CEO - Shane Richardson

[TSP]

I think we're probably OK with cash but $1M could pobably have is with a Director of Footy or a Director of Coaching and implement a development plan to get us out of thw wooods earlier. The Brisbane $ buys a lot of additionals staff support to make things happen; so given the $ they have are probably underperforming.

Imagine how much better the place could be if Richo and Benji had say $2M more and weren't juggling so many hats.

I think they are juggling a few of these hats because they want to, not because they have to.

I remember Benji talking about work/life balance at the start of last year and the infamous mid season Fijian holiday.

Time is one thing, but also the quality of decision making, manifesting in outcomes. And the outcomes are problematic at the moment.

It would be a shame to get the spoon again after all of the effort we’ve made.

 

[weststigerman]

I think Richo is starting to lose his aura. He did some good things last year but this year he has been all bark and no bite.

 

[hybrid_tiger]

Cobbo signed for Dolphins from 2026.

Broncos not releasing him early.

Hope Richo and co are taking notes.

 

[TSP]

Cobbo signed for Dolphins from 2026.

Broncos not releasing him early.

Hope Richo and co are taking notes.

the only people taking notes are disgruntled players.

Which I maintain was a dog act occasioned on Benji (even if I doubt his coaching prospects).

Nasty, vile, ungrateful, selfish and parasitical.

It was an affront to all decent fair minded wt folk.

Karma will deal with it, I have no doubt.

 

[Harvey]

Club Statement: The Daily Telegraph article​

Author Wests Tigers
Timestamp Thu 26 Jun 2025, 01:39 PM

Since the start of 2024, the club has been transparent relating to our commercial figures. We identified that we were significantly underperforming across key commercial metrics.

The club has made significant strides this season across all key metrics, however, we will not rest on our laurels as we strive towards being a top four club.


The suburban stadia strategy last season (five games played at Campbelltown Sports Stadium and Leichhardt Oval respectively) significantly hampered our corporate hospitality and game day revenue which is why we continually stress the importance and need for this club to be playing out of modern, state of the art and fit-for-purpose venues.

The club has experienced significant commercial growth in 2025, seeing year-on-year growth across all key metrics, due in large part to the introduction of CommBank Stadium as a home venue.


This growth includes:

• Hospitality — 51% year-on-year
• Game Day Revenue — 27% year-on-year
• Membership — 27% year-on-year
• Sponsorship — 16% year-on-year
• Merchandise — 16% year-on year

The club continues to make lengthy strides off the field, with a new blue-chip NRL and NRLW major partner in Pepper Money, and all NRL and NRLW apparel assets being sold prior to their respective seasons commencing.


Outside of these key commercial metrics, the club has experienced:

• A 24% year-on-year increase in game day crowds.
• An 8% growth in TV viewership year-on-year, equating to an additional 500,000+ viewers.

The club would like to thank our Members, corporate partners and fans who have played a significant role in the strides the club has taken off the field thus far.


We’ve come a long way; however, the job isn’t done yet.


Shane Richardson

Club Statement: The Daily Telegraph article

Wests Tigers would like to clarify statements made by The Daily Telegraph in an article published on Thursday, June 26, relating to 2024 NRL club commercial figures.

www.weststigers.com.au

Ladder position much the same

 

[Tucker]

the only people taking notes are disgruntled players.

Which I maintain was a dog act occasioned on Benji (even if I doubt his coaching prospects).

Nasty, vile, ungrateful, selfish and parasitical.

It was an affront to all decent fair minded wt folk.

Karma will deal with it, I have no doubt.

It was smart.

 

[TigerNeddyK]

It was smart.

I’m with TSP. It was a selfish doing act from a me first person.

 

[TIGERS]

I think Richo is starting to lose his aura. He did some good things last year but this year he has been all bark and no bite.

No I think it's just the Wests Tigers. Richo wouldn't lose John Sutton at Souths to another club the way he lost out on Galvin. Some of his big plays are not coming off the way they might have at a club without our well earned stigma.

I'd say he's pulled the trigger on a couple of things expecting them the come off and they haven't. We can't even pay Adam Reynolds an extra million bucks to join us. It's not so easy for us.

 

[Tucker]

No I think it's just the Wests Tigers. Richo wouldn't lose John Sutton at Souths to another club the way he lost out on Galvin. Some of his big plays are not coming off the way they might have at a club without our well earned stigma.

I'd say he's pulled the trigger on a couple of things expecting them the come off and they haven't. We can't even pay Adam Reynolds an extra million bucks to join us. It's not so easy for us.

As we have been saying for 18 months now…he absolutely underestimated the job he signed on for and his flippant attitude has exposed him.

 

[TSP]

No I think it's just the Wests Tigers. Richo wouldn't lose John Sutton at Souths to another club the way he lost out on Galvin. Some of his big plays are not coming off the way they might have at a club without our well earned stigma.

I'd say he's pulled the trigger on a couple of things expecting them the come off and they haven't. We can't even pay Adam Reynolds an extra million bucks to join us. It's not so easy for us.

