Breaking news: HBG takeover

[Tom Shines]

Never a truer word said

Twice at games chatting to other supporters who have reminded me of someone on here and Ive asked "are you on the forum"?

"Forum"??????

Was one of them that guy that calls himself Gobbs?

Just kidding … he might be back cheering for the Magpies shortly … or is he too invested in the Storm these days? 🤔

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

Statement from the independent board members:

Following the Barnier Crawford Review into Wests Tigers, which was commissioned in 2024, four independent directors with diverse backgrounds and skillsets were appointed.

Since January 2025, the board has been unified and effective in improving the Wests Tigers’ governance, strategy and financial performance. We have at all times complied with our fiduciary duties in our roles as directors.

We reject any suggestion of a lack of communication with Holman Barnes Group. Holman Barnes Group is represented on the board of the Wests Tigers and its representative has been present at all Wests Tigers board meetings and provided with all board information. No concerns have been raised by the representative of Holman Barnes Group at any Wests Tigers board meeting in relation to governance, communication or consultation. We are yet to be informed of the detail or particulars of Holman Barnes Group's concerns.

For the strong and independent governance of the Wests Tigers to be dismantled after only 11 months is extremely disappointing.

The most important thing is to protect the Club, the staff, the players and the members.

The Hon Barry OFarrell AO Charlie Viola, Michelle McDowell , Annabelle Williams

———————————————————

Comments from Charlie Viola in addition:

To say I am bitterly disappointed by this would be a massive understatement.

Over the past 11 months myself and the 3 independents had started some incredibly good work. We had raised the level of governance, commerciality and started to put the club on track strategically on so many fronts. We had been working wonderfully well with management and felt like the board had been aligned at all times including the owners representatives who were at every board meeting, and party to every decision and every bit of material.

The club is very lucky to have the management team it has. We felt with their good work and the overlay and counsel those of us with the diverse backgrounds brought, the club was moving in a great direction. A direction that protected and supported what our fans wanted.

We had collectively put in place a strategic direction, increased our member base, moved the club to profitability, nailed a stadium strategy that would secure the club in its key areas for years to come and worked hard on the clubs pathways and corporate appeal.

I am a passionate Wests Tigers fan, I loved the fact I could contribute, so I am disappointed to no longer have a role and I don’t agree with the actions taken by Holman Barnes Group. I also refute any claims that communication wasn’t at a high standard. Their representative was at every meeting. They had a representative on every sub committee.

But, I’m still a fan and want the club to do well. I will be cheering on Benji and the boys and Craig and our NRLW team in 26.

 

[Charred]

ABC Sydney Live Audio - ABC listen

Listen live, whenever you want, wherever you are with ABC Sydney.

www.abc.net.au

Barry O Farrell speaking right now

 

[Jedi_Tiger]

Lee H was on SEN

 

[tigahhh]

ABC Sydney Live Audio - ABC listen

Listen live, whenever you want, wherever you are with ABC Sydney.

www.abc.net.au

 

[Yanz 85]

Romeys contract clauses dont look so silly now after all eh?

Bro was just about to type exactly this. My New Jersey arrived last night as I live in cairns, send a photo to my dad he sends the article back about the board being sacked over the jersey, I was just about to get a membership for us both for Xmas. Not now

 

[coivtny]

Lee H was on SEN

He’d be loving this I’m guessing.

 

[Tom Shines]

Lee H was on SEN

He is on there every Tuesday ..

 

[Lestronge]

get east's tigers up and running with 3 games at Leichardt oval
let penrith and bulldogs and souths carve up the Macarthur region
Dennis can have the magpies in nsw cup

Honestly , as long as there’s a tie to Balmain , so something I can cling to .. I think I would be in .
If the alternative is wests tigers as it currently stands . Which is basically all the ineptitude and stupidity of the wests magpies who I laughed at as a kid, basically rolled into a new club with branding that I identify with .Or something new … I pick something new . I don’t live in Sydney so it doesn’t affect me . Much like everyone else the HBG has done a massive shit on everything i loved and valued . Both as a child tigers fan , and as an adult Wests Tigers fan . They do not want a successful club . I’m convinced they want a Wests Ashfield branding attached to a club, to funnel punters into thier pokies den to ruin more lives . All this Wests tigers nonsense , gets in the way of that . And Dennis running around causing shit aids to achieving that goal. I love Wests Tigers … but I absolutely hate “Wests Magpies”. It is a divisional thought process , that is like a cancer to people’s minds drilling its way through thier brain until it rots from the inside out . If killing the magpies means killing the Balmain tigers … then I would be first in line to put a bullet through both thier heads . Because as long as the “magpies” exist … the club will see itself as a fibro club , just battlin away … as if that’s something to be proud of …

 

[tigahhh]

The jersey is a red-herring.

The independent WT board was in the process of being granted full autonomy, if they met certain KPIs, like turning a profit.

Our owners HBG, not wanting to lose control, blew up the joint, and left only their two stooges on the board.

