HBG, Independent Directors Sacked

cdinoz007 said:
Honestly? There is nothing wrong with the current board members at HBG that I can see makes cause for anyone to demand they resign.

Lets ignore the "Dennis" story for a moment:

Francesco Primerano - Lawyer and Businessman
Stephen Montgomery - Lawyer and Barrister
Vince Tropiana - ex Ford Motor Company (I know plenty from the industry who know and worked with Vince and he apparently was well respected in the motor industry)
Mick Liubinskas - Ex Magpies enforcer, Businessman (IT industry). Havent met a more honest and direct bloke as Mick. Have known Mick about 20 years.
Rick Yabsley - Chartered Accountant. Honest hard working guy from what I have been told about him
Peter Di Michiel - Wests Magpies club doctor. Medic and General Practictioner

Now, lets go back to Denis. Yes, I read the nonsense about looking at young ladies on Instagram. I have known Dennis some 20 years or so. He is a music guy and that is who he is. Does he like the ladies? Yeah he does. He is off that generation of old rockers who arent scared to tell a pretty girl she is pretty (and apparently that offends some people). And he has always been a passionate Magpies supporter. Yes, in his perfect world, I think he would like to see the Maggies back in the NRL, but he also knows that that is also pipe dream.

I dont see any of these blokes being poor for the leagues club. Would it be good to see a female somewhere on the board? Yeah, of course. But I also dont wanna see a woman appointed just becuase she is a she for DEI reasons.

I have no issue supporting these guys to get the leagues club functioning. Certainly I know at least one of them was very proactive in trying to stop the culture of bullying at the leagues club... which was very much covered up and that cover up was facilitated by TA and RW.
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Which one of our 3 wooden spoons will help you see how out of their depth the HBG are when it comes to running a rugby league club?

Absolutely no issues with them running a leagues club. But they have no business holding the Wests Tigers board to ransom.
 
cdinoz007 said:
Honestly? There is nothing wrong with the current board members at HBG that I can see makes cause for anyone to demand they resign.

Lets ignore the "Dennis" story for a moment:

Francesco Primerano - Lawyer and Businessman
Stephen Montgomery - Lawyer and Barrister
Vince Tropiana - ex Ford Motor Company (I know plenty from the industry who know and worked with Vince and he apparently was well respected in the motor industry)
Mick Liubinskas - Ex Magpies enforcer, Businessman (IT industry). Havent met a more honest and direct bloke as Mick. Have known Mick about 20 years.
Rick Yabsley - Chartered Accountant. Honest hard working guy from what I have been told about him
Peter Di Michiel - Wests Magpies club doctor. Medic and General Practictioner

Now, lets go back to Denis. Yes, I read the nonsense about looking at young ladies on Instagram. I have known Dennis some 20 years or so. He is a music guy and that is who he is. Does he like the ladies? Yeah he does. He is off that generation of old rockers who arent scared to tell a pretty girl she is pretty (and apparently that offends some people). And he has always been a passionate Magpies supporter. Yes, in his perfect world, I think he would like to see the Maggies back in the NRL, but he also knows that that is also pipe dream.

I dont see any of these blokes being poor for the leagues club. Would it be good to see a female somewhere on the board? Yeah, of course. But I also dont wanna see a woman appointed just becuase she is a she for DEI reasons.

I have no issue supporting these guys to get the leagues club functioning. Certainly I know at least one of them was very proactive in trying to stop the culture of bullying at the leagues club... which was very much covered up and that cover up was facilitated by TA and RW.
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When have they ever effectively worked together to support the development of the club - WTs - without there being some level of drama amongst themselves? Easy to behave in that manner when the selection process is limited without suitable competition.

