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BALMAIN TIGERS
BRONCOS 10 drew with BALMAIN 10 on Saturday 25-Jul-98.
The following was posted to the Broncos mailing list on Sun 2-Aug.
Hi All,
I started to write the Sydney-Based Broncos Supporters club review of the Balmain game last week, but I got so depressed writing it, and I was sure that no one would want to hear about it either (the dreadful draw.....). Considering that we had a good win on Saturday, and the Broncos are now on top of the table, I thought it would be safe for me to post my report without everyone getting all depressed over again......
Last Saturday night, the Sydney-Based Broncos Supporters club turned up at Leichardt oval to watch the Broncos take on Balmain. The first of our lot turned up at 4:00pm (game started at 7:30pm) so that we could reserve the best seating that our general admission tickets could get. Being virtually the first people through the gate, we managed to reserve our usual position right on the half way line, and layed out our flags all over the first 3 rows of wooden bench seating.
Over the next 3 and 1/2 hours, our island of "Broncos' fans only" reserved seating became totally surrounded by die-hard Balmain fans wearing nothing but orange and black. I think they may have been a little upset that the enemy (ie the SBBS) had even been let into Leichardt oval, let alone managed to score the best seats in the house... The fashion award went to a guy who was proudly wearing an orange and black beanie, a scarf, a Balmain jersey, tiger print pants (orange and black of course) and orange shoes... Yes, he even outshone Laurie Nichols.... Anyway, we managed to squeeze 30-40 Broncos fans into our "Bronco island" right on the half way line before the kick off. Most of these were regulars, but we also managed to find a few Broncos supporters who didn't know that the SBBS existed (they sure do now!!). In terms of the amount of flags and people wearing Broncos colours, this was our best outing yet!!! Considering that it was pouring with rain all day, we had good turn out in terms of numbers as well.
The ground was soaking wet, but it had stopped raining for the first time all day. Just like you, we were confident that the Broncos could win by 30+ points.... We had a dozen flags ready to wave for when the Broncos started to romp in all of their tries... Alas, we all know what happened..... At half time we were a little shocked that the Broncos weren't ahead by 20 points already, and when the rain started pouring down, we knew we could be in for a hard slog.
Putting aside refereeing decisions (and the intercept try), the Broncos were very lucky to get the draw. The SBBS were screaming and chanting all night, but when Balmain got that intercept try, when the video ref was called for and when Balmain tried for the field goals and the conversion, we all went deathly quiet.... I'm very superstitious when it comes to conversions and field goals, and I was death-riding every goal/field goal that night (just like to the other SBBS member at Leichardt that night I'm sure). When I look back, it was quite funny when the video ref was called for on the bomb-try by Balmain. The SBBS were all muttering "red light, red light", while the Balmain fans all around us were shouting for a "green light, green light"!! The video ref makes a tight game even more suspenseful....
I had never been to Leichardt oval before, and it is definitely the oldest, most run down ground that we have been to this year in Sydney. There is one medium sized grandstand (seats 4,000?) but it looks like it's from '70s. The tiger's fans are very much old school/ARL and they hate the Broncos and Superleague. Overall, the tiger's fans seemed to have a very negative attitude. Instead of cheering "for" the tigers when they had the ball, they were shouting about their hatred of SL, or how the Broncos were "off-side".... They called for the Broncos being off-side on every single play the ball and it started to sound like a broken record after awhile.... It seemed to work though, Balmain got a few penalties for the Broncos being off-side. When the siren sounded and Balmain had gotten the draw, the tigers fans were as happy as if it was a win (Balmain even did a lap of honour...)
*A few of the SBBS members also turned up the next day to watch the Canberra vs Parra game (at Parra) so that they could death-ride Parra... (Canberra subsequently beat Parra and the Broncs held 2nd position on the ladder!!)
* We were surprised to see Willie Carne outside Leichardt oval after the game, he was walking by himself out of the ground. We asked if he was still training with the Broncos, he said that he had stopped training in Feb. Let's just say that if he was asked to walk in a straigt line just then, he wouldn't have been able to do it......
* Peta (founder of the SBBS) and her daughter Kandis have travelled all the way from Sydney to Townsville to watch the Broncos play the Cowboys on Saturday night. Keep an eye out for them!!
cya!
Jeanette.
Last updated on 30-8-98