush Bay...
.
In February 2008, the Wests Tigers announced the extension of Benji Marshall
Benji Marshall
Benji Marshall is a professional rugby league footballer with the Wests Tigers of the National Rugby League . A goal-kicking five-eighth, he is the current captain of the New Zealand national team, with whom he won the 2008 World Cup and 2010 Four Nations tournaments...
's contract by one year, to the end of 2009. They also announced the signing of Gareth Ellis
Gareth Ellis
Gareth Ellis is an English professional rugby league footballer for the Wests Tigers in the National Rugby League . He has represented at international level for Great Britain and England and primarily plays in the back row...
, the Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
second-rower and international representative, to a three-year deal commencing in 2009.
In February 2010, the Wests Tigers announced the signing of former Rugby Union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
star Lote Tuqiri for three years, and the signing of Benji Marshall
Benji Marshall
Benji Marshall is a professional rugby league footballer with the Wests Tigers of the National Rugby League . A goal-kicking five-eighth, he is the current captain of the New Zealand national team, with whom he won the 2008 World Cup and 2010 Four Nations tournaments...
for a further five.
2010 turned out to be a positive year for the club, finishing third in the minor premiership competition, narrowly missing out on a grand final spot after losing to eventual premiers St. George Illawarra Dragons in the preliminary final by one point.
Stadium
The joint venture draws supporters from the historic bases of Balmain and Western Suburbs. Because they are a joint venture the basic structure of the former teams remains in place including their respective leagues clubs. The Balmain Leagues Club is based in RozelleRozelle, New South Wales
Rozelle is a suburb in the inner west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located 4 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the Municipality of Leichhardt....
. The Western Suburbs Magpies have two leagues clubs, one representing their former inner-city base Ashfield
Ashfield, New South Wales
Ashfield is a suburb in the inner-west of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Ashfield is about 9 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the Municipality of Ashfield.The official name for the...
, and the other established when they relocated to the outer west in the 1980s Campbelltown
Campbelltown, New South Wales
Campbelltown is a suburb in south-western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Campbelltown is located 51 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the City of Campbelltown.- History :Campbelltown...
.
The Wests Tigers are based at Concord Oval for training and administrative purposes but are historically linked to the inner-west of Sydney and the Campbelltown
Campbelltown, New South Wales
Campbelltown is a suburb in south-western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Campbelltown is located 51 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the City of Campbelltown.- History :Campbelltown...
region in Sydney's outer-west. Concord is coincidentally, however, virtually on the border of the original geographic heartlands of both Western Suburbs on the western side, and Balmain towards the city side.
The Wests Tigers do not have a single home but play at a number of grounds each year. Home games are split between traditional games played at the former home grounds of Balmain and Western Suburbs and financial games played at grounds which offer playing incentives.
Traditional home games are played at Campbelltown Sports Stadium
Campbelltown Stadium
Campbelltown Stadium, formerly Orana Park and Campbelltown Sports Ground, is a rugby league stadium in Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia. It is the full time home ground for the Western Suburbs Magpies District Rugby League Football Club and is one of three home grounds for the Wests Tigers...
and Leichhardt Oval
Leichhardt Oval
Leichhardt Oval is a football stadium in Leichhardt, New South Wales, Australia. It is a home ground for the Wests Tigers rugby league team. The stadium has a nominal capacity of 20,000, with recorded highest crowd figures of 23,000 in the 1981 KB Tooth final South Sydney Rabbitohs versus...
, the former home grounds of Wests and Balmain respectively. The grounds are around 50 km apart and attract different supporter bases.
Marquee home games were previously played at ANZ Stadium, the former Olympic Stadium used for the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. From 2004 until 2006, a "home game" was played at AMI Stadium against the Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
based New Zealand Warriors
New Zealand Warriors
The New Zealand Warriors are a professional rugby league football club based in Auckland, New Zealand. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership and are the League's only team from outside Australia...
