HBG, Independent Directors Sacked

Telltails said:
It's interesting how the two mayor's Cambo/ Inner West are both Darcy's - both looked very happy when the stadium announcement was made at Leichardt.
Shame our board are not so enthusiastic for whatever reason that maybe.
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This one had me thinking why actually. Why were they so angry at being locked into Leichhardt for the next 15 years. Overlapping the next license agreement.....

Its as easy to read as black and white.
 
Feb 14 2025 - https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/n...l/news-story/db9617946c86fbdb61d38e11e276083e

An alleged inappropriate touching scandal was a major factor in the breakdown of the Wests Tigers ownership, after a board member was told to “undergo training” over an incident with a young woman.

The split opinions led to a coup at the HBG’s annual general meeting last March, with current chair Julie Romero ousting her predecessor Tony Andreacchio and his deputy Rick Wayde, who were both influential in backing the Wests Tigers’ football review.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal that same day, Saturday, March 23, an incident occurred in which HBG board member Vince Tropiano was accused of using a voting paddle to “tap” a woman, before saying to her: “You’ve been a good girl”.

Private emails obtained by this masthead in which a complaint about the incident was initially made claimed the woman had been tapped on the “backside”.

However legal documents referencing the incident, later sent by HBG, stated the woman had been tapped on the “side”, while confirming the “you’ve been a good girl?” comment had been made.

It is understood Mr Tropiano was required to undergo training by a disciplinary committee and removed from a committee he was on, as a result.

That handling of the incident by Ms Romero was criticised at board meetings by other HBG directors.

David Gilbert, the HBG board member who initially made a complaint about the incident with HBG CEO Simon Cook, was sensationally stood-down as a board member in December.

In his email to Mr Cook titled “incident prior to the AGM”, Mr Gilbert outlined how he was talking to a senior HBG executive when that person told him he had just witnessed Mr Tropiano “tap” the woman on the “backside”.

According to the email, the senior executive then immediately approached the woman to check on her wellbeing, asking her “are you ok?” before telling her “that’s not acceptable what just happened to you”.

The minutes of a board meeting from early April, less than a few weeks after the AGM, detail how Mr Wayde and Mr Andreacchio voiced their concerns over the handling of the incident by Mr Romero.

Mr Wayde and Mr Andreacchio, who were aligned with Mr Gilbert in the board split, both raised concerns about how Mr Tropiano was being “protected” by his allies on the board after they referred him to the disciplinary committee.

The minutes of a board meeting on May 28 outline how Ms Romero openly discussed “that there have been some enquiries regarding the complaint (against Mr Tropiano) which was dealt with recently”.

Mr Andreacchio was overthrown at the AGM last March, thanks to Ms Romero having the backing of fellow board members Mr Tropiano, Dennis Burgess and Stephen Montgomery — giving her a majority on the seven-person board.

Montgomery and Burgess are part of the Wests Tigers board.

Apr 30 2025 - https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/mo...-deposed-by-magpies-boss-20250430-p5lvgj.html

Julie Romero, the woman who led a boardroom revolt that split the Holman Barnes Group – the majority owners of the Wests Tigers – was on Tuesday night deposed as chair of the organisation.

Romero was voted out and replaced by Western Suburbs District Rugby League Football Club chairman Dennis Burgess. Romero will remain on the board.

The ascension of Burgess to the chairman’s position at the HBG – which oversees the cashed-up Wests Ashfield leagues club – will raise eyebrows at the Wests Tigers, a joint-venture club formed through the merging of Balmain and the Western Suburbs.

Burgess allegedly told Wests Tigers director and Balmain chairman Danny Stapleton at a game last year, “We’re bringing back the Wests Magpies”.

That conversation led to Wests Tigers chairman Barry O’Farrell raising concerns with ARL Commission chairman boss Peter V’landys.

Romero led a coup in March last year that overthrew Tony Andreacchio from the helm of the HBG board, and also took action against fellow directors Rick Wayde and Dave Gilbert that led to their departures from the board over the summer.

Oct 8 2025 - https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...h/news-story/e85bbbc12275c4157590d797a70965ed

The owners of the Wests Tigers are embroiled in a fresh controversy with former Holman Barnes Group chair Julie Romero becoming the latest board member to be handed a long-term suspension.

Romero – spent 13 months as chair of the Holman Barnes Group before she was deposed as chair in April.

However, her time on the board of the Holman Barnes Group came to an end last month. Romero has been banned for eight years.

“Following a comprehensive and independent investigation, we can confirm Julie Romero was officially excluded from membership of the Holman Barnes Group on September 30 following a serious breach of confidentiality,” a Holman Barnes statement read. “We are grateful for Julie’s contribution to Holman Barnes Group and wish her well.

