"Benji's amazing" - May to repay Tigers | 01:16Balmain great Ben Elias believes 100,000 fans will descend on Sydney’s streets in protest if a plot for the Western Suburbs Magpies to take full control of the merger club comes to fruition.
The Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs Magpies merged in 1999 and Elias was baffled by the reports for a push of separation from the joint-venture club. “The debenture system at the HBG is archaic. It lacks both democracy and lacks merit. It means that our great fans and supporters have no voice with respect to the running of our great club. The debenture system must be scrapped.
HBG own the remaining 90 per cent of the Tigers – with 30 per cent of that portion owned by the Western Suburbs Magpies. That means a Wests Magpies return could only eventuate if they convinced the ARLC to revoke the West Tigers licence.