Well the dogs were definitely after Sutton for some time and he beat them off with a stick.

But his program with Souths took a lot longer than he anticipated, then he failed to get the firehawks into the nrl.

 

[TSP]

As we have been saying for 18 months now…he absolutely underestimated the job he signed on for and his flippant attitude has exposed him.

Well I think he underestimated the intelligence and knowledge of the base and still does.

 

[TSP]

He should have distanced himself from Benji from day one. That would have been the strategic thing in case we end up where we are. But he became drunk with his new position and went all in.

Conservatively, I think at least half the WT base held deep reservations about Benjis ability.

That’s above and beyond the nepotistic conduct that launched him into the job.

No one questions his emotion or his desire.

Now Richo is much more susceptible to criticism than he would been, but he’s dug his own grave. Needlessly I might add.

 

[TIGERS]

As we have been saying for 18 months now…he absolutely underestimated the job he signed on for and his flippant attitude has exposed him.

I wouldn't go that far Tuck. Exposed him? Like he's a fraud?? Have you seen the man's track record?? He's great. Nothing but profits and premierships in his work history.

Maybe recruiting has been tougher than expected, but not by much. It's still an inexorable improvement on the previous rabble. And recruiting is only part of what he does of course. We're actually putting in the hard yards on Membership and Stadiums.

Maybe what he said in his early press conferences, about the scale of the job to do, was a re-assurance to the club that things are not so bad. That's his job. We've been in the doldrums so long that confidence and belief is just considered flippant now.

 

[Tucker]

I wouldn't go that far Tuck. Exposed him? Like he's a fraud?? Have you seen the man's track record?? He's great. Nothing but profits and premierships in his work history.

Maybe recruiting has been tougher than expected, but not by much. It's still an inexorable improvement on the previous rabble. And recruiting is only part of what he does of course. We're actually putting in the hard yards on Membership and Stadiums.

Maybe what he said in his early press conferences, about the scale of the job to do, was a re-assurance to the club that things are not so bad. That's his job. We've been in the doldrums so long that confidence and belief is just considered flippant now.

No not as a fraud, please don’t put words in my mouth.
His attitude towards the scale of this job was exposed as unrealistic. He said words to the effect that the Souths rebuild was harder and he got a title there so expected the same here as this wasn’t going to be as difficult.
When he was saying these things I thought you haven’t been watching this club closely enough.

 

[BlackWhiteGold]

Needs to take two positions to the board for consideration.
1. General Manager Football
2. Head of Pathways / Director of Coaching

Right now this club is travelling blind, without a football strategy in its roster management and coaching. Nothing is going to change until there are strong and experienced rugby league people in these positions to direct the course of this club.

And no Sheens-type has-beens.

Yes yes yes yes yes!

At the moment Richo is trying to do it all, Benji needs greater support & development, we don’t know what Betsey does & it seems Shannon Gallant is doing 3 roles (pathways, recruitment & team manager).

 

[TSP]

Yes yes yes yes yes!

At the moment Richo is trying to do it all, Benji needs greater support & development, we don’t know what Betsey does & it seems Shannon Gallant is doing 3 roles (pathways, recruitment & team manager).

Some good points, and I think it’s open to Shane to fill the gaps.

He said he wanted a lean club when he started, as a manager he likes all that stuff but you still have to ensure that you keep the talent.

Shane is hard working and high energy but a lot of people aren’t like him. He clearly over estimated key people in our organisation.

His penchant for public self promotion is tedious and a regrettable aspect of his character. As anyone with a single brain cell knows, reputation is something that is earned and bestowed upon you by others. If we were winning, I could accept a degree of self flagellation.

Now we had a review earlier this year and the result was things have stayed the same. So the decisions made after that process have been found wanting.
Poor analysis and/or deficient implementation of change-take your pick.

We have a desperate need to upgrade our human capital. Richo has to forget the matey and swing the axe.

I doubt he will do so this year, but 2 years into the project, I think we are entitled to see something tangible.

Benji at last nights press conference stuttering out that we have improved was insulting.

AD managing his halves role better than those anointed, rubbish.

And so on.

 

[innsaneink]

I dont see him as a self promoter at all.

However he did say we have a stack.of money and weve only signed kpp on a meagre deal and May will cost bugger all...maybe the off season well get some more much needed signings but i doubt theyll be huge .
Not sure if he underestimated the job by talking so positively about it... you need to read between themlines he needs to sell the vision and negative talk wont do that .

His quote last year in my sig isnt looking too crash hot though 12 months on

 

[BAGNF05]

I dont see him as a self promoter at all.

However he did say we have a stack.of money and weve only signed kpp on a meagre deal and May will cost bugger all...maybe the off season well get some more much needed signings but i doubt theyll be huge .
Not sure if he underestimated the job by talking so positively about it... you need to read between themlines he needs to sell the vision and negative talk wont do that .

His quote last year in my sig isnt looking too crash hot though 12 months on

He’s been brutally honest about the state of our finances and need to pull in better gate takings. Also came clean on memberships. He’s not a crap talker like the last guy.