“In the interest of all parties, we will not be making any further comment.”

Romero was chair of Holman Barnes when they suspended three directors earlier this year. Those directors Rick Wayde, Tony Andreacchio and David Gilbert were sensationally banned on New Year’s Eve.

Wayde has led legal action against his dismissal with the court case ongoing. It is due to be heard again in December.

Wayde was banned for eight years and Andreacchio (six).

Gilbert received a six-month suspension. His ban expired in April but said he had no interest in re-applying for his membership.

Gilbert was told he must front the board and show significant remorse for his actions in order to re-apply. The former Australian cricketer said there was no chance of that occurring.

“I’ve shown no interest in re-joining the club whilst the current regime is in charge,” Gilbert said. “It was a shame when it happened and it’s a shame 12 months later. Hopefully sanity will prevail and we will get some proper governance going at the joint.

“What happened to me was nothing short of scandalous. I was basically ousted because of my friendship and connections to Tony and Rick. What happened to the two of them was disgraceful. “What I have heard has happened to Julie vindicates the madness in that place.

“It would have to be a complete change in the running of the club to ever reconsider.

“I find it very sad. It shouldn’t be like this. It’s all about power I just think some very good people in Rick and Tony have been victimised .

“It’s a great club but at the moment it’s held up for ridicule.”

It is unclear Romero will follow Wayde and Andreacchio in pursuing legal options.

-more-
 
Oct 11 2025 - https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...t/news-story/a77e565b07de2e2248125453eac048a6

A member of the beleaguered owners of the Wests Tigers has hit out at colleagues in a fiery email, accusing one of the Holman Barnes Group debenture holders of leaking information about the eight-year suspension of a board member.

This masthead has obtained an email from Clare Burgess to her fellow debenture holders, sent in the wake of this masthead revealing that former Holman Barnes Group chair Julie Romero had become the fourth person to be suspended by the board.

Burgess – whose husband Dennis is the current chair of Holman Barnes – said she could not “express my disgust” to the person who leaked news of Romero’s departure.

“For whatever sick and feeble gain they might seek to find from doing it, just shows what a pathetic person you must be,” Burgess wrote to her fellow debenture holders on Wednesday night.

Four new debenture holders were appointed recently, including ex-Magpies Allan Fallah, Leo Epifania and Magpies board member Bob Cairns. APIA Leichhardt president Tony Raciti was also appointed.

Rick Yabsley and Frank Primerano were appointed to the Holman Barnes board in May as non-debenture holders.

-ENDS-
 
diedpretty said:
well not quite - there is a little bit more - inflated payments to his and his sons business, employment of other family members
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Jesus.. a smart person would only need to spend 5 minutes amongst the backstabbing, conniving , sneaky, two faced , disingenuous snakes cosplaying as HBG directors to know that you need someone to watch your back.. So Richo sent some legit work to family members and people he could trust to do the work properly.. that he cleared with the board and got the approvals for ,, and somehow its “inflated” … Jesus H Christ it was digital and online work and apparently Richos son worked for GOOGLE whereas Burgess tech expertise extends to managing multiple subscriptions… seriously you dont think the timing at all suspicious and have no suspicions at all that the “anonymous”complaint could not be somewhat spurious ??? Something tells me that Richo would have done quite well for himself financially in life, based on the positions he has held and the way he conducts himself and his affairs and my humble opinion, in fact my strong suspicion is that a shrewd man , a proud , honest, and hard working successful man like Shane Richardson would not need to and would not even consider trying to grift an extra few thousand $ by inflating a few payments to his talented and successful sons business…in the process risking his reputation and legacy! .. WAKE UP , FFS the rats at HBG are so low and imbecilic and vile that they are going to try to slander and smear this man? It is reprehensible, its disgusting and embarrasses me for the club and all of its supporters that sadly a group like that control it.. i just hope that Richo knows how strongly behind him the majority of true Wests Tigers supporters are..
 
TigerNeddyK said:
Jesus.. a smart person would only need to spend 5 minutes amongst the backstabbing, conniving , sneaky, two faced , disingenuous snakes cosplaying as HBG directors to know that you need someone to watch your back.. So Richo sent some legit work to family members and people he could trust to do the work properly.. that he cleared with the board and got the approvals for ,, and somehow its “inflated” … Jesus H Christ it was digital and online work and apparently Richos son worked for GOOGLE whereas Burgess tech expertise extends to managing multiple subscriptions… seriously you dont think the timing at all suspicious and have no suspicions at all that the “anonymous”complaint could not be somewhat spurious ??? Something tells me that Richo would have done quite well for himself financially in life, based on the positions he has held and the way he conducts himself and his affairs and my humble opinion, in fact my strong suspicion is that a shrewd man , a proud , honest, and hard working successful man like Shane Richardson would not need to and would not even consider trying to grift an extra few thousand $ by inflating a few payments to his talented and successful sons business…in the process risking his reputation and legacy! .. WAKE UP , FFS the rats at HBG are so low and imbecilic and vile that they are going to try to slander and smear this man? It is reprehensible, its disgusting and embarrasses me for the club and all of its supporters that sadly a group like that control it.. i just hope that Richo knows how strongly behind him the majority of true Wests Tigers supporters are..
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Maybe my favourite ever WTF post 👏
 