. This agreement was not renewed for 2007 and in that year a game was played at Bluetongue Stadium
Bluetongue Central Coast Stadium
Central Coast Stadium, named Bluetongue Stadium due to sponsorship, is a sports venue in Gosford, on the Central Coast of New South Wales. The stadium is home to the Central Coast Mariners Football Club who compete in the A-League...
in Gosford
Gosford, New South Wales
Gosford is a city located on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia, approximately 76 km north of the Sydney central business district...
against Melbourne Storm
Melbourne Storm
The Melbourne Storm are an Australian professional rugby league club based in the city of Melbourne. They are the first fully professional rugby league team based in the Australian rules football-dominated state of Victoria....
. In 2008, one home game was played at the Sydney Cricket Ground
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
as part of the Centenary of Rugby League celebrations, and also one game at the Sydney Football Stadium.
In late 2008, CEO Scott Longmuir announced the Wests Tigers would move from ANZ Stadium at Homebush to the Sydney Football Stadium at Moore Park for the 2009 season. The Wests Tigers also play an annual pre-season friendly game known as the Foundation Cup at the Sydney Football Stadium, against their neighbouring club to the east and main tenant at the venue, the Sydney Roosters
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
. The name of the Cup reflects the fact that Balmain, Western Suburbs and the Roosters, are the only foundation clubs to have participated in some form in every season of Rugby League played in Australia, since 1908. A friendly, but growing, rivalry is being developed between the Wests Tigers and Sydney Roosters.
Stadiums used by the Wests Tigers as home grounds:
Present:
- Leichhardt OvalLeichhardt OvalLeichhardt Oval is a football stadium in Leichhardt, New South Wales, Australia. It is a home ground for the Wests Tigers rugby league team. The stadium has a nominal capacity of 20,000, with recorded highest crowd figures of 23,000 in the 1981 KB Tooth final South Sydney Rabbitohs versus...
(2000–) - Campbelltown Sports StadiumCampbelltown StadiumCampbelltown Stadium, formerly Orana Park and Campbelltown Sports Ground, is a rugby league stadium in Campbelltown, New South Wales, Australia. It is the full time home ground for the Western Suburbs Magpies District Rugby League Football Club and is one of three home grounds for the Wests Tigers...
(2000–) - Sydney Football Stadium (2008–)
- Sydney Cricket GroundSydney Cricket GroundThe Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
(2008–)
Former:
- AMI Stadium (2004–2006)
- ANZ Stadium (2005–2008)
Colours
The club's name and logo are a combination of the two partners. The uniform colours are a combination of the black and white of the Western Suburbs Magpies uniform and the black and orange from the Balmain Tigers uniform. The logo combines a modern "in your face" Tiger with a traditional Wests 'V' in the background. There is also a Magpie (taken from the Western Suburbs Logo) on both sleeves of the Jersey.In 2009, to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the joint venture, a predominantly white strip with an orange 'V' was unveiled.
Supporters
Some notable supporters of the club include Dawn FraserDawn Fraser
Dawn Fraser AO, MBE is an Australian champion swimmer. She is one of only two swimmers to win the same Olympic event three times – in her case the 100 meters freestyle....
, Anthony Field
Anthony Field
Anthony Donald Field AM is an Australian musician and actor. He is best known as a member of the children's group The Wiggles and the 1980s and 90s band The Cockroaches with his brothers, Paul and John and another future Wiggle, Jeff Fatt.Field was the youngest of seven children, and grew up in...
, Jimmy Barnes
Jimmy Barnes
James Dixon Swan , better known as Jimmy Barnes, is a Scottish-born Australian rock singer-songwriter. His father Jim Swan was a prizefighter and his older brother John Swan is also a rock singer. It was actually John who had encouraged and taught Jim how to sing as he wasn't really interested at...
, Harry Triguboff
Harry Triguboff
Harry Oscar Triguboff AO is an Australian property developer and strong proponent of population growth in Australia to a hundred million. Also known as "High-Rise Harry" -Early life:...
, Michael Clarke
Michael Clarke (cricketer)
Michael John Clarke is an Australian cricketer. He was appointed captain of the Test and ODI teams on 30 March 2011. Nicknamed 'Pup', he is a right-handed batsman, and occasional left-arm orthodox spin bowler...
, Mark Schwarzer
Mark Schwarzer
Mark Schwarzer OAM is an Australian association football player who plays as a goalkeeper. He currently plays for Premier League club Fulham. He rose to prominence during his time at North-East England football club Middlesbrough...
