Balmain Tigers

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Club information
Full name	Balmain & District Rugby League Football Club
Founded	1908 (foundation club)
Departed	1999 (merged to form Wests Tigers)
Former details
Competition	NSWRL, ARL, NRL
1999	15th of 17
Team colours
Records
Premierships	11 - 1915, 1916, 1917, 1919, 1920, 1924, 1939, 1944, 1946, 1947, 1969
Runners-up	9 - 1909, 1936, 1945, 1948, 1956, 1964, 1966, 1988, 1989
Minor premiership	7 - 1915, 1916, 1917, 1919, 1920, 1924, 1939,
Wooden spoons	4 - 1911, 1974, 1981, 1994

The Balmain Tigers (also known as the Sydney Tigers from 1995–96) 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. In 1999 they merged with the neighbouring Western Suburbs Magpies club to form the Wests Tigers for competition in the National Rugby League (NRL). They still field independent teams in the lower divisions. At the time of the merger only South Sydney Rabbitohs and the St George Dragons had won more titles than the Tigers.

The club's home ground was Leichhardt Oval, in Sydney's inner west. They were also known as The Watersiders in their earlier days.

History[link]

Foundation club[link]

In 1908 Australia's first season of rugby league began in Sydney and the Balmain club were one of nine foundation clubs to compete. Their home ground was Birchgrove Park. Balmain reached their first Grand Final in only the second year in the competition against the previous year's champions, South Sydney, but would protest as the match was scheduled as a warm up for a Kangaroos vs. Wallabies game at Souths' home ground.^[1] Souths were officially awarded the Premiership when they kicked off to an empty half of the field.

After a string of poor years the Tigers managed a strong turn-around to become a dominant force in the Australian Rugby League with the club's first, second and third Premierships coming in successive years dominating the 1915, 1916 and 1917 seasons. Tigers dominance continued winning the 1919 and 1920 seasons comfortably. When they won the 1924 premiership this would be the last success for Balmain for over a decade to come.

Golden era[link]

It would not be until 1939 the Tigers won back the Premiership smashing Souths 33-4. The weekend of the Final will also be remembered for the invasion of Poland by Germany which led to England and Australia going to War.

Post-World War II marked a golden era for Balmain with the Tigers reaching five consecutive Grand Finals winning three of them. In the 1944 Grand Final the Tigers beat the strong favourites Newtown 19-16. Balmain reached the Grand Final again in 1945 but fell at the last hurdle against Easts 22-18. The loss was not long remembered as the Tigers went on to take out the next two seasons, beating St George 14-12 in 1946, and Canterbury 13-9 in 1947. On the hunt for a third successive title, they lost to Wests in 1948.

• The Tigers' jerseys
• 

  1908-1924

• 

  1925-1939

• 

  1940-1962

• 

  1963-1999

• 

  Current heritage used by Wests Tigers

1960s-1970s[link]

The Tigers would appear in several Grand Final matches throughout the 1950s and 1960s but were just another victim to the mighty St. George Dragons eleven year streak of Premiership wins in this period, losing in 1956, 1964 and 1966. When the Tigers did take out the competition in the 1969 NSWRFL season it was a classy 11-2 defeat of favourites Souths who boasted 11 internationals, this would signal the last time Balmain would ever win a Grand Final. The side was captained by Peter Provan, brother of Norm, and coached by Leo Nosworthy.

The 1970s were not a great era for the Tigers. The wooden spoon had not been in Balmain since 1911, but it returned for the second time in club history when the Tigers won only 4 games and had 2 draws in 1974 following a number of poor years. That period of time between 1911 and 1974 remains the longest wooden spoon drought for any team. In 1976 things looked more hopeful when Balmain began the year with an undefeated run through the pre-season "Wills Cup" competition. The side also won the 1976 Amco Cup knockout tournament in front of a then-record crowd of 21,600, beating North Sydney. The Tigers won eight straight games and led the competition, but a mid season slump left the Tigers in the same position as in 1975 and they failed to make the finals.

1980s-1990s[link]

The Tigers consistently made the finals series in the 1980s reaching the play-offs in 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988 and 1989.

On 4 August 1985 a crowd of 21,707 set a new ground record for Leichhardt Oval.^[2]

In 1986, one of Balmain's players, Great Britain captain Garry Schofield topped the try-scorers list for the season.

