Peter V’landys has announced that 2026 will be the Wests Tigers’ last in the NRL.
An emergency meeting was held at NRL headquarters this afternoon after the latest Tigers drama over Adam Doueihi and Benji Marshall.
V’landys said enough was enough after 15 years of no finals and constant drama at the joint venture club.
The Western Suburbs-Balmain partnership will disband at the end of the 2026 regular season, with the Balmain Tigers joining the Western Suburbs Magpies in the NSW Cup from 2027.
In a boost to the NRL’s newest club, Wests coach Benji Marshall will join the Perth Bears as an assistant coach, and any Tigers player not signed by other clubs (either NRL or Super League) by the end of the 2026 season will automatically go to the Bears.
A frustrated Wests Tigers fan (who wished to remain anonymous) was relieved by the decision.
“I love the club, but the regular drama is exhausting. I’ve nearly worn out my 2005 premiership DVD trying to reclaim the one good memory in this basket case of the club,” they said. “I was a Balmain fan before the merger, so I’m looking forward to watching the proper Tigers again in the NSW Cup with a few beers and some pies. Back to watching footy like it used to be!”
Another anonymous Wests fan, who was previously a Western Suburbs supporter, echoes the sentiment. “The merger was doomed and – 2005 aside – there hasn’t been much to cheer about. The NRL is a woke joke now, so I’m quite happy watching my mighty Magpies again in NSW Cup.”
