OFFICIAL Club discussion with Shaun Mielekamp

[rex2ce]

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.

They certainly made sure the board independence was gone choosing that lot , mostly diehard magpies

 

[crazycat]

Welcome to the forum, Shaun. Watch out, there are some lunatics here.

Where? I don't see them.
Please introduce me!

By the way, have you considered joining the Alex Seyfarth fan club? I am the president, if you apply now I would make you my vice president.

Cmon fair warning. Dinnit your name used to be:
Pascoe's #1 Fanclub
Lee Hagipantelis #1 Fanclub

Heck we could have seen the #Jason Taylor fanclub if you go back far enough.
Now that's a thought, the Jason Taylor fanclub Rules:
1. Never talk about Fanclub, (the shame is too much).
2. You must compliment every member with an insult.
3. No fights allowed. Only man'ly Slaps.

 

[Ermo]

What happened to the Orange jersey @ShaunMielekamp

 

[Jedi_Tiger]

What happened to the Orange jersey @ShaunMielekamp

HBG probably told certain people they were next out the door if the club continued to wear the orange jersey

 

[terriaa]

I find it hilarious we use our "catchment area" as a reason to play out of Campbelltown.

We train at Concord for fricks sake!

So our awesome juniors (of which I haven't seen that many) are going to live in Campbo, travel to Concord for training multiple times a week, only to have to play games at Campbo?

Perth have just opened a QLD academy. Why don't Perth play 8ngames in QLD? Because their fans are in PERTH!

The fans don't live in Campbo and that's always been the problem...juniors will play locally regardless of where the team plays home games....they don't frickin show up now...what makes us think they're going to show up with MORE games?

Wests tried to get support out there for 13 years. Wests Tigers for 26 years....if 39 years of having games out there hasn't helped, then I don't know what will.

I think that is part of the problem is that the team doesn't identify fully with Campbelltown. We train at Concord,our Cup team is Magpies and play mostly from Lidcombe. We play Leichhardt, Commbank and then we host a few games and do some pre game appearances and expect the region's support. I'd like to see WT embrace the Panthers model and build at Campbelltown from the ground up, develop elite junior pathways etc. Wasn't that long ago Panthers struggled for crowds & their juniors also left. Now the juniors all want to play for Panthers & they are getting a brand new tax payer funded stadium. I live in Penrith & watched their team being built, play together & their record speaks for itself. We have similar junior numbers & if WT decide to be the local team & train there, engage hard & importantly create their identity as the local team who kids want to play for, then success will come. I'm from Balmain side of the merger & always felt Campbelltown was forced on Magpies & it's never really been embraced. Maybe it's time for change? Not saying don't play at Leichhardt, we should, but for years I've read Campbelltown is our future but as a fan I don't feel it is prioritised as such. I know the ground needs upgrading & I believe that's happening soon. We haven't been successful, what we have done hasn't worked, maybe time for a complete rethink & use what has worked for other clubs as the model.

 

[Odessa]

What happened to the Orange jersey @ShaunMielekamp

My two favourite jerseys the mostly orange one and the mostly black one

Never a big fan of the others would be great to wear the black at least one time at LO and the orange one time at Cambo

 

[twentyforty]

One more question and I think I will be done let other people ask


Could you please explain the West Tigers structure

Like who's in charge ( you ) and what your role is and so on and so on

Like Benji's Job description


Pat Richards

Who looks after the cap

Who's main job for recruitment

Just a simple break down it would be interesting information

If that can be done on an organisational chart, it would go a long way to clarifying the confusion when we hear the tea lady has just sacked head of football and signed up another half. Hoo hoo hee

 

[tiger_one]

Let's hope this initiative doesn't result into a talk fest ala K.Rudd.

Champion @Muffstar - does Shaun speak Chinese? 😉

 

[Flippedy]

My two favourite jerseys the mostly orange one and the mostly black one

Never a big fan of the others would be great to wear the black at least one time at LO and the orange one time at Cambo

There has been so many jersey changes over the years, I honestly don’t know which one is which these days, let alone which year they were worn.

