CEO - Shane Richardson

That's got zero to do with why Richardson wants to call the reserve grade team WestsTigers .. it's about branding and a pathway into WestsTigers first grade team.
As it was seen in old NYC days.
Oddly enough I'm pretty sure it was Richardson who was the architect of scrapping that comp.
Zero to do with it? You're the one who said bring back Balmain to make things fair. I was just pointing out there is nothing stopping Balmain other than the obvious.
 
All levels should be branded Wests Tigers. I’ve always followed he Magpies but it’s 25 years now since the merger. Kids that are in pathways and future players never knew the magpies or Balmain tigers.

Hopefully Wests let it all happen Balmain and Magpies is the past the club needs to embrace the south west it’s where the growth and juniors will come from for a long time.
 
Blockers argument the other day for Leichardt was that Richo is prioritizing the corporates over the fans. Which bugs me.

The two are not mutually exclusive. It's best if we find the right balance. Corporates are fans too.

Leichardt ignores corporates, for the most part, and opens up liability issues for general fans given the state of the ground.

It's all about finding the right balance. I love Leichhardt, but how long can we keep going there if no investment is made. It will stifle the club.

Richo is just ripping off the bandaid.
 
Zero to do with it? You're the one who said bring back Balmain to make things fair. I was just pointing out there is nothing stopping Balmain other than the obvious.
I was being sarcastic.
I would much prefer to keep our junior pathways teams representing both Wests and Balmain (their local areas) and keeping our graded teams at the pointy end (as in Jersey Flegg, reggies and first grade) as WestsTigers.
Juniors should be aspiring to play for WestsTigers... they're the team being marketed by the NRL and the team the sponsors are putting their money into.
 
Push to get Richo back to Souths

While the chess pieces are being moved in the background to bring Wayne Bennett back to South Sydney, powerful figures at the club also want Wests Tigers interim chief executive Shane Richardson to make a stunning return.

The veteran administrator was spotted lunching with Rabbitohs officials on Wednesday, although I’ve been assured the catch-up was scheduled long before the axe was being sharpened to sack coach Jason Demetriou.

Nevertheless, the push to bring back Richardson as head of football – a role he previously held until he left in 2020 – to support Bennett is well and truly on.

Whether it happens depends, largely, on the Tigers.

Richardson is contracted on an interim basis until June 30 and has been negotiating a three-year extension for more than a month.

But he’s told the club if the governance reform initiated by the Holman-Barnes Group – the Western Suburbs side of the joint-venture – isn’t completed then he’ll be out the door.

Part of that reform led to Richardson being installed in the first place, but the recommendation from former NRL chief financial officer Tony Crawford and businessman Gary Barnier for three independents to sit on the board alongside chairman Barry O’Farrell has not yet happened.

While Richardson has the Tigers pointed in the right direction, he wants to know who he’s answerable to before agreeing to stay.

Souths are keeping an eye on the situation as they work out what to do if Demetriou doesn’t survive.
Richardson mightn’t be on the Christmas card list of chairman Nick Pappas, but he has a critical ally in co-owner Russell Crowe.

The Hollywood actor has a deep affection for Bennett, but with Richardson it’s more of an abiding respect because of his ability to make hard decisions and not care whose feelings might get bruised.

He was responsible for bringing Bennett to the club in late 2018 after flying to the UK where Bennett was coaching England following a tumultuous and ultimately final season at the Broncos.

The pair butted heads early on over the signing of Latrell Mitchell, but eventually developed a close relationship because Bennett could focus on the NRL team while Richardson worried about recruitment, retention and pathways.

Speculation that they fell out was wide of the mark. Rather, they clashed on footy matters, a healthy and inevitable dynamic at any club.

If Bennett was to return to Souths, it’s hard to see it happening without Richardson supporting him.

Doubtless, your poor old correspondent will be accused of doing Richardson’s bidding because, well, this is rugby league and people are idiots.