The Tigers would not reach the Grand Final until 1988, the first time since the 1969 success, winning a lot of fans along the way with a number of ‘backs to the wall’ performances winning four consecutive sudden death matches in just 3 weeks. The top five teams out of the premiership table went on to the final series, and this was the first time since 1979 that a team in fifth position had progressed to the Grand Final. In 1988 the Tigers were deemed certain to miss the finals with 8 games left in the regular season. The Tigers remarkably only lost a single game from that point onwards reaching the Grand Final against Canterbury, only to be denied the trophy in a controversial 24-12 loss. Canterbury player, Terry Lamb, is still remembered by fans for knocking out the legendary Ellery Hanley with a high shot in back play midway through the first half. The Tigers were leading the game at the time.

The side would again make the Grand Final in 1989 but this time as favourites. The ’89 Final is regarded by many as one of the best ever in the history of Rugby League. In a controversial affair the side lost in extra time against the Canberra Raiders after being ahead 12-2 at half time.

After the heartbreak of the 1989 Grand Final, the Tigers never regained their dominating form (although they did make the finals again in 1990) and went through a rebuilding phase following the retirement of star players Wayne Pearce, Garry Jack, Steve Roach and David Brooks who had all played over 100 games for the club over a period of 10 years or more. The stars were missed as Balmain finished second-last in 1993 and got the wooden spoon in 1994.

The departure of coach Warren Ryan at the end of 1990 was a key turning point for the club. Balmain hired the famous former Wallabies coach-come-radio announcer Alan Jones as coach in 1991. As Paul Sironen admitted years later in his autobiography, the 'running rugby' style of Jones was too simplistic for the structured defensive patterns which had developed in rugby league during the 1980s. Jones also began a controversial clear-out of some of the other Tigers stars who had not retired, notably the Kiwi international Gary Freeman, and often replaced them with inexperienced juniors who were not yet really ready for first grade football. By the time Jones was sacked as coach at the end of 1993, incoming coach Wayne Pearce inherited a massive problem which was only getting worse.

In drastic action Balmain released 31 players at the end of 1994 and moved to Parramatta Stadium as the 'Sydney Tigers'. The Tigers stayed at Parramatta Stadium for 2 seasons before heading back to Leichhardt Oval. The Tigers only averaged 6,565 people attending home games at Parramatta Stadium in what was regarded as a failed experiment.

At the end of the season, 1996 ARL season the League's chief executive John Quayle resigned and was replaced by Balmain president (and former hooker) Neil Whittaker.^[3]

Merger[link]

Although things picked up for the club in following years, the Australian Rugby League/Super League war would spell trouble for the club. 1999 was a tumultuous year for the Balmain Tigers. The season began with a dark cloud hanging over the 17 clubs. The Super League/ARL compromise had left 1999 as the last season before the 14 team NRL competition began and with it came the much talked about criteria. On-field Balmain was struggling with a savage injury toll that forced the Tigers to use over 40 players throughout the season.

In July the option of forming a joint venture with fellow foundation club, the Western Suburbs Magpies was put to the Football Club members. The members ultimately voted in favour of a joint venture. As it turned out Balmain was in the top 14 clubs under the criteria (ahead of current NRL teams Penrith and South Sydney) but would have continued to struggle to be financially competitive with bigger clubs. The decision to enter a joint venture saw a crowd of 15,240 turn out in atrocious conditions to watch the Tigers play their last home game in first grade at Leichhardt Oval as the Balmain Tigers.

Although now known as Wests Tigers, the side made it to the 2005 Grand Final and defeated the North Queensland Cowboys 30 -16. Many^[who?] old Balmain supporters have stuck with the club through the merger and regard the Tigers Grand Final win as one for Balmain also.

Club today[link]

The club currently competes in all of the New South Wales Rugby League competitions. In the NSW Cup they are merged with the Ryde-Eastwood Hawks and compete as the Balmain Ryde-Eastwood Tigers. They still enjoy their rival match against the Western Suburbs Magpies.