 

[Suzie-Q]

I highly doubt you are the real CEO.

But I will bite.

What are you doing to make this club thrive?

Immediate goals and strategies this calendar year and next year?

This is actually the real CEO's account. It's been verified.

 

[innsaneink]

There has been so many jersey changes over the years, I honestly don’t know which one is which these days, let alone which year they were worn.

Very noticeable too when you go to a game...everyones wearing a different shirt, jersey or jacket

 

[tigeress]

Does Benji have carte blanche over who his assistants are? If so, is it just a coincidence that the best available are all of his ex teammates?

This has been a concern of mine too, I love these blokes, but maybe they are not the best at coaching a footy team that seems to have difficulty winning games (for whatever reason) ! so yes we would like to know why (Benji) is picking these particular people to assist him.

I think Benji needs an older more experienced coach as mentor although maybe Benji doesn't think so !

You are very brave Shaun for coming onto this forum - it can get pretty negative, especially after a loss, of which there have been plenty.

I have been a member of the WT's for over 20 yrs, but have been wavering a bit for the past few years as it can be a pretty depressing club to follow and I think a lot of us could use the help of the "sport psychologist" to help us get through the difficult times !! of which we know there have been many.

Hopefully you will help the club navigate some of the issues that are holding us back from our winning ways.
It is good to have you on board Shaun -thank you for joining our forum, and good luck in your endeavours.

 

[Go_You_Good_Things]

My two favourite jerseys the mostly orange one and the mostly black one

Never a big fan of the others would be great to wear the black at least one time at LO and the orange one time at Cambo

That's WAY too close to being fair and unbiased.

 

[TillLindemann]

I think Benji needs an older more experienced coach as mentor although maybe Benji doesn't think so !

Adrian Lam's name keeps cropping up

 

[Jimmy]

Will the relationship between the club and Sheens ever be mended? Feel that no matter what went on behind closed doors bad blood is never good for culture especially for someone with such a big history with the club.

 

[Buttface]

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.

Welcome to our Tigers Family Shaun.
All we want is more wins.
Please make it happen, some of us don’t have another decade.

I have a question for ya.
What team did you support growing up? Is that your family team, i.e. same as ya Dad’s team?

You can be honest, I will forgive you even if it’s Manly.

WT4L

 

[Craegus]

Very noticeable too when you go to a game...everyones wearing a different shirt, jersey or jacket

That is very common in sports these days. Just look at soccer and where they have gone from a 3 year home and 2 year alternate cycle, with the old alternate then becoming the 3rd, to all new kits every year. It is just due to our colours that it stands out a bit more. But with that being said, at least we do keep our 3 colours, again in soccer, random colours are added to the home kits all the time. It is just how merchandising works. Sure in some sports they do stay consistent, or a couple of clubs in league, but in the most part league doesn’t have the same fan base as them.

The biggest issue really is the lack of some form of consistency, or more so this year the (as per the ads at the game) extremely popular home kit, not actually being used as the home kit (unless at Leichhardt).

 

[innsaneink]

Adrian Lam's name keeps cropping up

Only by you

 

[Tom Shines]

Hi Shaun ..

You must have one of the toughest jobs in the history of Australian sport ..and I wish you the best of luck ..when the simplest fundamentals like the main color of the jersey and where you play home games can lead to major disruptions…issues that simply don’t exist for the clubs competitors ..

Can I suggest that we need better identifiers of talent in the pathways …I don’t know the specifics ( numbers , qualifications) … but we seem spectacularly unsuccessful in getting althletic talent from our large number junior ranks into the NRL team ..

 

[Odessa]

There has been so many jersey changes over the years, I honestly don’t know which one is which these days, let alone which year they were worn.

Remember the Gray looking one I didn't like that way