Here is a picture showing the new logo (left) the club will use in 2009.

Now in general the logo looks fine, but I have a few problems with it.


1. The Proud Magpie has become the most important icon of our club. It is permanently placed on the sleeve of the Wests Tigers NRL jersey... so why are we covering it up with text in our logo?

2. The days of calling ourselves "Western Suburbs" is all but over. Its fine to keep it for official and historical use... but now that we are in the era of the "Wests" Tigers, we are silly to promote ourselves as anything other than the "Wests" Magpies.

People soon wont know how "Western Suburbs" relates to "Wests Tigers". We instead should build on the "Wests" brand promoting ourselves as the original "Wests"

It's much easier to promote the link to being the Wests in Wests Tigers if its our name.


All in all I guess what I am saying is I think it would have been better using the 2006 logo. The word Wests is written in the same font as the Wests Tigers logo, and the Magpie stands proud and prominent.

A couple of years ago we decided to align ourselves closer to the Wests Tigers, has this decision been reverted?

So why did we change the logo again (5th time in 5 years). Fair enough for the 100th season and centenary years. They were special occasions and special logos were warranted, but are we doing market research to determine these logos, or are they just done on a whim. This is definitely an issue I will raise at the AGM as I believe we have taken a big step backwards this year.


So what are your thoughts?

I have to disagree with you Grahame, Ive never liked the whole concept of "Wests Magpies" It doesnt sound right and it doesnt ring true with who we are. Yes, we shortened it to Wests, but its not a real name. "Wests Tigers" again, it just doesnt seem right. Think of the basketball, they have the South Dragons. Can you imagine South Sydney just being the Souths Rabbtohs.

We arent a brother to the Tigers, they play in a different division to us so we shouldnt try and match them. Let the history of our great club stand strong.

I think that by having our FULL NAME back to what it was when we were first formed in 1908 will help us in the long run. To have a successful future, you first must recognise the past.

I agree with you 100% on your opinions Graeme.
Tradition is important but looking towards the future is more important if we want Wests to be a popular and successful club.

To the Wests Tigers haters. Would it bother you if they took the magpie badge off the sleeves of their jerseys?














:magpies:

I understand where you are coming from, and I agree history is very important and we are definately not going to disgregard it. History is what it is and will always be there. We will ALWAYS be the Western Suburbs District Rugby League Football Club.

But our long term survival IMO will be using the leverage of the Wests Tigers. Yes the wording "Wests Tigers" might not be gramatically correct, but it is what it is. We would be silly not to utilise their market exposure by closely aligning ourselves with them.

I believe being known as a "Wests" team does this better than going it alone as "Western Suburbs".


Remember the past, get on with the future! :magpies:

Agree with all the thoughts stated above as I doubt a logo change will make much of a difference. Everyone knows the word Wests in Wests Tigers represents the Western Suburbs Magpies side of the joint venture. I guess having the word Wests on the logo would highlight this further.

Totally agree though that the club needs to align itself closer to the Wests Tigers and work with them to achieve a common goal. A good start would be to have the Wests Tigers logo on the playing shorts and on all off field clothing.

IMO this club can't survive without two entities. 1) Wests Ashfield and 2) the Wests Tigers. Strengthening links with these two should be paramount.

I know having the Wests Tigers logo on our jersey was strongly opposed (for good reason), but I would have no problem having it placed on the shorts.



And getting back to Dallas comment on the "Souths" Rabbitohs. Luckily for them they are an NRL identity and don't have to align themselves with an NRL team. We do. Those are just the cold hard (unfortunate) facts. And our NRL team are the "Wests" Tigers, not the "Western Suburbs" Tigers.

Couldn't agree more.

I personally love the new club emblem and it's great to see the old 'Western Suburbs' name because that's who we are and always will be. Nothing will ever change that. But from a brand perspective, it's imperative as Graeme stated to use that leverage that the Wests Tigers profile and status to gain that much needed exposure in the competitive sporting marketplace for corporate and commercial opportunities more so. This football club can still market its tradition and history through its identity and the branding of 'Wests'.

And you're dead right Dallas. The Western Suburbs Magpies is not a brother or sibling of the Wests Tigers and the club shouldn't be trying to match them. Instead the Football club is a parent of Wests Tigers and like most parents, you work and live to make a better life for the next generation. The club should be working with its NRL investment at every chance for the opportunity to promote and expose its brand with the objective to secure potential commercial investments and partners to keep this prestigious foundation club flying for the next 100 years.