#HBG OUT

 

[diedpretty]

You didn’t answer my point ….. and who’s signing a petition by a guy who doesn’t even know enough to get the name right … would be a little bit hypocritical to be complaining about morons leading the club off a cliff if I follow a moron leading the petition ….
But my question still remains

I don't give a damn about your point. I was laughing at some idiot who puts up a petition without even getting the names right of the entities he is petitioning to remove. But to answer your question - what would they sue them over - having the temerity to enact their right as an owner to sack the board managing their business. Let me say before you go off on another rant that i totally disagree and am disgusted by what HBG have done but legally they have the right to do so if they believe their business is being mismanaged. Do I think its wrong what they have done? - Yep. Do i think it will harm the WT brand into the future? - Yep. Is there anything i can do about it? - nope.

 

[pacey]

We need to complain to the NRL so they are aware of our distaste.

Contact Us

The NRL and its partners welcome comments, questions and feedback from all Rugby League fans and interested community members.

www.nrl.com

Type of Enquiry > Compliant
What is it related to > Other
Title > Wests Tigers Ownership
Body > This can be generated from ChatGPT by using the below prompt.

Prompt:

Draft a formal request to the NRL asking them to review the Holman Barnes Group’s licence following their removal of the newly appointed independent Wests Tigers board. Emphasise that the decision appears self interested, conflicts with good governance standards, and does not reflect the best interests of the Wests Tigers, the NRL, its fans, or the long term stability of the club. The tone should be firm, factual, and centred on governance integrity and stakeholder impact.

Barry O’Farrell has no idea why he was sacked and confirmed there was never an issue about communication. At the end of his interview, he said the NRL will do what they have always done, if there’s been an issue that hurts the image of the game.

Please make your thoughts known to the NRL.

 

[Lestronge]

I don't give a damn about your point. I was laughing at some idiot who puts up a petition without even getting the names right of the entities he is petitioning to remove. But to answer your question - what would they sue them over - having the temerity to enact their right as an owner to sack the board managing their business. Let me say before you go off on another rant that i totally disagree and am disgusted by what HBG have done but legally they have the right to do so if they believe their business is being mismanaged. Do I think its wrong what they have done? - Yep. Do i think it will harm the WT brand into the future? - Yep. Is there anything i can do about it? - nope.

[This word has been automatically removed] yourself then …. You’re literally posting in a thread saying you don’t care about the subject of that thread …. Are you trying to be a dickhead ? Or it just comes naturally ?

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Man don’t make it about you ! And on serious note , about the contrarian thing , do you not ask yourself at times why you think the things you do ? I do . All the time . I have ADHD and my brain is always scattered . I always have to consciously think things and keep it clutter free , because if I do have the shits , then last night happens . And every thought I have comes out . And I find myself cursing my brain all the time. it’s simply an observation about you . Not meant in an antagonistic way . If I’m wrong , I’m wrong . That’s fine . But I have a house full of neurodivergent people , and I know the things you post have a through line .… anyways . You do you bro ! But I wasn’t being a dickhead when I said that.

Beethoven had his critics too @Lestronge

 

[innsaneink]

Was one of them that guy that calls himself Gobbs?

Just kidding … he might be back cheering for the Magpies shortly … or is he too invested in the Storm these days? 🤔

Naah I know Gobbs personally...weve met a few times

I actually was wondering last night exactly that

 

[Tito Santana]

I think this calls for a protest now.

I would love our team to play with no one in attendence until Holman Barnes Group is gone.

Hope players leave and everything. The hand needs to be forced now. Genuinely need someone to buyout the club from these grubs.

 

[Jedi_Tiger]

He’d be loving this I’m guessing.

Lee mentioned the jersey a few years ago pasco tried to introduce some orange to the nsw cup jersey and the western suburbs magpies faction had a meltdown
clowns
Lee also mentioned ultimate goal was to return Magpies to nrl and remove the tiger
he thought a 50 - 50 chance in 2028 wests tigers will be wests magpies in nrl

 

[hammertime]

Independent Board, not the owners.
If the Independent Board wants absolute autonomy, they can make the owners a financial offer 🤷‍♂️

Those directors own nothing. They are a board of squatters, not representing their members effectively.

They need to start acting like an effective non-profit with proper governance.

To misdiagnose the problem as "well, they are the owners" is misleading. They are representatives and need to start realising it.

For the WT board to be surprised by this says everything. HBG debenture holders are a bunch of snakes that need a snake catcher.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

I think this calls for a protest now.

I would love our team to play with no one in attendence until Holman Barnes Group is gone.

Hope players leave and everything. The hand needs to be forced now. Genuinely need someone to buyout the club from these grubs.

A few years ago LA Clipper fans sat in the stands with paper bags over their heads to protest the owner.

 

[Tom Shines]

Lee mentioned the jersey a few years ago pasco tried to introduce some orange to the nsw cup jersey and the western suburbs magpies faction had a meltdown
clowns
Lee also mentioned ultimate goal was to return Magpies to nrl and remove the tiger

For me .. the ironic thing is that I hated both the orange and the white jerseys … I think that’s a bit of a furphy though ..

The Magpie thing is a logical conclusion to make here … this is where I was saying yesterday that the NRL should have knocked some of these things on the head long ago… unless the Brisbane Tigers thing is really an option ?