crazycat said:
I still remember the Pre-Pascoe era.

Robbie Farah and Benji Marshall loaned the club money.
I mean it got that bad.

Yea fair point, maybe Pascoe and co were crap all round. I just know things were getting better and then this BS
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Yeah and i heard Robbie was providing meals from his restaurant because Pascoe was homeless - thats why he always looked so dishevelled.
 
Merlot said:
blows my mind how this day and age a debenture system is allowed to exist.
Don't quote me but from memory ,the debenture system was the norm back in the day when a few business men from the local district built a fancy tin shed and called it a club.
Once they got their return back and then some ,they turned it over to a general member vote /as a part of charging membership in the 1st place.
Think that was what was explained to me many many moons ago
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It blows my mind too but Liquor and Gaming have said it is totally legal - take it up with them
 
TigerNeddyK said:
Jesus.. a smart person would only need to spend 5 minutes amongst the backstabbing, conniving , sneaky, two faced , disingenuous snakes cosplaying as HBG directors to know that you need someone to watch your back.. So Richo sent some legit work to family members and people he could trust to do the work properly.. that he cleared with the board and got the approvals for ,, and somehow its “inflated” … Jesus H Christ it was digital and online work and apparently Richos son worked for GOOGLE whereas Burgess tech expertise extends to managing multiple subscriptions… seriously you dont think the timing at all suspicious and have no suspicions at all that the “anonymous”complaint could not be somewhat spurious ??? Something tells me that Richo would have done quite well for himself financially in life, based on the positions he has held and the way he conducts himself and his affairs and my humble opinion, in fact my strong suspicion is that a shrewd man , a proud , honest, and hard working successful man like Shane Richardson would not need to and would not even consider trying to grift an extra few thousand $ by inflating a few payments to his talented and successful sons business…in the process risking his reputation and legacy! .. WAKE UP , FFS the rats at HBG are so low and imbecilic and vile that they are going to try to slander and smear this man? It is reprehensible, its disgusting and embarrasses me for the club and all of its supporters that sadly a group like that control it.. i just hope that Richo knows how strongly behind him the majority of true Wests Tigers supporters are..
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They've done a great job with the socials and deserve the money. If that's Richos son then so be it.
 
Lestronge said:
I’m just anti magpies and ….. anti Balmain ! It’s the reason our club is shit . It’s the reason there’s at the moment 4 investigations from various parties around our club, and honestly if people arnt here for wests tigers I’m gonna try and drive them out of the forum . This is a wests tigers forum .
If you want to talk wests tigers , I’m here for it . I’m happy to even start afresh if I’ve misjudged you. If that’s true that’s my bad . I apologise. Sincerely !
But I’m not happy to read Pro magpies or Balmain propaganda anymore. It should be viewed like nazism in this forum . So toxic that it’s one of the few things that are banned from talking about . Do you understand my point ? Do you get divisive this subject is , and how alienating it is for people who have NFI what the problem is ? I’m not trying to shit on your past or anyone else’s , for me that’s collateral damage for 1 united club.
It’s either get on board or we boot you off at the next stop. There’s no exceptions. We’ve been doing that for 25 years and we are the worst sports team in Australia … for any sport ! I’d honestly take the Newcastle jets hierarchy over ours . We are a joke. And it hurts my soul to admit it . And it’s because of bullshit from 25 years ago. And nothing else . So if you’re happy to drop the wests magpies stuff , I’m happy to admit fault and since been unreasonable . If not then we will go back to the way it’s been for a long time now. Which is toxic for everyone including myself and yourself . I love the wests tigers mate . I wouldn’t be on a wests tigers forum if I didn’t . There is no other love re. Sports clubs for me. And in 2025 there really shouldn’t be for any other so called wests tigers supporters. I couldn’t be any clearer .
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you are a liar - you said you would only follow wests tigers while there was still a tie to balmain and that you would walk if that didn't continue. So don't sit on your high horse and abuse anyone who even mentions magpies. You are a [This word has been automatically removed]ing hypocrite.
 
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