. and current NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell
Barry O'Farrell
Barry Robert O'Farrell MP, is an Australian politician and is the 43rd Premier of New South Wales, Minister for Western Sydney, Leader of the New South Wales Liberal Party and a Member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing Ku-ring-gai for the Liberal Party since 1999.Born in...
.
Season statistics
Current 4 September 2011| Season | Pos | Pld | W | D | L | B | F | A | +/- | Pts | Notes | Crowd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 National Rugby League season 2000 The 2000 NRL season was the 93rd season of professional rugby league football in Australia and the third to be run by the National Rugby League... |
10th | 26 | 11 | 2 | 13 | N/A | 519 | 642 | −123 | 24 | 12,124 | |
| 2001 National Rugby League season 2001 The 2001 NRL season was the 94th season of professional rugby league football in Australia and the fourth run by the National Rugby League. The Newcastle Knights claimed their second premiership in five seasons, defeating minor premiers Parramatta Eels in the first ever night-time grand... |
12th | 26 | 9 | 1 | 16 | N/A | 474 | 746 | −272 | 19 | 9,294 | |
| 2002 National Rugby League season 2002 The 2002 NRL season was the 95th season of professional rugby league football in Australia and the fifth to be run by the National Rugby League... |
13th | 24 | 7 | 0 | 17 | 2 | 498 | 642 | −144 | 18 | 10,478 | |
| 2003 National Rugby League season 2003 The 2003 NRL premiership was the 96th season of professional rugby league football in Australia and the sixth run by the National Rugby League. Fifteen teams competed, with the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles returning in place of their failed joint-venture club, the Northern Eagles... |
13th | 24 | 7 | 0 | 17 | 2 | 470 | 598 | −128 | 18 | 11,995 | |
| 2004 National Rugby League season 2004 The year 2004 NRL season was the 97th season of professional rugby league football in Australia, and the seventh run by the National Rugby League. Fifteen clubs competed for the Telstra Premiership... |
9th | 24 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 2 | 509 | 534 | −25 | 24 | Wests Tigers 2004 | 16,597 |
| 2005 National Rugby League season 2005 The 2005 NRL season was the 98th season of professional rugby league football in Australia and the eighth run by the National Rugby League. The lineup of clubs remained unchanged from the previous year, with fifteen clubs contesting the 2005 Telstra Premiership, which culminated in a grand final... |
4th | 24 | 14 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 676 | 575 | 101 | 32 | Premiers Wests Tigers 2005 Wests Tigers 2005 The 2005 Wests Tigers season was the 6th in the joint-venture club's history. They competed in the NRL's 2005 Telstra Premiership, finishing the regular season in 4th position before reaching the 2005 NRL grand final, their first, and winning to claim their maiden premiership.-Minor Premiership:The... |
19,379 |
| 2006 National Rugby League season 2006 The 2006 NRL season was the 99th season of professional rugby league football in Australia and the ninth run by the National Rugby League. The lineup of teams remained unchanged from the previous year, with fifteen clubs competing for the 2006 Telstra Premiership... |
11th | 24 | 10 | 0 | 14 | 2 | 490 | 565 | −75 | 24 | Wests Tigers 2006 Wests Tigers 2006 - Trial Games and World Club Challenge :The Tigers played a trial game in Gunnedah against a local country side which they won easily. This was the only trial the team played before leaving for England to contest the 2006 World Club Challenge. This game pitted the 2005 NRL Premiers against Bradford... |
19,266 |
| 2007 National Rugby League season 2007 The 2007 NRL season was the one hundredth season of professional rugby league football club competition in Australia, and the tenth run by the National Rugby League... |
9th | 24 | 11 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 541 | 561 | −20 | 24 | Wests Tigers 2007 Wests Tigers 2007 The Wests Tigers completed their 8th season in the NRL, finishing in 9th position on the ladder.-Season summary:The Wests Tigers had a poor start to the season, losing their first four matches The Tigers finally won their first game of the season in Round 5 against Cronulla Sharks, at Campbelltown... |
16,961 |
| 2008 National Rugby League season 2008 The 2008 NRL season was the 101st season of professional rugby league club competition in Australia, and the eleventh run by the National Rugby League. For the second year, sixteen teams competed for the 2008 Telstra Premiership title. The season commenced with the first matches played on 14 March... |