There are probably people that could say the same that know Rick Wayde, Tony A ,Julie Romero, and Dave Gilbert and make excuses for them or speak highly of them yet they are all gone and levelled with accusations that are questionable at the very least and denied, and or in Julie Romero's case silenced - all damaging to the West's Tigers and it's progression and brand
No excuses for Denis and his choice of viewing preferences, or lack of management of his social media. If you want to be the main man of any professional organisation you are are fool if you think that sort of content won't resurface or that it would be considered inappropriate by a percentage of the public.
It seems he had no trouble supporting the removal of a board member for reasons related to an incident with one of the wives, so he could expect by doing so he put a target on his own back - that's how they role
We need a board that is working for WTs together - fit for purpose and earned on merit no agendas other than improving the perception of the club moving into the future. If the selection process opens up the opportunity to assess the suitability of candidates based on skill and merit then Denis can line up with the rest of them.
 
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Telltails said:
When have they ever effectively worked together to support the development of the club - WTs - without there being some level of drama amongst themselves?
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Given this board has only been together a short while in this guise, thats a hard question to answer. What we can say is the two persons who have been barred from the board for several years, and who were also part of Wests Tigers for several years are no longer calling the shots.

And lets face facts, the current petition of HBG members has all the hallmarks of being backed and supported by those same two characters.
 
cdinoz007 said:
Given this board has only been together a short while in this guise, thats a hard question to answer. What we can say is the two persons who have been barred from the board for several years, and who were also part of Wests Tigers for several years are no longer calling the shots.

And lets face facts, the current petition of HBG members has all the hallmarks of being backed and supported by those same two characters.
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So you are saying that the 2 member voted directors were able call the shots on a 7 seat board.

That is some effort and probably calls into question the 5 other directors.
 
cdinoz007 said:
Given this board has only been together a short while in this guise, thats a hard question to answer. What we can say is the two persons who have been barred from the board for several years, and who were also part of Wests Tigers for several years are no longer calling the shots.

And lets face facts, the current petition of HBG members has all the hallmarks of being backed and supported by those same two characters.
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Two board members who realised what the club was doing as an organisation was not working, while they were in a position to make those decisions. What is wrong with reflection when an organisation is failing?

So they find themselves on the wrong side of the numbers and accusations made against them to make ensure their voice/power to make decisions was squashed. Meanwhile the fans are not interested factions they just want stability - unless of course they have some allegiance to people making the moves.
And lord knows what Romero did to suddenly be out of favour after her short tenure.
This is not the actions of an organisation that is working for the betterment of the club.
It is self serving control and if we were thriving and the destination club that we should, be then you could cop it sweet but that is not the case and their is nothing to suggest that without external pressure and or intervention anything will change other than the names of a privileged few.
 
kiwitiger said:
When Easts won the comp in the first season with our exit fullback there was a few articles about how the roosters had invested in property over the previous few years. About 60million value back then. Was what was going to finance the club. Remember it because I realized some teams are working at a different level.
Nick has moved them into the property market.
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www.smh.com.au

Roosters chairman Nick Politis preparing $500m parting gift for his club

Politis understands he can’t run the club forever and is preparing to deliver a property portfolio worth $500 million before he finishes.
www.smh.com.au www.smh.com.au
 
cochise said:
So you are saying that the 2 member voted directors were able call the shots on a 7 seat board.

That is some effort and probably calls into question the 5 other directors.
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All 5 would have to be asleep through all the board meetings just like Denny and his mate were at the Wests Tigers board meetings.
 
hank37w said:
Okay, maybe the money hasn't come out of Nick's pocket but it has all occurred under the years of his guidance and chairmanship all beginning with his original sponsorship of the club back in the City Ford days.

The board also has directors the calibre of Mark Bouris who are responsible for the financial success of the Roosters through their guidance and stewardship, and as you have alluded, these directors oversee both the Sydney Roosters NRL team and the Easts Group which includes Easts Leagues Club and related entities.

What they have achieved has guaranteed the future financial security of the Roosters which is more than can be said for Wests Ashfield, Holman Barnes Group or whatever iteration of the board you could care to put forward who have done nothing other than blow up and obstruct any glimmers of success or positive progress that begin to emerge.

They have done nothing other than cause West Tigers to be constantly in the media for all the wrong reasons and cause constant set backs.
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So you dont think HBG bailing out the club to the tune of several million dollars when Balmain went into default has done the same for the Wests Tigers?