He refused to comment when approached on Thursday and was unhappy the piece was being written. O’Farrell also refused to comment.

 
someone might be able to correct me on this but as far as I was aware the club was due to appoint the three independent board members between now and the end of next month.

Richo's contract runs out in June, so assuming that the board is finalised between now and then I'd say he will stay on and this article won't be too much more than a scare tactic.
 
It will be interesting to see if HBG are having second thoughts about the independent board members …

If Richo leaves in June it is likely to be a big setback …concerning that this story hasnt come out of the News Ltd hacks as well but SMH
 
Cronulla's reserve grade team is Newtown and Manly's reserve grade team is Blacktown Workers. I don't think it matters too much what our NSW Cup team is called.
Yep...I think the kids are smart enough to know even though they may be wearing a Wests Magpies jersey, they are actually playing for the Wests Tigers and that's who they will be playing for in the future.
Keeping the Wests Magpies Jersey is simply a salute of recognition and respect to fans like me that have followed the Magpies since the 60's, [and the actual owners of our club] haven't been forgotten.
In the near future when there are very few fans like me left due to old age, I've got a feeling the whole club will be known as Wests Tigers and every grade will be playing in a Wests Tigers Jumper.
So, all it needs is a little patience folks, and we'll ALL be playing under the one flag of Wests Tigers.
 
if you were Richo and you get bennet to souths that is probably more enticing than staying with us.
 
someone might be able to correct me on this but as far as I was aware the club was due to appoint the three independent board members between now and the end of next month.

Richo's contract runs out in June, so assuming that the board is finalised between now and then I'd say he will stay on and this article won't be too much more than a scare tactic.
Yeh, well I have to admit I AM a little bit scared.
When a Pollie is asked a Q and he refuses to answer, to me it's a sign they don't want to answer in case they say the wrong thing and put their foot in it.
 
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Cronulla's reserve grade team is Newtown and Manly's reserve grade team is Blacktown Workers. I don't think it matters too much what our NSW Cup team is called.
If theyre good enough to progress thru to reserves and hopefully first grade, they'll have more on their mind than what the reggies team is called.

The five and six, eight ten twelve year olds that love Api Bula etc and are drawn to the game because of the stars might want to have some connection...which I think theyre doing now but not sure, all the kids jerseys had the Wests Tigers logo somewhere on it along with the club and district logo...though I remember my son playing in Balmain district since early 2000s and never heard him or his friends asking about the balmain tiger on their jersey
 
It will be interesting to see if HBG are having second thoughts about the independent board members …

If Richo leaves in June it is likely to be a big setback …concerning that this story hasnt come out of the News Ltd hacks as well but SMH
Surely HBG isn’t that stupid to not continue with the recommended governance changes. I know they have a new Chair in Julie Romero but HBG ‘unanimously’ agreed for the WT review recommendations to be implemented. Just say Romero backlipped, she & HBG would face the wrath of thousands of members & fans and also devastating negative publicity from the media which would significantly affect their brand & her personal profile. They aint that stupid! Just media scratching to get the WT back into the spotlight.
 
Surely HBG isn’t that stupid to not continue with the recommended governance changes. I know they have a new Chair in Julie Romero but HBG ‘unanimously’ agreed for the WT review recommendations to be implemented. Just say Romero backlipped, she & HBG would face the wrath of thousands of members & fans and also devastating negative publicity from the media which would significantly affect their brand & her personal profile. They aint that stupid! Just media scratching to get the WT back into the spotlight.

Yeah .. I don’t disagree that it would be a major setback and would turn out to be the wrong call,,,

But people don’t like relinquishing control of things they own to others … they also might not be happy with the change of direction that Richo has announced so far …

Im just totally speculating …hopefully it’s all just a rumour…. I mean .. Richo having a lunch with some of his ex colleagues from Souths doesn’t necessarily mean they were pitching a new job offer to him …

Still… a lot of other clubs would welcome him… I hope he signs that three year deal soon…
 
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