10th | 24 | 11 | 0 | 13 | 2 | 528 | 560 | −32 | 26 | Wests Tigers 2008 Wests Tigers 2008 The 2008 Wests Tigers season was their 9th in the NRL. Major signings for the 2008 season are former Dragons halfback Mathew Head, backrower Corey Payne, and back Nick Youngquest.- Season summary :... |
16,452 |
| 2009 National Rugby League season 2009 The 2009 NRL season was the 102nd season of professional rugby league football club competition in Australia, and the twelfth run by the National Rugby League. For the third consecutive year, sixteen teams competed for the 2009 Telstra Premiership title. The season commenced with the first match... |
9th | 24 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 558 | 483 | 75 | 28 | Wests Tigers 2009 Wests Tigers 2009 The 2009 Wests Tigers season was the tenth in the joint-venture club's history. They competed in the NRL's 2009 Telstra Premiership and finished the season 9th , only just missing out on a place in the finals series.... |
17,943 |
| 2010 | 3rd | 24 | 15 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 537 | 503 | 34 | 34 | Wests Tigers 2010 2010 Wests Tigers season The 2010 Wests Tigers season was the eleventh in the joint-venture club's history. They competed in the National Rugby League's 2010 Telstra Premiership, finishing the regular season 3rd . The Tigers then came within one game of the grand final but were knocked out by eventual premiers, St... |
18,086 |
| 2011 2011 NRL season The 2011 NRL season was the 105th season of professional rugby league football club competition in Australia, and the fourteenth run by the National Rugby League. The NRL's main championship, called the 2011 Telstra Premiership due to sponsorship from Telstra, was contested by sixteen teams for the... |
4th | 24 | 15 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 519 | 430 | 89 | 34 | Wests Tigers 2011 2011 Wests Tigers season The Tigers started the season with an away loss to the Canterbury Bulldogs. Tigers prop Bryce Gibbs was a late withdrawal from the game, with Andrew Fifita replacing him in the starting lineup. The first try of the game was scored by a length-of-the-field try to Bulldogs outside back Josh Morris in... |
N/A |
Statistics and records
John SkandalisJohn Skandalis
John Skandalis is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Wests Tigers of the NRL. He played previously for the Western Suburbs Magpies and Huddersfield Giants...
holds the record for most first grade appearances for the Tigers, having played 185 games. He had previously played 64 games with the Magpies
Western Suburbs Magpies
The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia...
before the merger with Balmain
Balmain Tigers
The Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles...
. Of the current squad, Chris Heighington
Chris Heighington
Chris Heighington is an Australian born England international rugby league footballer for the Wests Tigers of the National Rugby League . A Country NSW representative lock forward, he has also been selected to represent England at international level...
has the most appearances with 155.
The highest point-scorers for the club have been players who have undertaken goalkicking duties for a period. Brett Hodgson
Brett Hodgson
Brett Hodgson is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Warrington Wolves of Super League...
has scored the most points for the club (786), followed by Joel Caine
Joel Caine
Joel Caine is a retired Australian rugby league player.Caine's position of choice was as a or on the .He played for St. George Dragons, Balmain Tigers and Wests Tigers in the NRL...
(526), and Benji Marshall
Benji Marshall
Benji Marshall is a professional rugby league footballer with the Wests Tigers of the National Rugby League . A goal-kicking five-eighth, he is the current captain of the New Zealand national team, with whom he won the 2008 World Cup and 2010 Four Nations tournaments...
(426). In 2005, Hodgson scored a record 308 points during the season, the most points ever scored by a fulllback in one season. In the semis of 2005, he also scored 30 points in one match against the North Queensland Cowboys
North Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
.
Benji Marshall
Benji Marshall
Benji Marshall is a professional rugby league footballer with the Wests Tigers of the National Rugby League . A goal-kicking five-eighth, he is the current captain of the New Zealand national team, with whom he won the 2008 World Cup and 2010 Four Nations tournaments...
holds the record for most tries scored for the Tigers, with 53. He is ahead of Chris Lawrence (rugby league)
Chris Lawrence (rugby league)
Chris Lawrence is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Wests Tigers of the National Rugby League...