Sure HBG "only" has property assets to the value of $62m where Easts have property assets at more than twice that at $160m... but given Easts also has a membership base of 49,000 members to Ashfield (combined) 26,000 members, thats still not a bad portfolio figure.

Sharkies as a comparison have around $40m in property assets with similar members base to Ashfield.

Under HBG stewardship we have also been able to move into a new CoE.

Just trying to see where that compass sits?
 
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cochise said:
So you are saying that the 2 member voted directors were able call the shots on a 7 seat board.

That is some effort and probably calls into question the 5 other directors.
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Thats exaclty what I am saying. Did you ever meet them? Both very skilled "political" movers inside of the club. They had sufficient influence that other board members seemed to back their agenda's.

And that is exactly what I am trying to suggest.
 
Telltails said:
Two board members who realised what the club was doing as an organisation was not working, while they were in a position to make those decisions. What is wrong with reflection when an organisation is failing?

So they find themselves on the wrong side of the numbers and accusations made against them to make ensure their voice/power to make decisions was squashed. Meanwhile the fans are not interested factions they just want stability - unless of course they have some allegiance to people making the moves.
And lord knows what Romero did to suddenly be out of favour after her short tenure.
This is not the actions of an organisation that is working for the betterment of the club.
It is self serving control and if we were thriving and the destination club that we should, be then you could cop it sweet but that is not the case and their is nothing to suggest that without external pressure and or intervention anything will change other than the names of a privileged few.
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I dunno. Maybe by association via her late husband to John Hardgrove who went out on the podcast to say he thinks the debenture system is antiquated and seemed to support the movement to break up the debenture system (ironically, he has never to my knowledge rescinded his Debenture, despite retiring to Orange or Mudgee - somewhere out west - and doesnt visit the club anymore).

Officially it is alledged she shared information outside of the business which was covered by an NDA.

Whilst in some circumstances that may seem an extreme circumstances, perhaps others on the board felt that justfied moving her on.

With her, the two Hardgroves (RIP Peter - who I dont have a bad word to say about him in all the times I met him) and TA and RW out of the picture, Simon finally moving on (and also Tim Mcaleer) perhaps the remaining board members feel its now time to refresh the culture at the leagues club (lets face it, under Simon, the bullying was rife - and when he brought Tim into the picture got worse)
 
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cdinoz007 said:
I dunno. Maybe by association via her late husband to Peter Hardgrove who went out on the podcast to say he thinks the debenture system is antiquated and seemed to support the movement to break up the debenture system (ironically, he has never to my knowledge rescinded his Debenture, despite retiring to Orange or Mudgee - somewhere out west - and doesnt visit the club anymore).

Officially it is alledged she shared information outside of the business which was covered by an NDA.

Whilst in some circumstances that may seem an extreme circumstances, perhaps others on the board felt that justfied moving her on.

With her, the two Hardgroves (RIP John - who I dont have a bad word to say about him in all the times I met him) and TA and RW out of the picture, Simon finally moving on (and also Tim Mcaleer) perhaps the remaining board members feel its now time to refresh the culture at the leagues club (lets face it, under Simon, the bullying was rife - and when he brought Tim into the picture got worse)
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You have the 2 Hardgroves mixed up mate.
 
cochise said:
You have the 2 Hardgroves mixed up mate.
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Wouldnt be the first time. My wife used to smack me on the head when i called Peter, John and John, Peter.

Sometimes the old grey cells cross their wires.

