OFFICIAL Club discussion with Shaun Mielekamp

ShaunMielekamp

ShaunMielekamp

Active member
Afternoon everyone, I wanted to start a thread to primarily show my personal support for the forum and the importance I see in this medium. This also can be a genuinely helpful way for the club to source feedback from time to time in an online space that will self-regulate and fuel healthy debate.

I tried to post a few days ago but appropriately the moderators ran their checks to confirm that yes this is actually me rather than someone pretending to be the CEO.
I have been actively reading the forum since I started at the club over 2 years ago and several times I was very close to jumping on and saying hi several times but decided to take the safer route.

I've seen many posts on here that wonder if the club does read the forum and it is worth knowing that some staff do at times jump on. I am a huge fan of online forums because I believe it is a key part of fan culture and debate, especially in a modern social media world where it is hard to see through the online trolls and the media agendas. At least here you know someone will call out BS and as long as people remain within the forum rules good debate and conversation can foster.

I am keen to hear from people on their views passions and opinions, but I do want to put in a disclaimer that I simply won't be able to reply to every question or comment on every topic. I'm sure you will all agree that I should be spending 99.99% of my time working as hard as I can as CEO and getting caught up too much on here with debate is not the best use of my time or head space.

Please know that I can't and won't be able to talk on a lot of topics - players and football in particular. I know you all would love me to give a blow-by-blow account of every team list, recruitment discussion, on field decisions, board discussions etc etc obviously that would not be professional and not in the best interest of the club. Plenty of things that happen at the club need to stay confidential at the club and I know that what is said on here simply won't stay on here.

I hope to jump on at random every few weeks or so but there will be times that I might not get on to reply for a few months - like I said I will need to make sure I prioritise 99.99% of my time on the day to day job and hopefully this is still and opportunity that is welcomed here on the forum.

I do have thick skin so I get that I will get some frank feedback at times, just please remember I am a human with a family.

So please know that I will read this thread, unlikely that i will be able to read all the other though. I'm still learning everyday about the very unique journey this club has been on and I can't rewrite or comment on decision made before my time. I do believe in the Wests Tigers and that includes everyone that cheers on our players and spend your hard earned money on supporting this club.

Thanks for being part of this forum and reading my long post, most of all thanks for being part of the Wests Tigers family.
 
Last edited:
ShaunMielekamp said:
Afternoon everyone, I wanted to start a thread to primarily show my personal support for the forum and the importance I see in this medium. This also can be a genuinely helpful way for the club to source feedback from time to time in an online space that will self-regulate and fuel healthy debate.

I tried to post a few days ago but appropriately the moderators ran their checks to confirm that yes this is actually me rather than someone pretending to be the CEO.
I have been actively reading the forum since I started at the club over 2 years ago and several times I was very close to jumping on and saying hi several times but decided to take the safer route.

I've seen many posts on here that wonder if the club does read the forum and it is worth knowing that some staff do at times jump on. I am a huge fan of online forums because I believe it is a key part of fan culture and debate, especially in a modern social media world where it is hard to see through the online trolls and the media agendas. At least here you know someone will call out BS and as long as people remain within the forum rules good debate and conversation can foster.

I am keen to hear from people on their views passions and opinions, but I do want to put in a disclaimer that I simply won't be able to reply to every question or comment on every topic. I'm sure you will all agree that I should be spending 99.99% of my time working as hard as I can as CEO and getting caught up too much on here with debate is not the best use of my time or head space.

Please know that I can't and won't be able to talk on a lot of topics - players and football in particular. I know you all would love me to give a blow-by-blow account of every team list, recruitment discussion, on field decisions, board discussions etc etc obviously that would not be professional and not in the best interest of the club. Plenty of things that happen at the club need to stay confidential at the club and I know that what is said on here simply won't stay on here.

I hope to jump on at random every few weeks or so but there will be times that I might not get on to reply for a few months - like I said I will need to make sure I prioritise 99.99% of my time on the day to day job and hopefully this is still and opportunity that is welcomed here on the forum.

I do have thick skin so I get that I will get some frank feedback at times, just please remember I am a human with a family.

So please know that I will read this thread, unlikely that i will be able to read all the other though. I'm still learning everyday about the very unique journey this club has been on and I can't rewrite or comment on decision made before my time. I do believe in the Wests Tigers and that includes everyone that cheers on our players and spend your hard earned money on supporting this club.

Thanks for being part of this forum and reading my long post, most of all thanks for being part of the Wests Tigers family.
Click to expand...


Mate the Tigers have been the Leyland Bros for a long time now travel all over the country side it's not fair so many home grounds


Can we please just have two home grounds Lo and Cambo 90 percent of the games there and I would also like maybe 1 home game a year in a country town with alot of juniors there so we can appeal to them and make it a town we go to every year maybe a coaching clinic there 3/4 times a year

Can not wait for Lo to have the upgraded new toilets on the hill
 
You said you have thick skin. Bring back Richo, he was the best thing to happen to the club and HBG sacked him. Congratulations on getting the job i have never been a CEO or will be and a lot of hard work must of gone into it. But for me, Shaun you seem like a yes man for HBG. No fans will be happy with our current state, another PR disaster to another. Worrying about fans? Win games and we will be happy. Maybe Benji needs more help, i think we have scored 4 tries in 3 weeks.

How much is the club contributing this year and next for Luai?

When will Latu and Samuela be extended?

Why cant we win games at Campbelltown? Leichhardt the last 2 years i think its 5/6 wins. We need a proper home ground advantage.

When will we make finals again? I am telling my 3 kids to choose their own team, don’t support the club who has made finals 3/26 years. I am a member and will continue but we are the laughing stock of Australian sports, mates feel sorry for us.

Good luck, prove me wrong. I would take coming 8th. With 3 new clubs coming and going to another rebuild who knows if we will get there again!
 
Oscar Martinez said:
I have to say that among many good decisions this is the worst decision you've made so far.
Reading the negative rubbish that populates this forum will do your head in.

Please reconsider.
Click to expand...
There’s value to it, @ShaunMielekamp what is the main aim out of this thread? Feedback on what exactly because you said you can’t discuss certain common topics with us such as footy and recruitment, two key areas of this forum.
 
426Tlgerland said:
Hi and welcome on board , you will need that thick skin at times that’s for sure , only one question , who is the Wests Tigers board , we are 8 months down the track and I’m not sure who they are , a football club board needs to be known
Click to expand...
The current Wests Tigers board is:
Barry O'Farrell Chairman
Frank Primerano deputy Chairman
Danny Stapleton
Michelle McDowell
Mick Luibinskas
Leo Epifania
Dan Paton
Michelle Nielsen

I know that this needs to be updated on the website and we are working through this.
 
Last edited:
Odessa said:
Mate the Tigers have been the Leyland Bros for a long time now travel all over the country side it's not fair so many home grounds


Can we please just have two home grounds Lo and Cambo 90 percent of the games there and I would also like maybe 1 home game a year in a country town with alot of juniors there so we can appeal to them and make it a town we go to every year maybe a coaching clinic there 3/4 times a year

Can not wait for Lo to have the upgraded new toilets on the hill
Click to expand...
That's essentially what we are building towards. in 2029 when the grounds are both completed their renovations the plan is for 7-8 games Campbelltown, 3-4 games Leichhardt and 1 major events match ie: Easter Monday.
 
ShaunMielekamp said:
Afternoon everyone, I wanted to start a thread to primarily show my personal support for the forum and the importance I see in this medium. This also can be a genuinely helpful way for the club to source feedback from time to time in an online space that will self-regulate and fuel healthy debate.

I tried to post a few days ago but appropriately the moderators ran their checks to confirm that yes this is actually me rather than someone pretending to be the CEO.
I have been actively reading the forum since I started at the club over 2 years ago and several times I was very close to jumping on and saying hi several times but decided to take the safer route.

I've seen many posts on here that wonder if the club does read the forum and it is worth knowing that some staff do at times jump on. I am a huge fan of online forums because I believe it is a key part of fan culture and debate, especially in a modern social media world where it is hard to see through the online trolls and the media agendas. At least here you know someone will call out BS and as long as people remain within the forum rules good debate and conversation can foster.

I am keen to hear from people on their views passions and opinions, but I do want to put in a disclaimer that I simply won't be able to reply to every question or comment on every topic. I'm sure you will all agree that I should be spending 99.99% of my time working as hard as I can as CEO and getting caught up too much on here with debate is not the best use of my time or head space.

Please know that I can't and won't be able to talk on a lot of topics - players and football in particular. I know you all would love me to give a blow-by-blow account of every team list, recruitment discussion, on field decisions, board discussions etc etc obviously that would not be professional and not in the best interest of the club. Plenty of things that happen at the club need to stay confidential at the club and I know that what is said on here simply won't stay on here.

I hope to jump on at random every few weeks or so but there will be times that I might not get on to reply for a few months - like I said I will need to make sure I prioritise 99.99% of my time on the day to day job and hopefully this is still and opportunity that is welcomed here on the forum.

I do have thick skin so I get that I will get some frank feedback at times, just please remember I am a human with a family.

So please know that I will read this thread, unlikely that i will be able to read all the other though. I'm still learning everyday about the very unique journey this club has been on and I can't rewrite or comment on decision made before my time. I do believe in the Wests Tigers and that includes everyone that cheers on our players and spend your hard earned money on supporting this club.

Thanks for being part of this forum and reading my long post, most of all thanks for being part of the Wests Tigers family.
Click to expand...
I have a simple question Shaun.

If you could please explain the publicly available HBG financial reports - there's no absolute clarity about how much funding goes where in relation to the football club and juniors. We are left to piece information together, but frankly it doesn't look very good when compared with the investment of other clubs.
 
Hello Shaun. Long time listener and admirer, first time caller. I'm one half of Wests Tigers Faithful and while we'd love to have you on one day, an answered question would satiate the appetite for now.

I'm fascinated by your plans to turn our Pathways setup into the best in the Rugby League World. I'm sure you've got plenty of insights from your time with the Mariners and seeing Garang go on to do what he did and I'm sure that informs plenty of your plans, but without giving away too much confidential info, what does that actually look like?

Yes, we have the player pool, but you know as well as I that it still hasn't delivered much beyond a handful of Harold Matthews and SG Ball titles every few years and the odd blue chip first grader. We're well and truly behind the 8 Ball in that area, and while I can forgive us having a few slip thru the cracks, there's some glaring misses that are certainly the ire of many.

Run me thru the medium-term focus for the next 1-3 years and the support systems and processes you plan to implement as you look to turn us into NRL Ajax.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Staff online

Members online

Total: 9,069 (members: 17, guests: 9,052)
Back
Top