(49) and Daniel Fitzhenry
Daniel Fitzhenry
Daniel Fitzhenry is a former Australian professional rugby league player in Australia's NRL. He played for Wests Tigers in the National Rugby League competition before his switch to Hull KR before his release in October 2009. He returned to Wests Tigers in 2010...
(44). Tuiaki scored a club-record 21 tries during the 2009 season.
Wests Tigers "Team of the Century"
The Wests Tigers Team of the Century was announced in 2004, encompassing the best players from both Balmain and Western Suburbs. Nine Balmain players and eight from Western Suburbs made up the 17 members of the team.- Keith BarnesKeith BarnesWilliam Keith Barnes OAM is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He was a fullback for the Australian national team and for the Balmain Tigers. He played in 14 Tests between 1959 and 1966, as national captain on 12 occasions. He was known as "Golden Boots" due to his...
(Captain) (Fullback) – Balmain - Peter DimondPeter DimondPeter Dimond is a former Australian rugby league footballer who played his club rugby league for the Western Suburbs Magpies. Born in born in Dapto, New South Wales, he is the younger brother of Bobby Dimond...
(Wing) – Western Suburbs - Charles Fraser (Centre)- Balmain
- Harry WellsHarry Wells (rugby league)Harry James Wells is an Australian former representative rugby league footballer of the 1950s, 60s and 70s. A centre whose club career was played along the New South Wales coast as well as in Sydney with the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Western Suburbs Magpies, he has since been named among the...
(Centre)- Western Suburbs - Alan RidleyAlan RidleyAlan Ridley was an Australian rugby league footballer of the 1920s and 30s. An Australian international and New South Wales interstate representative winger, he played club football for Sydney's Western Suburbs, with whom he won the 1934 NSWRFL Premiership....
(Wing) – Western Suburbs - Vic HeyVic HeyVic Hey born Liverpool, New South Wales, was an Australian rugby league national and state representative five-eighth and later a successful first-grade and national coach. His Australian club playing career commenced with the Western Suburbs Magpies and concluded with the Parramatta Eels. In...
(Five-Eighth) – Western Suburbs - Keith HolmanKeith HolmanKeith Victor Holman, MBE was an Australian rugby league footballer, a national and state representative whose club career was played with the Western Suburbs Magpies from 1949 to 1961. He has since been named as one of the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century...
(Halfback) – Western Suburbs - Steve Roach (Front Row) – Balmain
- Ben EliasBenny EliasBenjamin Elias is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. He played primarily as a hooker for Balmain in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership. He was one of the leading hookers from the mid 1980s until his retirement at the end of the 1994 season...
(Hooker) – Balmain - Noel KellyNoel Kelly (rugby league)Noel Kelly is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer and coach, who played at club, state and national level. He has been named amongst the country's finest footballers of the 20th century...
(Front Row) – Western Suburbs - Paul SironenPaul SironenPaul Sironen is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who was a prominent second rower for the Balmain Tigers during the late 1980s and early 1990s...
(Second Row) – Balmain - Arthur BeetsonArthur BeetsonArthur Henry "Artie" Beetson, OAM , was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach. He represented Australia and Queensland from 1964 to 1981. His position was at prop. Beetson became the first Indigenous Australian to captain his country in any sport. and is frequently cited as the best...
(Second Row) – Balmain - Wayne PearceWayne PearceWayne John Pearce OAM is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. An athletic Lock Forward for the Balmain Tigers, he was affectionately known as 'Junior'...
(Lock) – Balmain
- Kel O'SheaKel O'SheaKel O'Shea is an Australian former representative rugby league footballer, a second-rower from Queensland whose club career was played with the Western Suburbs Magpies in Sydney...
(Reserve) – Western Suburbs - Jim CraigJim Craig (rugby league)Jim Craig was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach. He was a versatile back for the Australian national team. He played in 7 Tests between 1921 and 1928 as captain on 3 occasions and has since been named amongst the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century.-Club career:Craig grew...
