Taking a wrecking ball to the club! (Recent Media Reports)

[cochise]

So, Tom Shines feels Balmain Tigers are irrelevant as they only have a 10% stake in WT's and were gifted that anyway, and he's perfectly entitled to his view 'without being abused', whether he is right or wrong.
As you would know there has been many posters on here saying it's not about Balmain or West's, it's all about Wests Tigers.
Now your saying, Balmain Tigers are relevant to "the majority" of the fans.
Did you mean "the majority" of fans on here? as we know WTF is dominated by Balmain aligned people, or did you mean Balmain Tigers are still relevant to "the majority" of old Balmain fans just as West's Magpies are still relevant to "the majority" of old Magpies fans.

Our fanbase is dominated by Wests Tigers aligned people. I for one am over both the Magpies and Balmain holding us back.

 

[BZN]

This is like an episode of the Bold & The Beautiful. Here is the SMH version today ...

‘You’re in the wrong box’: Director reveals ‘frivolous’ claims behind split at Wests Tigers owner

The civil war at the owners of Wests Tigers has taken a new twist, with one of the directors under investigation at the Holman Barnes Group detailing the “trivial” allegations made against him and two other board members, among them not sitting with other directors at functions, calling an official’s wife “darl” and telling another she was in the wrong corporate box at a game.

Holman Barnes Group, which owns Wests Ashfield and two other venues and is the Tigers majority shareholder, has suspended the membership of directors Rick Wayde, Tony Andreacchio and David Gilbert, barring them from entering their premises while an external third-party investigates.

The allegations against the trio, who have all served as directors of National Rugby League team Wests Tigers, have been shrouded in secrecy.

But a defiant Wayde, a long-time Western Suburbs rugby league and cricket official, on Friday divulged the claims made against them, dismissing them as a “lightweight smear” designed to try and force the three out.
“The so-called allegations are as trivial as Tony [calling] one of director’s wife ‘darl’. I’ve known Tony for 40 years and never heard him use that expression,” Wayde said.

“David Gilbert and I are also accused of asking [director] Vince Tropiano if he was going to vote for the incumbent chair, Tony [at the Western Suburbs Leagues Club annual general meeting]. It seems to be an innocent question. They’ve said that we supposedly took him into a back room and pressured him. This is all supposed to have happened at the season launch of the Wests Tigers at the Walsh Bay Wharves.”

Wayde branded it as a completely false allegation. “It’s an open-plan room and cocktail bar, where everyone can see each other. It was pretty basic. We just asked what his position was and it was pretty clear he was on the other side.”

Wayde, who like Andreacchio and former Test cricketer Gilbert, has taken legal advice, said he’d also been presented with a list of seven events where he didn’t sit with other directors, another supposed transgression.

He said at two of the events he had an official role and another he wasn’t even able to attend because he had to mind his grandchildren at the last minute. At the Tigers’ end-season-function at Darling Harbour he said he had chosen to sit up with one of the directors of Wests Campbelltown and his wife because they hadn’t been on the seating chart and when a place was found for them at the back of the room he didn’t want them to be on their own.

“Also [at a Tigers game] at Campbelltown in one of the boxes, I’m supposed to have told [director] Dennis Burgess’s wife that ’you’re in the wrong box”. And I did say that. [Dennis and her had] seen me in there, but I’d just gone in to say hello to [Wests Tigers director and Balmain chairman] Danny Stapleton. I was only visiting,” he said.

“They had come in and I was just trying to save them the embarrassment of eating the food in the wrong place.”

Wayde believes there has been an attempt to keep the details of the allegations behind closed doors because they are so minor.

“They tried to put a very oppressive confidentiality ban on the whole thing so we weren’t even supposed to talk to each other let alone the other directors. They’d have to be embarrassed about how frivolous they are,” he said.

“I’m very proud of my record as a director of the Holman Barnes Group and I’d stack up my track record against anybody else’s anywhere really, anytime. I’ve got nothing to hide, nothing that I’ve done wrong, a clear conscience.”

Holman Barnes Group chair Julie Romero declined to comment on Friday, instead referring this masthead to a statement published on its website last week.

It said the investigation was instigated after “the chair was made aware of alleged conduct, which, if established, may give rise to breaches by the directors of their obligations as members or directors of the group.

”All members, including directors, are expected to adhere to the standards, policies and obligations set forth in the Group’s constitution and by-laws,” the statement said.

