History of the Balmain Tigers

Cheer, Cheer the Black & Gold, the glory days of the own Balmain tigers

More on Balmain

Balmain’s city views and harbour-front terrain are a far cry from the savannas of South

East Asia, and yet the tiger has become synonymous with the area for many Australians. 

After the emergence of England’s Northern Rugby Football League in 1895 and with the

spread of the game to Australia, a group of players and supporters - disillusioned with the

NSW Rugby Union’s reluctance to compensate players for injuries and lost wages - resolved.

to establish the New South Wales Rugby League on 8 August 1907. 

Leading this charge were the likes of entrepreneurs James Joseph Giltinan, George Brackenreg and Jack Feneley, as well as Labor politician Henry Hoyle, cricketer Victor Trumper, and players Alex Burdon and Peter Moir. 

The beginning of the Balmain Tigers

Balmain would become one of nine foundation clubs in the premier season in 1908 – where

they would remain until their merger with the Western Suburbs Magpies in 1999, re-

entering as the Wests Tigers in the 2000 NRL season. 

January 23rd 1908 saw the formation of the Balmain Rugby League Football Club at Balmain

Town Hall, with one such founder being John Storey, future Premier of New South Wales.

Birchgrove Oval would become their home ground and the site of their first official game,

with a 24-0 victory over the Western Suburbs on Easter Monday, April 20th 1908,

led by captain Robert Graves . Neither club suspected that they would join forces ninety-two years later!

The club debuted in gold and black stripes, earning the moniker, “Tigers”. “Watersides” is

also recorded as a nickname for the team in its earlier years. Of course, “Tigers” would

ultimately be adopted by the club. 

By 1909, the Tigers had secured their place in the Grand Final against the South Sydney

Rabbitohs. However, this match was to be held before an exhibition game between the

Kangaroos and Wallabies, scheduled for later that day. 

While some suggest that both teams protested and agreed not to attend the game, South’s were ultimately awarded the victory when they kicked-off against an empty opposition on September 14th 1909.

Many believe this to be the start of the enduring rivalry between the two clubs.  

Balmain wouldn’t win a premiership until 1915, when they would ultimately prove

themselves by championing each grade – premier, second and third. They defeated the

Souths in the Grand Final, a practice they would repeat in 1916. 

Tigers also took out the premiership in 1917 with Souths awarded runner-up, despite no final being held that year The club would go on to experience repeated success, winning eleven premiership titles, however they would not claim another premiership win after 1969.

The 1915 Premiership Team

Finding success

While an incredibly sore-spot for the club, the 1989 Grand Final against the Canberra

Raiders is still regarded as one of the best matches in the game. Slated as the favourites,

Balmain held a ten-point lead by the end of the first half. 

Controversy struck in the dwindling minutes of the match when Warren Ryan (Coach) replaced Steve Roach and Paul Sironen. With one minute and thirty seven seconds left on the clock, Balmain leading 14-8, Canberra’s John Ferguson brought the game to 14-14 with his try, converted by Kangaroos’ current Head Coach, Mal Meninga. 

In extra time, the Raiders would go on to score another try and a field goal, taking a 19-14

lead and securing their first ever premiership win, spelling devastation for Balmain. Paul

Sironen would later recall of the game; 

“It’s funny to have your best moment and your worst moment over a 14-year career in the one game, but to score a try before half-time was probably one of the greatest moments of my career and then 50 minutes later in extra time I just sat there and could feel the game slipping away,” he told NRL.com.

Following decades without premiership success, looming financial threats and the rationalisation of the NRL for the 2000 season, the boards of both the Balmain Tigers and Western Suburbs Magpies made the decision to merge.

In the Club’s 1999 annual report, Balmain Chairman John Chalk stated, “1999 was a year when rugby league changed forever. We all have an opinion whether that was good or bad for the game, but it is a fact of life. 

“We have to put our foot on the accelerator and continue to be at the forefront of rugby league in Australia. It is no good living in fear of the past or future, life goes on, so let's get behind our investment in the Wests Tigers’ football team with the same intensity as we have, and will continue to give the Balmain Tigers, for it is the members club, they own it.” 

The Wests Tigers would debut on February 6th 2000 in a draw against the Brisbane Broncos. 

Today, the club is survived by its junior members and development squads, fostering growth for local rugby league players, with the spirit of the Balmain Tigers alive and well in the community. 

Up The Tigers!

The Balmain Leagues Club

After their premises sat vacant for nearly a decade, Balmain Leagues Club went into voluntary administration in October of 2018. Later, on September 18th 2019, ninety-eight of twelve thousand Balmain League Club members attended Balmain Town Hall to vote for a possible amalgamation with Wests Ashfield. Only eight of those voting voted against the resolution.  

On September 20th, West's members also voted in favour of the amalgamation at a similar rate of one-hundred and fourteen to one, despite their thirty-six thousand strong membership. The amalgamation meant Balmain Leagues Club would no longer exist; however this event has secured the future of Balmain Tigers Rugby League Football Club and the Balmain Tigers Junior Rugby League Club, thanks to the financial support pledged by Wests, with plans for a Wests club to be built on the current Rozelle site. 

In February 2024, the decision was made to delay the demolition of the site yet again when the Inner West Council was informed by Heworth that they will not be commencing their approved 12-storey mixed-use development and will instead apply to the NSW Government for a 30 per cent density bonus on the site. 

In a media release dated February 12th, Mayor Darcy Byrne stated, “…there’s no excuse for failing to demolish this dangerous derelict building right now. The transport agency is doing yet another disservice to our local community by failing to come to a settlement with Heworth.” Heworth, who own the site, are seeking compensation against the Transport for NSW for the former NSW Government’s decision to compulsorily acquire the site for the Metro Project, which never eventuated, resulting in years of delays. When ground will break on a new home for the Tigers, time will tell.

By Isabella Edwards