(Reserve) – Balmain - Tom RaudonikisTommy RaudonikisTommy Raudonikis OAM is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He played over twenty-nine Tests and World Cup games as Australia representative halfback and captained his country in two Tests of the 1973 Kangarooo tour.-Early life and club playing career:Raudonikis is the son of a...
(Reserve) – Western Suburbs - Harry BathHarry BathHarry Bath , was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach who rose to prominence in the mid-Twentieth Century...
(Reserve) – Balmain
- Coach: Norm "Latchem" RobinsonNorm RobinsonNorman "Latchem" Robinson was an Australian rugby league player, coach, selector and administrator for the Balmain club and a City, State and National selector and manager.-Playing career:...
– Balmain
Captains and coaches
The Wests Tigers have had six captains in their history, at one stage two of those as co-captains. The team has been under the guidance of three coaches since their inception.Captains
- Jarrod McCrackenJarrod McCrackenJarrod McCracken is a New Zealand former rugby league footballer of the 1990s. He is a former captain of the New Zealand national rugby league team and is the son of New Zealand rugby league international, Ken McCracken...
(2000) - Darren SenterDarren SenterDarren Senter is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. He played for the Canterbury Bulldogs, Balmain Tigers and Wests Tigers. Senter primarily played in the hooker position. He captained the Tigers from 1999 until 2004.-External links:*...
(2000–2004) - Mark O'Neill→Scott PrinceScott PrinceScott Prince is an Australian professional rugby league footballer and current captain of the Gold Coast Titans club of the National Rugby League...
(2005) - Brett HodgsonBrett HodgsonBrett Hodgson is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Warrington Wolves of Super League...
(2006–2008) - Robbie FarahRobbie FarahRobert Peter "Robbie" Farah is an Australian professional rugby league player for the Wests Tigers club in the National Rugby League competition. He primarily plays at hooker and can operate as a half-back...
(2009–)
Coaches
- Wayne PearceWayne PearceWayne John Pearce OAM is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. An athletic Lock Forward for the Balmain Tigers, he was affectionately known as 'Junior'...
– 2000 - Terry LambTerry LambTerry Lamb OAM, is an Australian retired professional rugby league footballer and coach. He played 349 games , with Wests , and Canterbury . Lamb was known for his support of the ball-carrier - his ability to be in the right place at the right time netted him 164 tries. This earned him the moniker...
– 2001–2002 - Tim SheensTim SheensTim Sheens is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. He currently coaches the Wests Tigers of the National Rugby League and in 2009 was appointed coach of the Australian national team, the Kangaroos...
– 2003–
Honours
- NRL Premiership: 1
-
- 2005
- Rugby League World SevensRugby League World SevensThe Rugby League World Sevens, usually referred to as the World Sevens and sometimes as the World Cup Sevens, were a pre-season rugby league sevens tournament made up over the years primarily of New South Wales Rugby League , Australian Rugby League and mostly recently National Rugby League ...
: 1
- Rugby League World Sevens
- 2004
- Foundation CupFoundation CupThe Foundation Cup is a rugby league match in Australia held annually before the commencing NRL season each year. It was introduced in 2007 and is contested between the Sydney Roosters and Wests Tigers to celebrate the foundation of rugby league in Australia, with the Sydney Roosters 1 of only 2...
: 1
- Foundation Cup
- 2011
- 2005
Major Sponsors
- Meriton Apartments (2000)[2011–]
- Don Smallgoods (2001)
- New-Loan Home Loans (2002)
- Radisson Maine Financial Group (2003)
- Herbal World Therapeutic Soft Drinks (2004)
- JFTA Petrochemical Services (2005)
- Proton Cars (2006–2010]
- Proton Cars/MKB Contracting (2010–)
- Trend Micro [2011–]
- Hyundai Motors [2011–]
See also
- National Rugby LeagueNational Rugby LeagueThe National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
- Balmain TigersBalmain TigersThe Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles...
- Western Suburbs MagpiesWestern Suburbs MagpiesThe Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia...
- Huddersfield GiantsHuddersfield GiantsHuddersfield Giants are a professional rugby league club from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire who play in the European Super League competition. They play their home games at the Galpharm Stadium which is shared with Huddersfield Town F.C....