“Under the constitution, the directors involved have an opportunity to respond to the allegations against them before any final decision is made. While this process is ongoing, the directors in question have been suspended from all privileges of membership.

“The group will not comment further on this process prior to its conclusion out of respect for those involved. The group’s priority is to ensure confidentiality and respect for its community, members, and observing due process. The investigation is a Holman Barnes Group board matter and does not impact the football department at Wests Tigers.”

Where any of these 3 dudes aligned to the Balmain Tigers or Wests Magpies?

 

[cochise]

Where any of these 3 dudes aligned to the Balmain Tigers or Wests Magpies?

You didn't read the article? Rick Wayde for starters has been involved with the Wests Magpies since the 80s, Tony Andreacchio was on the Magpies board as well as the HBG board, David Gilbert is a Magpies man as well.

This is pure and simple more infighting amongst one of the ownership groups.

 

[BZN]

He is one of the "Foundation 13". They donated $100K tax deductible to create the Wests Tigers foundation and have "lifetime involvement" with the foundation as a result. The Barnier family is also one of the foundation 13, I assume it is the same family. Gary Barnier was also CEO of Australia's largest aged care provider for seven or so years. So he has some expereince with high performing boards and a link to WT.

The foundation 13 are:

1. Lee Hagipantelis
2. John Coates AC
3. Kris Gale
4. Ross Milbourne
5. Bryson Shafer
6. Linda and Phillip Difrancesco
7. Dominic Mastrantuoni
8. Bendigo Bank, Picton
9. Anonymous
10. Murray and James Macdonald
11. Gary Barnier
12. The Barnier Family
13. Exclusive Estate Agents

So we aren't quite rid of the Fedora.

1. How can anyone donate $100K tax deductible to the West's Tigers Foundation and remain Anonymous as no. 9 is?
There's maybe something I feel is not right about this.

Also, after Spartan117 gave Mr. Gary Barnier such a glowing☀️😎 report saying "we should build a statue of this guy" presumably in his honor, I thought WOW!!! I gotta check this bloke out particularly as he is one of the very generous $100K tax deductible gift givers to the West's Tigers Foundation.

Yes, he probably was the CEO of an aged care provider, but I don't feel he covered himself in glory as he apparently 'resigned his position when allegations were made' that one of the aged care providers under his control served a meal containing maggots to one of the residents.

He was also apparently accused by a staff member of being a bully.

With an apparent reputation like that, how was he chosen to be one of the people that carried out the recent HBG/West's Tigers Board evaluation.
With West's Tigers being on the cusp of a new and exciting beginning and future, are anonymous donors and apparent failed CEO's really the sort of people we need to have on our team?

 

[cochise]

1. How can anyone donate $100K tax deductible to the West's Tigers Foundation and remain Anonymous as no. 9 is?
There's maybe something I feel is not right about this.

Also, after Spartan117 gave Mr. Gary Barnier such a glowing☀️😎 report saying "we should build a statue of this guy" presumably in his honor, I thought WOW!!! I gotta check this bloke out particularly as he is one of the very generous $100K tax deductible gift givers to the West's Tigers Foundation.
Yes, he probably was the CEO of an aged care provider, but I don't feel he covered himself in glory as he apparently 'resigned his position when allegations were made' that one of the aged care providers under his control served a meal containing maggots to one of the residents.
He was also apparently accused by a staff member of being a bully.
With an apparent reputation like that, how was he chosen to be one of the people that carried out the recent HBG/West's Tigers Board evaluation.
With West's Tigers being on the cusp of a new and exciting beginning and future, are anonymous donors and apparent failed CEO's really the sort of people we need to have on our team?

You obviously read the article but left out the part where he was investigated and found to have done nothing wrong, interesting that you would leave that out mate.

He was also chosen by the HBG to conduct the review, are you questioning their decision to appoint him?

 

[Spartan117]

1. How can anyone donate $100K tax deductible to the West's Tigers Foundation and remain Anonymous as no. 9 is?
There's maybe something I feel is not right about this.