EDIT: Have edited my incorrect names on my comment above
 
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cochise said:
So I suggest the other 5 were terrible at their role. Are any of them still involved?
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TBH I lost count over who was coming and going off the board. I was suprised when Julie become president of the club.
  1. Mile Bailey was around until his sad passing in 2021
  2. Dennis has obviously survived
  3. Mick Liubinskas was on the board (since 2014), then he was unceremonioulsy dumped end of 2023 (and I pretty much know why - and yes that involved TA and Simon Cook). I am glad he's now back on the board.
  4. Dave Gilbert was on the board, and as we know was removed at the same time as TA and RW. Gilbert very much backed bringing Gary Barnier in to help with the "independant" investigation at WTs
  5. Vince Tropiano has survived since 2021
Stephen Montgomery joined the board in 2023 and he replaced the deposed Mick Liubinskas.
 
diedpretty said:
For those wanting to compare Canterbury s input to HBG these are the overall figures from their financial reports :

HBG received $31 mil in football related income which include nrl grant of $19.6 mil and other income such as sponsorship, merch, ticket sales, hospitality totalling $11.4 mil.

Canterbury Leagues receive $37.7 mil which includes nrl grant of $18.2 mil and other income totalling $19.5 mil.


So the reason they are able to provide more funding to the football dept may simply be that they are generating more football related income.
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Case closed - out with hbg
 
cdinoz007 said:
So where are you going to generate the extra revenue at the leagues club? Or which rich benefactor are you going to sell the club to who is going to add in an extra $6m a year?

Perhaps compare the the Sharks, who are arguably more succesfull than the Tigers, yet their leagues club pumps in less money to the football club than Wests Ashfield pump into the Tigers.
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Your going all out to stir the pot , u do u ,
ps ,like your intel on club finances
 
Merlot said:
Case closed - out with hbg
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Just re-reading the Financial Report for the Dogs:

Sponsorship to CB Bulldogs from Leagues Club - $6,150,000 (WTs $1,700,000)
NRL Grant - $18,190,000 (WTs $19,652,102)
Gate Reciepts - $6,028,754 (WTs $3,308,751)
Sponsorship & Corp Partnership - $10,567,848 (WTs $7,079,682)

Thats where the cash has come from

Total Football Club Operating Monies: $40,936,602 (WTs $31,740,534)

Source: (they have 2x financial reports)



So, to match the Bulldogs, we need a benefactor not only to plough in $50m to buy the football club, but also $10m a year.

Now, @Jolls made a useful and helpful post about our game day revenues from the CEOs forum:

Jolls

Thread 'CEO Forum 20 Jan 26 - Hotwash Part 1'

Hi Team,

This is a long read so strap yourself in for the ride.

I drove up to the Interim CEO’s forum yesterday. It was a worthwhile event despite the fact that there were some attendees that thought it was more about them and their issues than an opportunity for constructive discussion. I’m sure from Shaun and his team’s point of view it was a first-hand opportunity to get a feel for the angst in the fan base.

Barry O’Farrell was in attendance for most of the session; but, unfortunately he ducked out early so I didn’t get a chance to catch him over the bite to eat we had post the...
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I will highlight his quote from Shaun Mielekamp:

Sold out Leichardt at the end of 25 bought in $385K in ticket sales and $60K in corporate $
A not sold out Commbank bought us in $860K in ticket sales and $120K in corporate $

So replicating this across all 7 games played at LO/CT moving to Commbank:

Tickets: Extra Revenue - $3,325,000
Corporate: Extra Revenue - $857k

There is $4m of lost revenue without winning a single new game, without being in the finals.

That takes us within $5m of the Bulldogs operating revenue. This is what the Dogs chose to do however. Forego their heritage and move games to Accor Stadium. This is where they were able to generate a significant chunk of cash. Now, am I suggesting we do the same? No. But we have to mindful when comparing apples and apples that we are making decisions to make the fans happy, but not the club financials.

Question is... where do the Dogs spend that extra $10m the club has? Is it more staff to support the football team? Do they get better hotels when on the road (doubtful, as the NRL negotiates the hotel deal). Do they go up to an away game earlier to prepare for a game, and therefore dont travel so late to a game?

That would be the interesting question to find the answer to
 
Rock Hopper Steve said:
How could he be any worse than what HBG has now, with the pathetic decisions made to destroy the Tigers board that was making the difference, so unprofessional, that just made no sense at all surely you can't be happy with them running the place.
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not happy at all - but replacing one lot of poor administrators with another lot of poor administrators is not the answer.
 
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