Tigers legends Steve Roach and Benny Elias have shockingly revealed club powerbrokers have never invited them to an NRL game as special guests.
Instead, the pair are set to attend the Tigers’ annual Easter Monday clash with the Eels, having been extended an invitation to CommBank Stadium by Parramatta officials.
The stunning claim comes amid the future of the Tigers’ spiritual home, Leichhardt Oval, hanging in the balance due to the facilities failing to meet NRL standards.
Between the pair, Roach and Elias have tallied 420 games for the Balmain Tigers, who merged with the Western Suburbs Magpies in following the 1999 NRL season.
But still, they haven’t been welcomed back to the club as guests, despite years of service that saw both players represent their state and country at representative level.
“We are going on behalf of Parramatta, can I tell you the honest truth? I don’t care what people think about this,” Roach revealed on NRL360 on Wednesday night.
“We spilt blood on Leichhardt Oval for years and years right, and I’m trying to talk about the Magpies too. There was 100 years of the Magpies, there was 100 years of the Balmain Tiger.
“They’ve tried to brush 200 years of heritage, they’ve said ‘we’ve got a new club here’. We haven’t been invited to anything.
“Sorry, I tell a lie, we got invited when they wanted to raise money for the pathways. Now we get invited this week by Parramatta.”
Roach also revealed he’d been invited to watch the Tigers play the Knights by Newcastle officials previously, having heard nothing from officials of the merger club.
NRL360 co-host Paul Kent went on to explain he’d never seen a number of the club’s legends attend Leichhardt Oval after being extended an invitation by the Tigers.
He claimed legends such as Noel Kelly, Tommy Raudonikis, Wayne Pearce and Paul Sironen had all been snubbed by the merger club’s officials.
“How disappointing is that?... This is a club that doesn’t want to recognise the players pre-merger, but has such a struggle still after 25 years to be one club,” Kent said.
“They are still split into Balmain and Western Suburbs in many ways. What about the fact this week you’re going to watch Wests play Parramatta and you’re going as guests of Parramatta.
“I find that extraordinary that you guys are going and it’s taken Parramatta to invite you, the first time you’re going as special guests you’re invited by another club.”
“We want to feel a part of it, we don’t feel a part of it, that’s the problem,” Roach added.
Meanwhile, Tigers chief executive Shane Richardson made a plea to the NSW Government, calling for funding to be allocated to save Leichhardt Oval.
In the process he sparked a stadium war with the Panthers, asking for 10 per cent of their proposed $309 million upgrade to be taken away from the reigning premiers.
But NSW Premier Chris Minns poured cold water on any potential funding on Tuesday, explaining: “I don’t have spare money at the moment to pump into Leichhardt Oval”.
Replies
Very proud of the Eels, I'm glad they are going on Monday & I hope they are well looked after & have a fantastic day.
Well played by our club.
Wests can be a sleeping giant and Richardson is the one to wake them up.
You sure about that, he is determined to take them back to the Olympic stadium. The tigers could be the new Penrith in 15-20 years time, there are so many young families moving to that area tge future looks very bright but first that have to take ownership of the area instead of trying to avoid it.
All of their home games should be played at Campbelltown, take ownership of the area and do a better job of giving them something to get behind.
I agree HKF. There is no real progress to be made at Balmain.
Yep
Disgraceful by the Tigers, kudos to the Eels
Wests Tigers have an identity crisis. Unfortunately it is an issue all with all joint venture clubs in order to have that 50/50 split. But what we have seen from both joint ventures, Wests Tigers and St. George Illawarra, one side usually comes up eventually and carries the other. At Tigers, Western Suburbs branch is holding them afloat with Balmain basically bankrupt. At Dragons, Illawarra are the ones that have the money and juniors. When splitting between two homes, histories, juniors, boards and leagues clubs, it will lead to turmoil and even sabotage.
James Hooper is a cheerleader for keeping Leichhardt, as are most journo's. Mentioning that getting rid of Leichhardt will remove a part of the Tigers soul and identity. Issue is they do not have an identity in the first place so getting rid of Leichhardt and only improve that situation.
As for Elias and Roach, both are in the awkward spot of supporting the Balmain side of things and both suffer from "Trying to stay relevant" syndrome. Both are pains in the arse, but we have more of a connection to Elias than Wests as we have Moses.
Disgraceful club treating club legends like that. No wonder they are where they belong and they won't be winning another premiership for many years to come.
Tigers are an absolute gronk club... well done Eels for extending to a couple of the games legends.