Also, after Spartan117 gave Mr. Gary Barnier such a glowing☀️😎 report saying "we should build a statue of this guy" presumably in his honor, I thought WOW!!! I gotta check this bloke out particularly as he is one of the very generous $100K tax deductible gift givers to the West's Tigers Foundation.
Yes, he probably was the CEO of an aged care provider, but I don't feel he covered himself in glory as he apparently 'resigned his position when allegations were made' that one of the aged care providers under his control served a meal containing maggots to one of the residents.
He was also apparently accused by a staff member of being a bully.
With an apparent reputation like that, how was he chosen to be one of the people that carried out the recent HBG/West's Tigers Board evaluation.
With West's Tigers being on the cusp of a new and exciting beginning and future, are anonymous donors and apparent failed CEO's really the sort of people we need to have on our team?

Got rid of pascoe and Lee.

Free beers for life

 

[BZN]

Got rid of pascoe and Lee.

Free beers for life

Well, we really haven't got rid of Lee have we [even though Joel Helmes seems to think we have] as he is still one of the illustrious 13 along with the apparently failed health care CEO Gary Barnier, who also donated $100K to the Wests Tigers Foundation.
Spartan, can you tell me briefly what the WT Foundation charter is?

 

[AmericanHistoryX]

You didn't read the article? Rick Wayde for starters has been involved with the Wests Magpies since the 80s, Tony Andreacchio was on the Magpies board as well as the HBG board, David Gilbert is a Magpies man as well.

This is pure and simple more infighting amongst one of the ownership groups.

Very sad to hear. No wonder we can't play top tier football. The fans, players have embraced something- (Wests Tigers) and still to this day the people that have power in the club cannot. We are not free yet. Its cost us a generation or 2 thus far.

 

[Jolls]

Well, we really haven't got rid of Lee have we [even though Joel Helmes seems to think we have] as he is still one of the illustrious 13 along with the apparently failed health care CEO Gary Barnier, who also donated $100K to the Wests Tigers Foundation.
Spartan, can you tell me briefly what the WT Foundation charter is?

The foundation raises funds for:

• Elite Development
• Community Engagement
• Heritage

Even you can make a tax deductible donation. None of the Foundation 13 have a say in how the $ are spent. The fund is run in partnership with the Australian Sports Foundation. Ask Dr Google to take you there.

Lee, and Gary Barnier, are simply part of a group of 13 that made the initial donation and they get a lifetime of recognition for it. If you were to take a look you can see who else has donated but their names aren't up in lights.

You are way off the mark!

 

[AmericanHistoryX]

The members donate every year also. The backbone of the organisation. I dont know if it's tax deductible though?

 

[Jolls]

The members donate every year also. The backbone of the organisation. I dont know if it's tax deductible though?

Anything over $2 is; go and look for yourself: here

 

[AmericanHistoryX]

Anything over $2 is; go and look for yourself: here

I dont know whether to laugh or cry.

 

[BZN]

View attachment 17560
Two parrots squawking coordinated partisan bullshit on behalf of the non-transprarent, unelected and compromised bums leading the loyalist Magpies-faction on the HBG Board is peak WestsTigersForm....

The fact of the matter is that Romero and Burgess have used the pettiest and most trivial accusations to take formal action against the THREE ALSO-Wests aligned directors who are committed to the governance changes at WT Board level...

The rest of your narrative is self-serving - tin-foil hat garbage from the vocal minority who wish to restore the Magpies and have zero commitment to seeing the Wests Tigers brand build and thrive!!

Get over yourselves!!

PS - Gary Leo's isolated comments were NEVER A THREAT from the BDRLFC- stop pearl clutching!

G'day from one of the "Two parrots squawking coordinated bullshit".
When you said Romero and Burgess took action against the "THREE ALSO-Wests aligned directors", you didn't say who they were aligned to, was it Wests Tigers or Wests Magpies?

 

[batboy]

The profile names Change......
The narrative - Not so much

 

[Snidest 0]

G'day from one of the "Two parrots squawking coordinated bullshit".
When you said Romero and Burgess took action against the "THREE ALSO-Wests aligned directors", you didn't say who they were aligned to, was it Wests Tigers or Wests Magpies?

Learn to read!



They are ALL aligned with Wests Mgpies FFS!!

This has nothing to do with Balmain - it is petty inflighting between Magpies aligned Board members!

 

[Snidest 0]

Well, we really haven't got rid of Lee have we [even though Joel Helmes seems to think we have] as he is still one of the illustrious 13 along with the apparently failed health care CEO Gary Barnier, who also donated $100K to the Wests Tigers Foundation.
Spartan, can you tell me briefly what the WT Foundation charter is?

Lee and Pascoe were poster-boys for "Founder's Syndrome" - and Romero + Burgess share the same mentality!

Does any of the below sound familiar?

https://www.springly.org/en-us/blog/founders-syndrome-nonprofit/

 

[BZN]

The foundation raises funds for:

• Elite Development
• Community Engagement
• Heritage

Even you can make a tax deductible donation. None of the Foundation 13 have a say in how the $ are spent. The fund is run in partnership with the Australian Sports Foundation. Ask Dr Google to take you there.

Lee, and Gary Barnier, are simply part of a group of 13 that made the initial donation and they get a lifetime of recognition for it. If you were to take a look you can see who else has donated but their names aren't up in lights.

You are way off the mark!

G'day Jolls...you're one of the few on here that are prepared to get their message across without resorting to abuse of anyone that dares to speak from the Wests Magpies pov, and I respect and appreciate that, as I am sure you also respect our right to say what we believe.
It really makes me wonder if the posters that resort to abuse on here are like that at home?
Or are they pussycats at home then pretend to be tough guys on here?

I feel the Mods are failing in their duty to cut out/delete attacks on the person rather than just disagreeing/attacking the views we put forward.

In debate, it's common for one team to aggressively attack the other team to try to get the upper hand, is that what's happening here, being the same as when I was attacked unfairly by Cochise way back in 2019 when I first joined the WTF. And it's been the same over the years when I've posted comments about Wests Magpies, so much so that I felt I had to change my name on here to hopefully stop the number of personal attacks on me.
Most posters will know what my previous name was though.
My special friend.... [as Lestrongee so lovingly called ME] .... @Magpie_Magic however has stuck strong with his name and has had much more abuse directed at him, and very unfairly Imo.
What's wrong with you old Balmain followers. Are you all that insecure in the JV that you have to lash out at anyone that doesn't agree with you.

Wests Magpies seem to have done everything possible to accommodate Balmain into the JV, but it seems to me, that hasn't been accepted or appreciated.
M_M and I have never said we want the Tigers out of the JV.
All I want to see is the Wests Magpies side of our JV receive the recognition they should be entitled to as 90% owners of Wests Tigers.
But to me it seems the Magpies are recognized less each year.
Our training shirts don't display the Magpie and the polo shirt Benji was wearing didn't either.
It seems to me that Balmain Tigers are now Wests Tigers under a different name.
You old Balmain fans have the tigers colours as well as the Tigers name, while the Magpie emblem seems to be getting smaller in size as well as the gear it's displayed on being less.
The only thing we have left is the WESTS name, and I reckon a big majority of fans don't call the team WESTS and don't even associate WESTS with the Tigers anymore.
So, what this means to me in reality, is WESTS Magpies hardly exist anymore.

Now, if you old Balmain people don't mind, I'm going to continue to tell you all what I feel.
And none of you can tell me I'm wrong, because my feelings are unique and legitimate to me, just as your feelings are to you.
Whether I'm right or wrong, they are my feelings, they are what I believe, and I should be entitled to tell my feelings without being abused.

And lastly Jolls, what am I "way of the mark" about?

 

[Snidest 0]

G'day Jolls...you're one of the few on here that are prepared to get their message across without resorting to abuse of anyone that dares to speak from the Wests Magpies pov, and I respect and appreciate that, as I am sure you also respect our right to say what we believe.
It really makes me wonder if the posters that resort to abuse on here are like that at home?
Or are they pussycats at home then pretend to be tough guys on here?

I feel the Mods are failing in their duty to cut out/delete attacks on the person rather than just disagreeing/attacking the views we put forward.

In debate, it's common for one team to aggressively attack the other team to try to get the upper hand, is that what's happening here, being the same as when I was attacked unfairly by Cochise way back in 2019 when I first joined the WTF. And it's been the same over the years when I've posted comments about Wests Magpies, so much so that I felt I had to change my name on here to hopefully stop the number of personal attacks on me.
Most posters will know what my previous name was though.
My special friend.... [as Lestrongee so lovingly called ME] .... @Magpie_Magic however has stuck strong with his name and has had much more abuse directed at him, and very unfairly Imo.
What's wrong with you old Balmain followers. Are you all that insecure in the JV that you have to lash out at anyone that doesn't agree with you.

Wests Magpies seem to have done everything possible to accommodate Balmain into the JV, but it seems to me, that hasn't been accepted or appreciated.
M_M and I have never said we want the Tigers out of the JV.
All I want to see is the Wests Magpies side of our JV receive the recognition they should be entitled to as 90% owners of Wests Tigers.
But to me it seems the Magpies are recognized less each year.
Our training shirts don't display the Magpie and the polo shirt Benji was wearing didn't either.
It seems to me that Balmain Tigers are now Wests Tigers under a different name.
You old Balmain fans have the tigers colours as well as the Tigers name, while the Magpie emblem seems to be getting smaller in size as well as the gear it's displayed on being less.
The only thing we have left is the WESTS name, and I reckon a big majority of fans don't call the team WESTS and don't even associate WESTS with the Tigers anymore.
So, what this means to me in reality, is WESTS Magpies hardly exist anymore.

Now, if you old Balmain people don't mind, I'm going to continue to tell you all what I feel.
And none of you can tell me I'm wrong, because my feelings are unique and legitimate to me, just as your feelings are to you.
Whether I'm right or wrong, they are my feelings, they are what I believe, and I should be entitled to tell my feelings without being abused.

And lastly Jolls, what am I "way of the mark" about?

By all means tell us about your feelings - but don't frame them as FACTS when you evidently possess very little insight!!

This has NIL to do with Balmain - it is Wests Magpies aligned directors versus Wests Magpies aligned directors!!

Any pointing the figure at Balmain/Leo/Field etc is just obfuscation to deflect from the blatant dysfunction of the self-serving Magpies-aligned HBG Board members!

Try to base your feelings on reality rather than paranoia and a persecution complex!!

 

[WestsEffTheRest]

G'day Jolls...you're one of the few on here that are prepared to get their message across without resorting to abuse of anyone that dares to speak from the Wests Magpies pov, and I respect and appreciate that, as I am sure you also respect our right to say what we believe.
It really makes me wonder if the posters that resort to abuse on here are like that at home?
Or are they pussycats at home then pretend to be tough guys on here?

I feel the Mods are failing in their duty to cut out/delete attacks on the person rather than just disagreeing/attacking the views we put forward.

In debate, it's common for one team to aggressively attack the other team to try to get the upper hand, is that what's happening here, being the same as when I was attacked unfairly by Cochise way back in 2019 when I first joined the WTF. And it's been the same over the years when I've posted comments about Wests Magpies, so much so that I felt I had to change my name on here to hopefully stop the number of personal attacks on me.
Most posters will know what my previous name was though.
My special friend.... [as Lestrongee so lovingly called ME] .... @Magpie_Magic however has stuck strong with his name and has had much more abuse directed at him, and very unfairly Imo.
What's wrong with you old Balmain followers. Are you all that insecure in the JV that you have to lash out at anyone that doesn't agree with you.

Wests Magpies seem to have done everything possible to accommodate Balmain into the JV, but it seems to me, that hasn't been accepted or appreciated.
M_M and I have never said we want the Tigers out of the JV.
All I want to see is the Wests Magpies side of our JV receive the recognition they should be entitled to as 90% owners of Wests Tigers.
But to me it seems the Magpies are recognized less each year.
Our training shirts don't display the Magpie and the polo shirt Benji was wearing didn't either.
It seems to me that Balmain Tigers are now Wests Tigers under a different name.
You old Balmain fans have the tigers colours as well as the Tigers name, while the Magpie emblem seems to be getting smaller in size as well as the gear it's displayed on being less.
The only thing we have left is the WESTS name, and I reckon a big majority of fans don't call the team WESTS and don't even associate WESTS with the Tigers anymore.
So, what this means to me in reality, is WESTS Magpies hardly exist anymore.

Now, if you old Balmain people don't mind, I'm going to continue to tell you all what I feel.
And none of you can tell me I'm wrong, because my feelings are unique and legitimate to me, just as your feelings are to you.
Whether I'm right or wrong, they are my feelings, they are what I believe, and I should be entitled to tell my feelings without being abused.

And lastly Jolls, what am I "way of the mark" about?

Without Wests, Wests Tigers wouldn't be functioning as an entity which I've seen a lot of Balmain people on here acknowledge. I don't understand what more could be done to recognise Wests as an entity to WT's without reverting back to the Magpies? We are Wests Tigers now mate we don't see St George & Illawarra harp on about this crap.

 

[Jolls]

And lastly Jolls, what am I "way of the mark" about?

Lee being part of the organisation because he is a member of the Founding 13. He is just the same as anyone who has donated; except that their names will be forever enshrined on the website.