Coaching register[link]

Players of note[link]

In May 2003 the Balmain Tigers Team of the Century was named:^[4]

2005 the members of the Team of the Century became the inaugural inductees to the Balmain Tigers Hall of Fame. In addition to those inductees a further five were inducted at the inaugural Hall of Fame dinner on 17 March 2005. These were:

A further five were inducted at the Hall of Fame dinner on 29 March 2006. These were:

A further five were inducted at the Hall of Fame dinner on 20 March 2007. These were:

A further six were inducted at the Hall of Fame dinner in 2008. These were:

A further four were inducted in 2009:^[5]

Stadiums[link]

The Tigers have had several 'Home game grounds' used in the clubs history. The club spent a majority of the early days at Birchgrove Oval (1908 - 1933, and in 1942), with short stints at Wentworth Park and at Drummoyne Oval in that time. They moved to Leichhardt Oval in 1934, where they majority played until they were forced to merge with the Western Suburbs Magpies at the end of the 1999 season.

Here is a list of their grounds used as their primary use:

• Birchgrove Oval (1908 - 1929; 1931 - 1932; 1942)
• Wentworth Park (1930)
• Drummoyne Oval (1932 - 1933)
• Leichhardt Oval (1934 - 1941; 1943 - 1970; 1973 - 1994; 1997 - 1999)
• Sydney Sports Ground (1971 - 1972)
• Parramatta Stadium (1995 - 1996)

Records[link]

Club[link]

Biggest win

• 64-2 vs Wests at Pratten Park on 29 July 1944

Worst defeat

• 5-62 vs Wests at Lidcombe Oval on 31 March 1974

Individual[link]

Most appearances

• Paul Sironen: 246
• Garry Jack: 244
• Ben Elias: 234
• Keith Barnes: 200
• Wayne Pearce: 192
• Tim Brasher: 185
• Charles Fraser: 185
• Steve Roach: 185
• Reg Latta: 176
• Garry Leo: 173

Most tries in a match

• Sid Goodwin: 5 vs University at Leichhardt Oval on 4 April 1935
• Arthur Patton: 5 vs Eastern Suburbs at SCG on 12 August 1944
• Bob Lulham: 5 vs Parramatta at Leichhardt Oval on 2 August 1947
• David Topliss: 5 vs Newtown at Henson Park on 7 August 1977

Most tries in a season

• Bobby Lulham: 28 in NSWRFL season 1947

Most tries for club

• Arthur Patton: 95
• Sid Goodwin: 86
• Bob Lulham: 85
• Tim Brasher: 82
• Jack 'Junker' Robinson: 78
• Bob Mara: 70

Most goals in a match

• Frank Driese: 11 vs Wests at Pratten Park on 29 July 1944
• Keith Barnes: 11 vs Norths at Sports Ground on 24 July 1960

Most goals in a season

• Len Killeen: 84 in NSWRFL season 1969

Most Goals For Club

• Keith Barnes: 742

Most points in a match

• Frank Driese: 22 vs Wests at Pratten Park on 29 July 1944
• Keith Barnes: 22 vs Norths at Sports Ground on 24 July 1960
• Ross Conlon: 22 vs Wests at Leichhardt Oval on 4 April 1985

Most points in a season

• Len Killeen: 207 in NSWRFL season 1969

Most points for club

• Keith Barnes: 1,519 (11 tries, 742 goals, 1 field goal)

Award winners

• Wayne Pearce (Rothmans Medal, 1985)

Major sponsors[link]

• Camperford (1977)
• Avis (1978–1980)
• Sharp (1981–1982)
• Saxonvale Wines (1983–1985)
• Alpha Micro Computers (1986–1987)
• Philips (1988–1993)
• MLC mobiles (1994–1995)
• Meriton Apartments (1997–1999)

Notable fans[link]

• Neville Wran, Premier of New South Wales^[6]
• Dawn Fraser, olympic swimmer^[7]
• Laurie Nichols^[8]
• Harry Triguboff^[9]

Balmain Tigers District Junior Rugby League[link]

The Balmain Tigers District Junior Rugby League is one of the oldest Junior Rugby League Competitions in Australia. It administers an affiliation of junior rugby league clubs in the inner west and inner north west of Sydney.

The league caters for age groups from under 6's to A Grade (opens). The Senior competition (Under 13's - A Grade) is a combined competition with the St. George District Junior Rugby League. The Under 6's to Under 8's is a non-competitive competition. The Under 9's to Under 12's play in a modified competition.

