The Wests Tigers are optimistic that this move will serve as the impetus for a sustained upturn and have indicated they will play more games at their customary home venues, Campbelltown Sports Stadium and Leichhardt Oval, in 2024.
Following years of splitting their home games in Sydney between Campbelltown, Leichhardt, Homebush, and Parramatta, a new deal will give priority to the club’s future development and the supporters in its two local catchment regions.
The club recently announced that they will play five games at Campbelltown and five games at Leichhardt in 2024, with one in Brisbane for magic round and another still to be determined.
That one to be determined could yet be played in a regional area, with the club holding a strong relationship with the Tamworth area in recent times.
But whichever way you split it, the joint-venture’s return on a more permanent basis to Leichhardt and Campbelltown is as good of a news story surrounding the perrenial NRL cellar-dwellers as there has been in a decade.
It presents a fresh image for the club which has been at times criticised for a lack of identity at a time when on-field changes will also paint a chance for a fresh start in Tiger Town.
Gone is Tim Sheens, and in is former premiership winner and club favourite son Benji Marshall to control the coaching. He is joined by another former premiership winner in Robbie Farah, while they are joined by experienced assistant coach John Morris who himself is a favourite of Tigers fans, playing 72 games between 2007 and 2009.
A fresh image for the club will also be presented in the halves after Luke Brooks moved on to the Manly Sea Eagles in a call that seemed best for both parties.
In is Jayden Sullivan and Aidan Sezer, who will undoubedly have plenty to learn from Benji Marshall, and the Fainu brothers who are both excitement machines. The double signing is and will be a major coup for the Tigers from their rivals on the Northern Beaches.
But it’s the chance to play more games at their spiritual homes which has the potential to turn the club around, both from the perspective of fans, and on-field, as well as into the future.
But it’s the chance to play more games at their spiritual homes which has the potential to turn the club around, both from the perspective of fans, and on-field, as well as into the future.
The Tigers have desperately been attempting to establish themselves as a development club. It hasn’t shone through yet, but could well do with a talented crop of youngsters currently there.
The Tigers have desperately been attempting to establish themselves as a development club. It hasn’t shone through yet, but could well do with a talented crop of youngsters currently there.
The decision to return home comes with contractual obligations to various venues complete, and the club are hoping it will help their future pathways
The Tigers’ general manager of women’s and pathways Matthew Betsey told Zero Tackle that playing home games at Leichhardt and Campbelltown is crucial.
“Playing home games in our catchment areas is vitally important to our pathways’ programs,” Betsey said.
“We have several local juniors in our top-30 now who not so long ago were coming to Campbelltown and Leichhardt to watch their heroes play.
“It’s about continuing to build upon and strengthen our community attachment, so more home games at our two spiritual home grounds works hand in hand with our plans in pathways and development.”
With the likes of Tallyn Da Silva, Josh Feledy, Lachlan Galvin, Kit Laulilii, Brandon Mansfield and Brandon Tumeth representing the future of the club, as well as the slightly more established Justin Matamua and Fonua Pole already breaking through, there is real hope that the future can be one driven by their local talent.
The Tigers also recently confirmed prop Jordan Miller enters the top 30 for 2024, while Chris Faagutu, Solomone Saukuru and Tony Sukkar all pick up development contracts.
“We have said many times that we are a development club, and to that end we must continue to invest heavily in pathways programs,” the club’s CEO Justin Pascoe said at the time of the contract announcements.
“We have seen this year alone several players who have come through our system, play NRL.
There will be more on the rise next season and in the years to come. That’s what it’s all about.”
While the Tigers may be in something of a rebuild, they may finally be starting to do it correctly, and if the group just mentioned all kick on under Benji Marshall, then the return home to unite a fan base who have been in pain for more than a decade couldn’t have come at a better time.
That’s not to say there won’t be tough moments, but they may reduce.
One thing clear is the Tigers perform better in front of their home fans, at their home grounds.
There are few better sights than a packed hill at Leichhardt on a Sunday afternoon. Even through the years of struggle, that has still been a trend of the Tigers – well-supported day time games at the venue where extra funding has been demaned for upgrades.
In their three games there last year, the Tigers had crowds of 12,247, 13,214 and 14,667. That is, to put it bluntly, mighty impressive for a side on their way to a second straight wooden spoon.
They say fans vote with their feet, and the way games are attended at Leichhardt and Campbelltown prove what fans of the club want.
