Wests Tigers fans drowned their team in boos as players left for the Leichardt Oval sheds trailing 28-6 at half-time.
Although the Tigers were much more fancied ahead of the game, they were comprehensively beaten in the opening half by a side that hadn't won a match this season and that was missing key players, including superstar forward Jason Taumalolo and retired champion playmaker Michael Morgan.
The joint-venture club had also been intent on winning in honour of club legend Tommy Raudonikis, the beloved halfback who played 201 games with Western Suburbs Magpies in the 1960s and '70s and died this week.
A packed Leichardt Oval crowd unleashed on the Tigers players as they returned to their dressing room at half-time for an old-fashion rocket from coach Michael Maguire.
"If I'm the players I have our meeting out on the field. I don't think we can return to the dressing room," said rugby league guru Phil Gould.
Mat Thompson was stunned at the scenes.
"They're getting a boo from their own fans as they leave their stadium," Thompson said.
"The home crowd (is) shell-shocked."
Social media is divided on whether fans booing their own team is acceptable.
Sydney Morning Herald sports journalist Andrew Webster indicated the Tigers supporters booing weren't "real fans".
https://twitter.com/awebster1975/status/1381139614786748418
But a former sports journalist at The Australian, Ray Gatt, hit back, arguing the "rubbish" the Tigers had dished up warranted the boos.
https://twitter.com/Gatty54/status/1381141019509415937
Former NRL.com and Big League reporter Martin Gabor voiced the same opinion as Gatt.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.