There’s no Sweet Caroline at the Wests Tigers, the team still looking for a home

July 17, 2026 — 5:22am

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Sweet Caroline is a fan favourite at sporting events around the globe.

The Neil Diamond classic from 1969 is universally known, upbeat, and easy for the crowd to sing along to. For many fans, it’s a great way to get the party started.

The Wests Tigers, though, align more with one of Diamond’s lesser-known and more introspective songs, the broody 1970 hit I Am, I Said.

What’s that song about? Well, it’s about Diamond himself. Brooklyn born-and-raised, he loved New York City with a passion. But, to grow his musical career, he moved to the showbiz capital of the world – Los Angeles – “palm trees grow, and rents are low ... and the feeling is lay back”.

That sounds ideal, but he goes on to explain: “I’m New York City born and raised and nowadays, I’m lost between two shores … LA’s fine, but it ain’t home, New York’s home, but it ain’t mine no more”.

Within those words lies the same existential crisis that engulfs the Wests Tigers.

They are a club with so many homes it doesn’t know which way is up, or which master to serve.

Take a drive down Parramatta Road beyond Five Dock and have a look at Concord Oval on the right-hand side outbound.

Once a decaying old rugby union facility is now a rugby league Taj Mahal. The lavishly named Zurich Centre is the predominantly taxpayer-funded centre of excellence for the Wests Tigers.

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© Brisbane Times