As of 2009 there were ten clubs in the Balmain Tigers Junior Rugby League, with over 120 teams. These clubs are;

• Balmain PCYC (formerly known as Balmain Police Boys)
• Carlingford Cougars (formerly known as St Gerards Carlingford)
• Concord-Burwood United Wolves (merger of Burwood Utd & Concord Utd in 1990s, former Western Suburbs junior clubs)
• Dundas Shamrocks Junior Rugby League Football Club (formerly known as St Patricks Dundas)
• Five Dock RSL Dockers (former Western Suburbs junior club)
• Holy Cross Rhinos (Ryde)
• Leichhardt Juniors
• Leichhardt Wanderers (known as Leichhardt Gladstone until 1930s)
• North Ryde Hawks
• Strathfield Raiders
• West Ryde-Denistone Stones
• Enfield Federals (joined 2010, former Western Suburbs junior club)

Some extinct clubs that once played in the Balmain District junior competition include;

• Drummoyne Sports (until 1990s)
• Balmain Waratahs (until 1990s)
• Ermington-Rydalmere (until 1990s)
• Glebe Police Boys (until 1990s)
• Balmain United (until 1990s)
• Cricketers Arms (until 1990s - Darling St, Balmain - know known as Monkey Bar)
• Sackville Sharks

• Ryde District Devils (until 1980s)
• Birchgrove Scorpions (until 1980s)
• Gladesville Sports (until 1980s)
• West Ryde-Dundas

• Rozelle Codocks (until 1970s)
• Pyrmont Colts (until 1970s)
• Glebe Shamrocks (aka St James Sports Club - until 1970s)
• Ryde CYO (unil 1970s)
• Carlingford CYO (unil 1970s)
• Balmain Arlines (until 1970s)

• Glebe Youth
• Bing & Swing (Glebe, former Glebe district junior team - folded in 1930)
• Balmain Iona (aka Rozelle Iona)
• Drummoyne Rovers (1920s)
• Rozelle Fernleigh (1920s)
• Marist College Eastwood

Some notable Balmain juniors include;

• Wayne Pearce (Balmain Police Boys)
• Paul Sironen (North Ryde)
• Benny Elias (Holy Cross)
• Dene Halatau (North Ryde, formerly of Wentworthville)
• Robbie Farah (Leichhardt Wanderers, formerly of Enfield Federals)
• Bronson Harrison (Leichhardt Wanderers & Balmain PCYC)
• Josh Lewis (Leichhardt Wanderers)
• Kurtley Beale (North Ryde)
• Mitchell Pearce (North Ryde)
• Alan Thompson (North Ryde)
• Wayne Wigham (North Ryde)
• Mark O'Neill (North Ryde & Dundas Shamrocks)
• Kevin Hardwick (Ryde District Devils & Ermington-Rydalmere)
• John Davidson (Birchgrove Scorpions & Ermington-Rydalmere)

See also[link]

• Wests Tigers

References[link]

• RL1908 history of Balmain Tigers
• tigers.org.au

Further reading[link]

• Whiticker, Alan (1988). The history of the Balmain Tigers. Sherborne Sutherland Publishing. ISBN 1-86275-000-9, 9781862750005. http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=ZgghAgAACAAJ&source=gbs_navlinks_s. 

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (October 2008)

Wayne John Pearce OAM (born 29 March 1960 in Balmain, New South Wales) is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. An athletic Lock Forward for the Balmain Tigers, he was affectionately known as 'Junior'. Pearce represented New South Wales in the State of Origin Series as well as the Australian national rugby league team.

Pearce was captain of the Balmain Tigers rugby league club from 1982–1990. A local junior from the Balmain Police Boys club, he made his debut in 1980 and was quickly marked as a future star. By his retirement in 1990, Pearce was credited as a player who changed the face of rugby league through a great dedication to fitness and match preparation. He is heralded as the player most responsible for Rugby Leagues evolution into the current professional era. During his career his athleticism and staying power overcame his oft-noted lack of natural ability for rugby league.

Pearce's son, Mitchell is a half-back for the Sydney Roosters and New South Wales Blues.

Representative career[link]

Not heavily framed for a league forward at only 89 kg, Pearce nonetheless became so good at lock forward with Balmain by the time of the 1982 Kangaroo tour that he was an automatic selection even with Ray Price having a monopoly on the Test lock position. On the tour, Pearce was moved into the second row to accommodate Price, but took over the lock position permanently after Price retired from international rugby league in 1984. Pearce was awarded the only official performance accolade of the tour when he was voted "players player" of the 1982 Kangaroo Touring Party. Pearce continued to excel at Representative level and in 1984 he won the Harry Sunderland Medal as Player of the Test Match Series against Great Britain.

