HBG, Independent Directors Sacked

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Wests Tigers board member quits amid "sexually explicit" Instagram expose

By SEN

Death, taxes and chaos at the Wests Tigers.

Chairman of the Holman Barnes Group, Dennis Burgess, who serves on the board of the NRL club, has resigned from his position.
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It comes just days after it was reported that Burgess followed hundreds of sexually explicit pages on Instagram, though he insists it is not the catalyst behind his decision to step away.

Using the handle "wildmandenny", more than 200 of the 4500 accounts Burgess follows on Instagram display inappropriate content.

“No-one has forced me out, it’s my decision," he told News Corp. “That Instagram page is a relic from my old music life.
“I haven’t touched it since 2017.

“To be clear, I wasn’t ever steering it – someone helping with promotions was driving the account and they likely followed just about everyone to boost the profile.
“Yeah sure, it really should’ve been a generic music handle rather than me, but to me it’s long since been forgotten.

“I wouldn’t say I was hacked, in the technical sense of the word. But I’ve sure been blindsided by it because I was not in control of it.
“At the end of the day, people have jumped on it and weaponised it for their own reasons.”

Burgess' resignation comes just days after the club sacked four board members before being forced to overturn their decision by the NRL.

CEO Shane Richardson was also removed from his position and the club, in the midst of the chaos and instability, looks set to hand Benji Marshall a new contract extending through to 2030.

Burgess has been a director of the Holman Barnes Group since 2001.
It was only in April this year that he was appointed as chairman of the Holman Barnes Group. He has also been serving as a chairman with the Western Suburbs District Rugby League Football Club.

In his professional life, the former singer has been the chairman of the Australian Songwriters Association since 2003.

With his services to the performing arts and the music industry, he was awarded a medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2024

 
They don’t want to give WT’s independence. That’s the crux of the matter.
I actually agree to a certain point, If we had poor or impotent leadership like in the past then it can actually be worse.

I want the HBG to have more options than just a few debenture holders. Open Up the WT directorship to the Best and brightest.

Currently the HBG are all inbred.
 

Wests Tigers fans' announce new fan group following club turmoil​

By SEN
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If it hadn’t been obvious to the Holman Barnes Group (HBG) already, the Wests Tigers fans have certainly made their displeasure known towards the group which owns 90% of the NRL side.

A rally, which had been organised by Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne, took place at Pratten Park Bowling Club on Saturday, with roughly 700 supporters in attendance, according to the mayor.

The fans were gathering to express their frustration with HBG over their actions across the last few weeks to sack independent board members, which have raised calls for the board to have an independent majority.

Some of those in attendance included Balmain Tigers legend Steve ‘Blocker’ Roach.
During the rally, Byrne announced that he, alongside others, would be launching a fan-led organisation to help express their concerns with ownership.

“Today I announce that we will form Wests Tigers Unite, a new grassroots organisation to give fans a real say at Wests Tigers,” he said.

“We will draw from the successful examples around the world of fans' associations at different sports that have been set up when this sort of situation occurs.”

Since December 1, HBG sacked four independent directors of the club in Annabelle Williams, Charlie Viola, Michelle McDowell and former NSW Premier and chairman of the club Barry O'Farrell.


But the NRL would get involved in the days after, which resulted in HBG inviting the four independent members back in a massive backflip.

Williams, McDowell and O’Farrell are reportedly set to return to the board following the NRL's demands, with Viola appearing unlikely to return at this stage.

In the midst of all this turmoil, club CEO Shane Richardson decided to resign from his position on December 8, with former Central Coast Mariners CEO Shaun Mielekamp being appointed to his position on an interim basis.

After all that, Dennis Burgess, the chairman of HBG, would also resign days later in relation to following over 200 accounts showing inappropriate content on his Instagram.
It has been confirmed by Byrne to News Corp that should the situation not improve by the time the Tigers hold their first practice game at Leichhardt against the Panthers on February 20, fans will once again rally.
 
I actually agree to a certain point, If we had poor or impotent leadership like in the past then it can actually be worse.

I want the HBG to have more options than just a few debenture holders. Open Up the WT directorship to the Best and brightest.

Currently the HBG are all inbred.
Lot's of side issues make their way into the discussion, but this is the central one.

How can you have great leadership when the talent pool is 20 and they just recycle each other from board to board?
 
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