It is very hard for sporting organisations to remain financially viable, especially clubs like Western Suburbs where the prime function and mission statement of the club had to take on a significant change when the club voted to form a Joint-Venture at the NRL Level. Without the luxury of having the exposure through media and broadcasting opportunities, the Western Suburbs Football Club was delt a significant blow financially with many corporations and businesses not seeing any real value in investing in a sporting organisation that is not represented in the top flight level of the game. This was the case back n 2000 and it is still very much the case today. Hence the importance of utilising the Wests Tigers as marketing collateral bring about increased exposure for financial and corporate opportunities.

If the branding of the 'Wests Magpies' name helps this cause, then so be it. If wearing a Wests Tigers logo on the playing strip, having it feature on the on and off field apparel, on letterheads, stickers, signs, billboards, banners etc, if it all helps and attributes to the financial and long term viability for this club, regardless of what the fans and members think, if it's in the best interests of this football club surviving, having the juniors of the district to still have pathway to the National Rugby League, to still see the Magpie jersey featuring in different levels of the game and most importantly, to still have the Western suburbs District Rugby League Football Club Ltd still operating and functioning better than ever, then by all means, so be it.

You are spot on Gobbs, so in answer to my question... in your opinion, does the 2006 or the new 2009 logo better fullfill the requirments?

In my opinion, I think the 2009 logo is a good looking logo... but I think the 2006 logo better fullfills our association with the Wests Tigers, our future.

Are they called the Souths Bears? What about the Sydney City Jets? No, they have both kept their names.

Sorry guys, I cant agree on this one. As for the Wests tigers logo anywhere on the playing strip - forget it. We arent Wests Tigers - we are the Western Suburbs Magpies and Im strongly against putting a filthy Tiger anywhere on our proud playing strip.

This is difficult decision to make.I like both the Western Suburb Magpies as per the 2009 badge,and the Wests Magpies logo.If we went with the Wests Magpies logo a bigger magpie could be placed on jerseys etc.Maybe West Tigers could have a bigger magpie on the sleeve of the jerseys to match that tiger.Strange tough up here in Queensland everyone still says when referring to Western Suburbs as Wests,so mabe Wests Magpies might be the go for 2009 onward........
Cheers.......14Wests


:magpies:

I like the idea of putting Western Suburbs back on the emblem, just like in 1978, when the famous Magpie first appeared. Although I have to agree with galahs, why have they covered up the iconic Magpie? I don't understand why they didn't put the word 'MAGPIES' at the base of the emblem so that the mighty Magpie could be clearly identified? I don't think it matters so much whether it is 'WESTS' or 'WESTERN SUBURBS' on the emblem (and I like them both), it is the iconic Magpie that people identify with most and that is why it should be the point of focus on the emblem, not obscured in any way, in my opinion.

Maybe for future reference, the Magpie emblem could be voted on by the Magpie Football Club Membership? Say several designs are established with the general consensus and majority voting for the most popular emblem. One thing is for sure, the current Magpie must remain.

The 'road kill' Magpie that was used from 2003-2005 did not sit well with many fans and members. Mainly for the fact that Western Suburbs fans struggled to find that emotional attachment, unlike the previous logo's where the proud Magpie on the branch had always remained regardless. When fans, members and the general Rugby League community see that Magpie, they link it with Western Suburbs.

Change is inevitable, but some things you just don't dare to tamper with. One being the Magpie and the other being the Black And White 'V'. Not only is it tradition and history, they are aspects that makes the club for what it is, key marketing tools for brand awareness and recognition.

Hence, why it's always refreshing to see the Joint-Venture club done on The Black and White during the heritage round and against traditional rivals. Rugby League fans identify the Black & White V with the Magpie as Western Suburbs and that's the example of the power of brand awareness and positioning in the dynamical sporting market place. Just goes to show, history and tradition still play an important role and always will.

Gobbs, if we were to vote on the logo, then why bother having a committee? Dont we elect people to the board so they can decide on the best measures to take for the club?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Board is elected on behalf of the membership to represent the membership? As financial paying members with a vote and a say, I was merely making a suggestion that perhaps as a Football Club combined, the Board could establish designs, with the membership voting on the best emblem to represent the club.