Captaincy[link]

Pearce's captaincy proved critical in elevating Balmain from also-rans to a force of the 1980s, in concert with Steve Roach, Benny Elias and later Paul Sironen. Along with fullback Garry Jack, they drove Balmain to the semi-finals in 1983 and every year from 1985 to Pearce's retirement. Pearce won the Rothman's Medal for the best-and-fairest player in 1985, but missed out on the Kangaroo tour the following year after controversially failing a fitness test (he felt himself fit enough to tour).^{[citation needed]}

In 1986 Pearce captained the New South Wales Blues to their first ever State of Origin clean-sweep, but in the following two years there was to be a rapid decline, with Queensland easily winning every match in 1988. After this, Pearce stood down from representative rugby league, despite pressure for him to return after Queensland won even more easily in 1989. In 1988 he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia "for service to rugby league". Pearce was also the inaugural winner of the Ken Stephens Medal for Community Service by a Rugby League player.

Pearce also made an appearance the 1988 Australian television movie The First Kangaroos, which depicted the 1908-09 Kangaroo tour.^[1]

Pearce captained the Balmain Tigers to two successive grand finals in 1988 and 1989, both of which they lost. In 1990, Pearce could not play a full match until the seventeenth round, but for the rest of the season he was at his best, seen clearly in the play-off for fifth with Newcastle, when he scored a crucial try from a bomb and carted the ball forward as fearlessly as ever. The following week, though, proved to be his last match as Balmain lost 0–16, sparking a major decline in the club's fortunes after Pearce's retirement.

Accolades[link]

In February 2008, Pearce was named in the list of Australia's 100 Greatest Players (1908–2007) which was commissioned by the NRL and ARL to celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia.^[2][3]

Coaching[link]

There was always speculation Pearce would coach Balmain after his retirement, and he did so after the sacking of controversially appointed former union coach Alan Jones at the end of 1993 after three disappointing seasons. Owing to the clubs significant financial problems, Pearce was never able to bring Balmain back to prominence, and as a result of the pressure resulting from the Super League war between 1995 and 1997, they were forced to merge with Wests after the 1999 season. Pearce coached the Wests Tigers through their inaugural year, but unfortunately, the stress involved led him to stand down from club coaching commitments.

Pearce also coached NSW, and in 2000 the Blues beat Queensland 3-0 which included the largest ever win in State of Origin history in Game 3 of the 2000 series, which NSW won 56-16. This resulted in Pearce becoming the only person to ever Captain and Coach a 3-0 series whitewash.

Post retirement[link]

After 10 years as a rugby league commentator for Fox Sports, Pearce was appointed as an inaugural member of the Rugby League Commission which commenced on February 10, 2012. Pearce who is a highly regarded motivational speaker will continue to run his leadership and team performance consultancy through his company Wayne Pearce Advantage. He also fronts the rock cover band Wayne Pearce and the Big Hitters

References[link]

External links[link]

Larry Corowa (born 5 August 1957 in Murwillumbah, New South Wales) is an Indigenous Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1970s, 80s and 90s. An Australian international and New South Wales interstate representative winger, he played club football for the Balmain Tigers and the Gold Coast Seagulls in the New South Wales Rugby League Premiership. Corowa is one of a select few players to have scored more than a try a game in a season of football in Australia. In his first season with Balmain, he was the League's top try-scorer.

Nicknamed "The Black Flash", Corowa was considered during his time with Balmain to be 'the fastest player in the game' not only in Australia but the rest of the rugby league world.

After retiring from First Grade league following the 1983 season, Corowa moved to the Gold Coast and became involved with the Gold Coast Seagulls. In 1991, at the age of 34 and after nine years in retirement, he played two games for the Seagulls, scoring a single try to take his overall tally to 65 from 98 games before retiring for good.

The Larry Corowa Shield is awarded to the winner of the Wests Tigers - Gold Coast Titans pre-season trial match.^[1] The inaugural match, played in 2008, was won by the Titans.^[2]

References[link]

Sources[link]

• Alan Whiticker & Glen Hudson (2007). The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players. Wetherill Park, New South Wales: Gary Allen Pty Ltd. p. 102. ISBN 978-1-877082-93-1. 
• Gary Lester (editor) (1983). The Sun Book of Rugby League - 1983. Sydney, New South Wales: John Fairfax Marketing. ISBN 0-909558-83-3. 

External links[link]

• Vibe Australia profile
• Larry Corowa reachout.com.au interview