Blue Wiggle Anthony Field has revealed his bold dream of buying the Wests Tigers in a bid to bring Balmain back to the NRL as a stand-alone club.
Field, 60, has been a fan of the merger club since Balmain joined forces with the Wests Magpies in 2000.
However, he believes “the world would be a better place if Balmain came back” to first grade.
The blue Wiggle told The Daily Telegraph that his dream could become a reality if the Australian children’s entertainment staple was ever sold for a “ridiculous” sum.
“All my money now is invested in the Wiggles, and it would be a fairytale, but one day the Wiggles may sell somewhere,” Field said.
“If I had that sort of money, yeah, I’d do it, absolutely.
“If the Wiggles were sold one day for a ridiculous amount of money, I would definitely do it. I feel like I’m opening up a can of worms here but you can’t sweep tradition under the carpet.”
Field also explained he would make a bold pitch to the Wests Magpies contingent, suggesting they base themselves in Western Australia.
“I tell you what, I would do it in a very respectful way with Wests by trying to convince them that Western Australia would be good for the Wests Magpies — and Campbelltown — and the ‘Tiges’ would come back to Leichhardt,” Field said.
“Rugby league is a tribal sport and the world would be a better place if Balmain came back.
“Look, I buy into Wests Tigers because that’s all we’ve got, but I’ll be honest with you, if they announced tomorrow that Wests had their own team and Balmain had their own team, I don’t think I’d be sad – I’d be really happy, so happy.
“In the meantime, every week I’m buying tickets in the Italian lottery. If you win, that’s $250m, and with that sort of money I would go to Wests Ashfield and respectfully ask them if they’d like to row their own boat again.
“I hope they would still welcome me at Wests Leagues Club if I go down this path. Balmain is up against it because Wests hold all the cards at the moment, and that’s fine.”
Currently the Wests Magpies contingent holds 90 per cent of the club’s license, with Balmain representing the remaining 10 per cent.
The NRL has a number of private owned clubs, including the Rabbitohs, owned by Russell Crowe, James Packer and Mike Cannon-Brookes, as well as the Sea Eagles who are owned by Scott Penn.
The Wests Tigers are reportedly worth around $20 million, with the Wiggles said to be worth at least $50 million.
Field holds a majority ownership of the group which was formed in 1991.
Balmain legend Ben Elias has also thrown his “100 per cent” support behind Field’s potential move.
Field also believes the community in Leichhardt is “all Balmain”.
“I’m all for the Wests Tigers but, seriously, the community at Leichhardt is all Balmain and if you go to Campbelltown, all the hard-core people are in Wests jumpers and that’s great,” Field said.
“Leichhardt is still the greatest ground. Part of the charm is it’s run down and it’s exactly like it was (in the past).
“When I go there, you could be back in the 1990s when ‘Junior’ (Wayne Pearce) was running around. Leichhardt actually means something, like Lidcombe Oval.”