An idea Dallas, that's all it was. Just like my suggestion to perhaps move the AGM to a weeknight or different day which would perhaps allow more members the opportunity to attend, but you were so quick to inform me that it is tradition to hold the AGM on a Sunday. Yet, that tradition changed did it not?

This suggestion is in no way, shape or form criticism the efforts of the Board . If you had failed to read my previous comments RE: the emblem Dallas, you would have noticed that I am in favour and have commended the club on the new licensed club logo for 2009 in this thread and others.

in hindsight, I am not as much opposed to "Western Suburbs" returning to the logo, I still think "Wests" would have been better...

but...

I really can't grasp our proud magpie being covered up like it is with the words "Magpies"

Everyone knows its a Magpie... no need to cover our most iconic image.

As a kid I grew up with the best rugby league team ever and they were called Western Suburbs. However, I'm just as happy for them to be called Wests. Either way we're the luckiest bunch of blokes and sheillas to have such a great club to support. I honestly feel sorry for supporters of other clubs because they will never experience just how great it is to be a part of something so special that we all enjoy.

Spot on. Well said. After 100 years to still have 'Wests' represented in every level of the game from Harold Matt's to the NRL, is one mighty fine achievement ;)

If it wasn't for all the parasites that have fed off the Magpie tree (boundaries, players, etc) over the last 100 years, we'd be invincible. I know times change, but I lstill ove living in the past.

p.s. I won't get ovet it!

C'arn Wests!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here's the logo I propose would be better than the 2009 logo.




Thoughts?

If we go back to the black jumper with 2 vs. I would be happier that jumper is Western Suburbs , Wests .

Couldn't agree more Fadge, I hate the new jerseys. Everyone was so happy when we went "back to the future" in 2006 and put the traditional (well since 1961 anyway) Vs back on the jersey. Last year was special and it was a great jersey, however, I was looking forward to going back to the way Wests 'usually' look. So why on Earth has the jersey been stuffed around with again?

In regards to the logo, galahs that is so much better. We can see the Magpie again. If they want the word "Magpies" on it, then put it below the emblem.

What has gone wrong? Both the jersey and the emblem have been butchered. If we want our brand recognised we have to stop messing around with it. This year's team is playing like Wests but they sure don't look like Wests, in my opinion.

Despite all that, another brilliant effort again today boys, well done. Go the Mighty Magpies.

After bringing the issue up at the AGM for explanation I am still not convinced writing "Magpies" over the logo is the way to go. I really believe the "proud magpie" image is too important as a brand to be semi covered up. You would never get Nike covering up their famous swoosh.

The explanation that other clubs like to promote their team name in text on their logo like "RAIDER", "PANTHERS", "BRONCOS" etc may be true, but they don't cover their teams actual logo with the writing.

Also what about the rabbitohs. They don't have any writing on their logo any more. They utilise their famous "rabbitohs" bunny all on its own.

In my opinion the most recognisable logo our club has that Joe Blogs on the street recognises is this one...



So I think it would be best if we went to a logo very similar to it (all be it slightly modernised)






As for the jersey, yeah I am also very cautious at us varying too far away from our traditional style jersey. I have never like Canterbury's curvy stripes on their jerseys that they have embraced since Super League. I think a straight edge V looks 'tougher'

Again our most recognisable jersey with Joe Blogs on the street is the "Victa" -> Masterton Homes -> Goldstar era jerseys. So I think it is very important to keep our main strip in that style.

Even though I do like this years current jersey, I actually think a strip like the wests tigers retro magpies strip (What a mouthful) they wore a few years ago is probably something we should stick with. It just screams out "Western Suburbs" and is a solid design that has stood the test of time.



Now I also understand the need to vary jersey designs to help sell more jerseys each year, but why not do what the Roosters do... keep the main strip basically the same each year, and just regularly vary the alternate strip?

Kevin Hammond has mentioned he would like to get some stability in the jersey design and the logo and I applaud that. I just hope the right choice is made. No good locking in a design that isn't the best it can be for the club.



And once we get it right (like Newtown has)... we can put this entire issue to bed forever and ever. I promise. :agree:

Yeh not a big fan of the curved V on the jersey. To Super League'ish to me. Straight edge V would be better in my opinion.

Not to fussed on the logo though, but I can see your point. The Magpie wording would probably be best under the Magpie if its to be used. As long as the logo isn't the squashed Magpie version of a few years ago! :blink: