OFFICIAL Q&A Club discussion with Shaun Mielekamp

[Buttface]

every year there is a problem lol
tickets are wrong
tickets sent to wrong address
attention to detail

Professionalism.

It’s a big word and it’s easier to not be, but it can help you win.

 

[hammertime]

HBG has 20 Debenture holders roughly ?

Every tigers game at the 20 minute mark the supporters should turn there back on the game as a protest to HBG for 1 minute.

This would generate coverage, stupid Voss would be like "what are they doing ?"
it might gain some attention.

That's not a bad idea.

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

not bad

I'd posit chucking 20c coins at them.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

May we well say God save the king, because nothing will save Wests Tigers

 

[twentyforty]

A few weeks ago, I went to Belmore Oval to watch Javon Andrews play in person.
One thing I will never understand is how we can possibly ever be a truly united entity when our reserve grade team is fully represented only by one side of the merger. If you play for the Wests Tigers and you are a contracted player, you should play for the Wests Tigers. Not Balmain and not Wests.

What made it even more concerning for me was that there were ex-players/club officials in Wests polos, rain jackets and hoodies.

We need to unite, fully, completely and totally.

If we have 12 home games, play six at Campbelltown and six at Leichhardt.
Once revamped, there is no longer an excuse.

We can have a heritage jersey, if necessary or play one game in the bush/magic round but from next season, enough is enough.

Forward looking from now on only.
Let's remove the rear vision mirror once and for all.

Bubba,
That is such a great idea!
It would have the backing of 99% of fans I reckon. It would make the coaches jobs a lot easier. There’s really no downside except cost, due to both Wests Magpies and Balmain wanting to keep the status quo.
Why don’t they keep the magpies and introduce an extra team in KOE?
The WT KOE team could play a curtain raiser to the NRL game.
Presents another problem though, how would we fit 50,000 into those small grounds? There’s a heap of “sleeper supporters” wanting something to cheer about, why not turn them into financial supporters?

 

[Milky]

Liltiger - I am doing this and agree that there are some systemic challenges at the club that is keeping us in this loop. I can guarantee you that I am currently looking into the issues as I see them and more importantly looking to focus on how to fix them. I'll be honest I don't have the answers right now but I'm am not going to stop until it is clear for everyone where we need to get to.

One of the biggest challenges is bringing all the fans together - it's actually one of the most significant rifts i have ever seen in a club and does have an impact on the entire organisation.

Is there ever a world where fans who are either Wests Tigers only, fans who are West Tigers and Wests Magpies fans and fans who are Wests Tigers and Balmain Tigers could all be in collective support of the club? I initially thought that the only way to achieve this was to win football games on the field - however there is a connection here between the two and when i see the younger generation of fans coming together and not caring if the jersey being worn next to them has a Pepper, Victor or Phillips brand on the front it gives me a lot of hope for the future.

Just a thought for one of the items we need to find a way to resolve if the club is ever going to truly move forward.

Whilst it’s good the club is taking comfort in the younger generation of fans, like myself, who don’t care about the colour of the jersey, etc, I made the point on another thread that a 16 year old fan has never seen the Tigers play finals. I personally haven’t witnessed a finals series that I can remember.

The club needs to be prioritising the retention of these fans because it is very easy to become disinterested following years of failure. Whilst we wouldn’t necessarily support other clubs (I can only speak for myself), I can only reflect on the lows this club has achieved, and I take no satisfaction in any prior success because I simply do not remember it.

So you can imagine, there is very little positivity in my support for this club. If it wasn’t for this forum, I probably would have tuned out a little while ago. I barely watch the NRL anymore because I have learned not to care, and I haven’t properly watched a WT game since we copped a belting from Penrith. A day on my weekend I had set aside to watch my team compete.

If we can’t achieve results on the field, we need to be doing things off the field for the younger generation to keep them engaged.

Of course, no criticism of you, but just a general observation.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Whilst it’s good the club is taking comfort in the younger generation of fans, like myself, who don’t care about the colour of the jersey, etc, I made the point on another thread that a 16 year old fan has never seen the Tigers play finals. I personally haven’t witnessed a finals series that I can remember.

The club needs to be prioritising the retention of these fans because it is very easy to become disinterested following years of failure. Whilst we wouldn’t necessarily support other clubs (I can only speak for myself), I can only reflect on the lows this club has achieved, and I take no satisfaction in any prior success because I simply do not remember it.

So you can imagine, there is very little positivity in my support for this club. If it wasn’t for this forum, I probably would have tuned out a little while ago. I barely watch the NRL anymore because I have learned not to care, and I haven’t properly watched a WT game since we copped a belting from Penrith. A day on my weekend I had set aside to watch my team compete.

If we can’t achieve results on the field, we need to be doing things off the field for the younger generation to keep them engaged.

Of course, no criticism of you, but just a general observation.

Finals just once in 15 years in a competition where half the teams play finals is a bar so low, it’s pretty much on the ground. And this club still can’t clear it.

 

[twentyforty]

Not sold on that idea?

Who's it going to hurt more?

Not saying it can't work but I would like to know how it would work? They could just flick us totally and support soccer teams and the KOE?

Maybe we should show we're strong without those clowns

Some years ago I was having a chat with a friend who had started a business with nothing and had built it to a size that needed 750 employees. My take away from that conversation was “I always made sure never to reward mediocrity.” It has a habit of lowering the benchmark.”

 

[Chunk]

You must be one of these people they talk of that love being the perennial losing underdog. You must be getting excited for this weekend?

We need change.

WT4L

Yes we need change but all I'm saying is, giving up your membership the right way to go about it....football club memberhip, not Wests Ashfield.

To tell you the truth, I wouldn't know for sure but its just what I think, you're taking money and support away from the football club.

If there is an 'expert' on here who knows how to change the situation, then thats great and let's do what they say. Maybe the fans can find someone who knows about this stuff?

Could letting the new CEO to try and build some bridges be more productive? Maybe? It would be easier for him with more money and support.

We all want the same thing.

 

[liltiger]

Yeah, agree. HBG debenture holders are already unaccountable for spending their members money. They will still get their blazers.

Can't be memberships. Needs to be viewership with the media deal negotiations. Need PVL to take action if the debenture holders won't do the right thing.

I like Adel and Garys suggestion on the pod, if its the nrlw team putting in get 10,000 in to watch them and ignore the N.R.L side. If the lads want to dish up garbage and whinge dont go, let the t.v audiance see an empty stadium. If the nrlw are putting in why shouldnt they get our support instead. Its a way of still supporting the club but saying to the club and N.R.L pull your socks up.

 

[liltiger]

I totally understand the rules introduced this season to allow 6 players on the NRL interchange bench has caused chaos as clubs do not want to risk playing these players named on their interchange bench before the NRL game due to fatigue and potential injury.
Hopefully the NRL recognises this is a big problem that is effecting the game time and in some cases development of players who spend far too much time sitting on the bench and not getting any game time and come up with a solution in addition to the players named 14-17, why not allow each club to name another 4-6 players to sit on the NRL bench as interchange options on the proviso that these additional players play at least some game time in NSW Cuo prior tj the NRL game.
This worked perfectly fine once upon a time and it was considered a privilege for players to play in two grades, sometimes 3 grades on the one day.

I always just assumed the N.R.L could fix all the interchange issus by working on a set number of changes per game that were permanent. No more on and off. Once your on your on. Id allow players on hia to be subbed to do an assessment. If they pass they return, if not the player who replaces them stays on. If a team try to be too smart for themselves and it looks like someones taken a dive for a free interchange and they pass an assessment they stay off. How many permanent subs per game 5 or 6. Makes the players fitter and all of these massivly built bodies we have running around eould become smaller and more athletic to keep up, maybe preventing injuries in contact duribg games. Just a thought i always had. I like that tge interchange becomes more tactical for a coach whos switched on aswell.

 

[Vicious]

I always just assumed the N.R.L could fix all the interchange issus by working on a set number of changes per game that were permanent. No more on and off. Once your on your on. Id allow players on hia to be subbed to do an assessment. If they pass they return, if not the player who replaces them stays on. If a team try to be too smart for themselves and it looks like someones taken a dive for a free interchange and they pass an assessment they stay off. How many permanent subs per game 5 or 6. Makes the players fitter and all of these massivly built bodies we have running around eould become smaller and more athletic to keep up, maybe preventing injuries in contact duribg games. Just a thought i always had. I like that tge interchange becomes more tactical for a coach whos switched on aswell.

I think that is a good idea.
Make it like soccer, once you are off you cannot come back on.

 

[426Tlgerland]

Shaun
Can you let the debenture holders ( HBG ) directors know that it would be better for the junior pathways , if we spend the money they will use to go to Vegas on the pathways system , we never see these directors anywhere so no need to go to Vegas but much better to spend the thousands of dollars it will take to get these people to Vegas on the juniors , it would be a very good move , we only need to send our coach , assistants coaches , head of football etc , we don’t need to send people just for a holiday , it would be a fantastic move by HBg to do this ,

 

[Tom Shines]

Shaun
Can you let the debenture holders ( HBG ) directors know that it would be better for the junior pathways , if we spend the money they will use to go to Vegas on the pathways system , we never see these directors anywhere so no need to go to Vegas but much better to spend the thousands of dollars it will take to get these people to Vegas on the juniors , it would be a very good move , we only need to send our coach , assistants coaches , head of football etc , we don’t need to send people just for a holiday , it would be a fantastic move by HBg to do this ,

lol …do you tell your bosses they can’t go on overseas business junket ?

 

[426Tlgerland]

lol …do you tell your bosses they can’t go on overseas business junket ?

Most don’t that are any good if the business Wests Tigers is running and looking like shit , the boss would be doing everything to fix it

 

[Tom Shines]

Most don’t that are any good if the business Wests Tigers is running and looking like shit , the boss would be doing everything to fix it

Plenty I know do…although a lot were better performers than ours

 

[KevB]

I don’t think there is a conflict between supporters of wests tigers. It’s a conflict of wests tigers supporters with HBG.

No conflict by wests tigers supporters with the original independent board and richo’s leadership, that was making positive progress. But it was blown up by HBG because they know better as shown by the shambles of the last 15 years.

If HBG don’t want to make decisions in the best interests of Wests Tigers, then supporters have little choice than conflict with HBG continuing.

The biggest challenge to wests Tigers success is HBG and its de facto non independent wests Tigers board

HBG has 20 Debenture holders roughly ?

Every tigers game at the 20 minute mark the supporters should turn there back on the game as a protest to HBG for 1 minute.

This would generate coverage, stupid Voss would be like "what are they doing ?"
it might gain some attention.

Childish in my opinion

 

[Jedi_Tiger]

That's not a bad idea.

it is something that can be done in stadium, it is not a protest outside or a protest in December, it may well gain traction and force the media to ask why is this happening, what are they doing etc.
It doesnt involve banners that security can ask to take down

It is a simple all tigers fans stand up and turn your back on the team at the 20 minute mark for 1 minute or so.
Or something similar in game is the key