Balmain Tigers leagues club at Rozelle needs work

Balmain Tigers could be saved from extinction and a new leagues club built at Rozelle following a creditors agreement.

Robbie Farah of the Wests Tigers passes the ball during the match against the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles at Leichhardt Oval on March 16. Picture: Matt King

• Over-development a big issue in Balmain
• Students rally against WestConnex
• Four-storey warehouse planned at Leichhardt

Balmain Tigers could be saved from extinction and a new leagues club built at Rozelle following a creditors agreement.

Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne last week claimed creditors of the Balmain Leagues Club — which entered voluntary administration last year — had agreed to Wests Ashfield’s offer and deed of company arrangement.

This would see Wests Ashfield amalgamate with Balmain Leagues and re-establish a leagues club at the disused Rozelle site.

An artist’s impression of how the proposed Balmain Leagues Club would look. Picture: Grant Leslie

The Balmain football club and its juniors would be funded for five years, and Wests Ashfield would take responsibility for Balmain’s outstanding loan to the NRL.

Cr Byrne has been in talks to help the Tigers club return to Rozelle and said the agreement was a historic step.

Mayor Darcy Byrne. Picture: Flavio Brancaleone

However, club representatives were reluctant to comment.

A spokesman for Wests Ashfield CEO Simon Cook, also acting CEO for Wests Tigers, said it was too early to comment.

Balmain Leagues CEO Michelle Nielsen declined to comment too.

Any amalgamation requires the vote of Wests Ashfield and Balmain Leagues members.

The building of a leagues club is also far from sealed.

Wests Tigers fans at Balmain Leagues Club celebrate victory in the Grand Final in 2005.

The property developer which owns the Rozelle site, Heworth, has plans for three towers of up to 12 storeys which would include shops and 173 homes.

A previous court ruling on the rezoning of the site requires that a Tigers club be part of any development.

Heworth managing director Brian Hood said the creditors agreement was significant in ensuring the Tigers club could survive and be part of the site.

The former Balmain Leagues Club site at Rozelle is in a derelict state. Picture: John Appleyard

Heworth is proposing changes to its plans, which it says reduces the bulk and traffic impacts, following feedback.

The council is exhibiting these for public feedback.

Cr Byrne said he revealed the creditors agreement to help residents examine the Rozelle plans.

“I wanted to make sure there was transparent information for the community when they consider the development proposal,” he said.

“The first question people will ask is `is there still a Balmain Leagues Club’.”

Balmain Tigers legend Benny Elias at the Balmain Leagues Club before it closed.

Some councillors have voted against Heworth’s proposed changes.

Once council staff have assessed public feedback and the changes, Heworth then needs a state government planning panel to approve its plans.

Another possible complication is the State Government’s interest in the Rozelle site.

The government in March last year contacted Heworth and flagged its interest in acquiring the site to help construction of the Western Harbour Tunnel.

Mr Hood said some meetings were held in subsequent months, but he had heard nothing since.