Wests Tigers
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The Wests Tigers are a team in the National Rugby League (NRL), the premier rugby league football competition in Australia.
The Wests Tigers were in 2000 admitted to the National Rugby League. They are unique amongst most teams in the NRL because it is one of only two joint venture franchises that still exist in the current competition. The joint venture consists of two Sydney-based teams, the Western Suburbs Magpies and the Balmain Tigers both of whom were foundation members of the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) competition, predecessor of the Australian Rugby League (ARL) and the current NRL competition.
As a consequence of the joint venture, they have their Headquarters based in Homebush, New South Wales and their supporting Leagues Clubs are located in Balmain (an Inner-City suburb of Sydney), Campbelltown (a south western suburb of Sydney) and Ashfield (also an Inner-City suburb of Sydney). The joint venture has also chosen to have two home grounds to accommodate their two main supporter bases. These grounds are Campbelltown Sports Stadium, about 50km south-west of Sydney and Leichhardt Oval, about 6km west of Sydney, which were the old home grounds of the Western Suburbs Magpies and the Balmain Tigers respectively.
Club information
- Club Name: Wests Tigers (2000- )
- Founded: 2000 (Joint venture of the Western Suburbs Magpies and the Balmain Tigers)
- Home stadia: Campbelltown Sports Stadium, Leichhardt Oval, Telstra Stadium, Jade Stadium
- Head coach: Tim Sheens (2003- )
- NRL Team Captain: Mark O'Neill
- Uniform colors: Orange, Black and White
- Premiership Titles: Nil
- Premiership Runners-up: Nil
- Minor Premiership Titles: World Club Sevens 2004 Champions
Club history
Wests Tigers were formed as a joint venture club between two of the NSWRL's foundation members; the Western Suburbs Magpies and the Balmain Tigers in mid-1999 in preparation for the 14 team NRL premiership of 2000.
Both clubs appeared to be headed for mergers with other more financially secure partners, Balmain with Parramatta, and the Magpies with Canterbury, but at the last moment they both decided they had more in common with each other, resulting in the birth of the Wests Tigers.
The club's name and logo are an obvious combination of the two partners. Similarly, the uniform colours are a combination of the black and white of the Western Suburbs Magpies uniform and the black and gold from the Balmain Tigers uniform. In an effort to ensure the Magpies logo was not lost, it was placed permanently on the jersey sleeve.
External link
- Official Wests Tigers web site (http://www.weststigers.com.au)