Board meeting could spell end for Western Suburbs Magpies

ENDANGERED for longer than the giant panda, the mighty Western Suburbs Magpie will have its fate determined at a leagues club board meeting on Wednesday night.   
The Magpies will almost certainly disappear from senior rugby league if seven members of the Wests Ashfield board vote against a $400,000 funding proposal this week.

Despite going winless in the NSW Cup this year, the perennial battlers are still hopeful of fielding a side separate from the Wests Tigers joint venture.

However, club insiders have revealed they will need the ongoing support of Wests Ashfield, who have outlayed some $25 million over the past 25 years.

After a three-hour information session yesterday, Western Suburbs members voted overwhelmingly to continue in the NSW Cup next year, admitting they felt "alienated" from the Wests Tigers joint venture.

The Magpies went winless after Tigers NRL coach Tim Sheens ordered all his rostered players not in the top squad to represent Balmain Ryde-Eastwood, who lost to Newtown in the grand final.


http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/board-meeting-could-spell-end-for-western-suburbs-magpies/story-e6frexnr-1226490152439

Western Suburbs Magpies NSW Cup team train earlier this year. Picture: Mark Evans Source: