Kelce68
Well-known member
So if it suddenly rebranded as Balmain Tigers, would you 'support the club in whatever form it may reveal itself'?
HBG, Independent Directors Sacked
- Thread starter BlackWhiteGold
- Start date
UnderTheBus
Active member
‘Richo call will be made on Monday’: Boss of Wests Tigers’ owners breaks his silence
After yet another tumultuous week, Wests Tigers fans get the first chance to hear from the club powerbroker calling the shots.www.smh.com.au
Was hoping Richo was in the background trying to sort something out but looks like we're totally buggered.
How's the answer to this question from the CEO of HBG. I have no words. What a complete imbecile
AP: A protest march has been arranged. Are you concerned about disgruntled Wests Tigers fans making their presence felt and making their voices heard?
DP: “I think there’s a bit of miscommunication out there in the media at the moment, particularly in relation to the colours of a jersey, which has never come up. So I just question what that rally is about.”
Bus 2 Terrigal
Well-known member
And none of that has anything to do with what I was responding to.
TIGERS
Well-known member
The dude is actually saying that Shane Richardson can't get recruiting players right.
Terry T.Nuts
Well-known member
Would be shocked it Richo is around after reading that article. Sadly one step forward twenty five back with this mob.
BlackWhiteGold
Well-known member
‘Richo call will be made on Monday’: Boss of Wests Tigers’ owners breaks his silence‘Richo call will be made on Monday’: Boss of Wests Tigers’ owners breaks his silence
After yet another tumultuous week, Wests Tigers fans get the first chance to hear from the club powerbroker calling the shots.
Was hoping Richo was in the background trying to sort something out but looks like we're totally buggered.
Adrian Proszenko
•
Dec 4, 2025
Adrian Proszenko: There was the big announcement at the start of the week about the removal of the four independent directors. Can you talk us through that?
Daniel Paton: “The crux of the matter here is about the 90 per cent owner of Wests Tigers having a minority say on the board.
“Now, there’s an agreement between Wests Tigers and Holman Barnes Group where certain decisions that are made need to come back to the owner for approval. That simply hasn’t been happening.
“And I can give an example of that – the stadium policy around Leichhardt Oval. So the announcement was that Leichhardt Oval would be the home of Wests Tigers for the next 15 years. The Holman Barnes Group board only found out about that with 16,000 other fans at Leichhardt Oval. Which is really bad for business, and it’s quite embarrassing really ...
“As the majority owners, Holman Barnes Group is well within its rights to take back control of the board if there are concerns with governance. In order to take back control and have the ability to reconstitute the board, the only lever the Holman Barnes Group had to pull was to remove the four independent board members. The work done by the majority of the independent board members has been commendable, and we are in talks with some of those members as we work through what the new board looks like.”
AP: Will there be more changes, given that Tigers CEO Shane Richardson had aligned himself with the independent directors and was a vocal proponent thereof? Is his job now untenable?
DP: “We were supporting Shane from the outset. He’s come back and expressed that he’s got some things to think about, and Shane needs to make a decision now.”
AP: Do you believe that he’ll be at the helm of Wests Tigers for the start of next year?
DP: “We’ll respect his decision. That’s up to Shane, and he’ll come back to us.”
AP: It feels like everything is in limbo until we know whether he’s going to be the CEO of the Wests Tigers long term. Have you had discussions with him about a time frame as to when he will decide?
DP: “We were supporting Shane from the outset. He’s come back and expressed that he’s got some things to think about, and Shane needs to make a decision now.”
AP: Do you believe that he’ll be at the helm of Wests Tigers for the start of next year?
DP: “We’ll respect his decision. That’s up to Shane, and he’ll come back to us.”
AP: It feels like everything is in limbo until we know whether he’s going to be the CEO of the Wests Tigers long term. Have you had discussions with him about a time frame as to when he will decide?
DP: “I’ve been in discussions with Shane … asking when he would come back with an answer. He responded that he’s still thinking about it but will come back with an answer on Monday … it really needs to be resolved sooner rather than later.”
AP: You talked about a lack of communication – and obviously the four independent directors are no longer there – what responsibility does Shane Richardson bear for that?
DP: “I think some of the decisions that were made, that should have come to the Holman Barnes Group for approval, certainly didn’t happen. And that’s coming from the CEO and the board.”
AP: Is there anything in the [ownership] agreement whereby certain actions taken by the football club have to come back to you either for ratification or to inform you of what’s going on?
DP: “That’s correct. In the agreement, there is a threshold limit that if transactions – let’s say transactions above a certain limit – need to come back to Holman Barnes Group for approval.”
AP: Such as player signings above a certain [financial] limit?
DP: “That’s correct.”
AP: And that hasn’t been happening.
DP: “Not that I’m aware of.”
AP: The narrative is that there has been some discontent about the jersey, that it contains too much Tiger and not enough Magpie. Is that the case?
DP: “The colours of the jersey have not come up at all as part of this process. I think that’s a rehash of some old narrative … this has been floating around for years. This is trivial, and to think this is a reason for Holman Barnes Group taking this decisive action is laughable.”
AP: The other thing that’s been discussed recently is this idea that there’s a push for Western Suburbs Magpies to take over, to push Balmain out of the joint venture. Is that the case?
DP: “That’s not the case at all. The Holman Barnes Group is fully supportive of Wests Tigers. There’s been no talk about bringing back the Magpies. Once again, I think that’s a narrative that’s been rehashed from a couple of years ago.”
AP: There’s no doubt the Holman Barnes Group has a good track record of managing clubs – but less so when it comes to football clubs. It’s been 14 years since the Tigers last finals appearance. Why should fans have any faith in the regime?
DP: “Well, that’s correct. And that’s what we’re hoping to rectify under Benji Marshall’s leadership. If the football operation can keep progressing as they have, they’re on the improve. We’d like to see us get back to playing finals football.”
AP: What do these changes mean for Benji Marshall?
DP: “Benji has got our full support. He’s an absolute club legend and we think he’s a great coach. We absolutely want him here for the long term.”
AP: ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys said he is concerned about what had transpired at board level and that he wanted the NRL to investigate. Are you concerned that head office is concerned?
DP: “I think because it’s a purely governance issue between the boards – and there is a current agreement in place with Holman Barnes Group and Wests Tigers – I don’t believe that NRL should be concerned over this.”
AP: Should they be concerned about the performance of Wests Tigers because obviously the two are tied together?
DP: “Like I said, we’re progressing in the right direction. So I think if the NRL looks at on-field performance as well as financial performance, then we should be heading towards the finals.”
AP: Is there still tension between Balmain and Western Suburbs, the two factions in the joint venture marriage?
DP: “In the past, there’s certainly been a lot of tension between Wests and Balmain. We’ve had the Balmain board meet with the Wests Ashfield board, and what’s been great is that I feel like we’re more unified than ever. For example, Wests Ashfield has made it clear to Balmain that we want them to be part of the joint venture.
“They retain their 10 per cent share in West Tigers, they retain their board seat in Wests Tigers. Wests Ashfield will continue to fund the Balmain Football Club and is now funding the Balmain District Juniors. So we’re very much committed to supporting Balmain and continuing on in the joint venture.”
AP: At some clubs, it’s pretty easy for the membership, if they are disgruntled, to affect change. For instance, at Canterbury, you only need to get about 110 signatures to force an extraordinary general meeting. Under the ownership structure with the Holman Barnes Group, and its relationship with Wests Tigers, there’s basically no lever to pull if you’re a disgruntled member or a fan. You need to be a debenture holder, and it’s all very tightly controlled. Can you understand their frustration in that they are seeing this [boardroom brawl], they are seeing a lack of performance on the field, and there is nothing they can do about it?
DP: “Absolutely, I can see the frustration … I’m a fan myself, but we are progressing in the right direction. With the right people in place at the football department, I think we will progress and continue to progress. On-field performance is everything, and that’s what we need to focus on.”
AP: Speaking of things on the field, two of your highest profile players, Jarome Luai and Jahream Bula, have yet to commit long term. They have clauses or options in their contracts in their favour, and it was suggested they were close to committing – until the latest developments. Are you concerned that they might slip through your fingers because of what’s transpired?
DP: “That’s a question for the football department. I haven’t seen the contracts, so I’m not aware of the clauses that we’re talking about. However, I do believe that they’re close to re-signing, and I’d like to think they would.”
AP: A protest march has been arranged. Are you concerned about disgruntled Wests Tigers fans making their presence felt and making their voices heard?
DP: “We understand the passion that fans have and we appreciate that this announcement has caused upset. We have no problem in fans making their voices heard, however marching to Wests Ashfield and potentially intimidating innocent staff members is not something we would condone and I would urge the organiser to rethink this action.”
TIGERS
Well-known member
Yea it does. And I don't care anyway. Go bleed black and white on a poker machine somewhere and pray to swooopie boiz for a Debenture.
Bus 2 Terrigal
Well-known member
Of course not. That’s what my post said. The current suggestion of a Magpie revolution (🤣🤣🤣 - relax peeps it ain’t happening) works for me - but probably not so much for old Leichhardt types like you.
TIGERS
Well-known member
Rusty owns the Rabbitohs himself and just let Richo do his thing properly. Like even if you OWN the club why would you want to mess with that and not just learn how to win.
Chunk
Well-known member
I think you are trying to be funny but when that bus arrives at Terrigal, can you stay there please?
Betterdays22
Well-known member
Sure Richo just loves this clown talking about him and timeframes for his decisions in the media‘Richo call will be made on Monday’: Boss of Wests Tigers’ owners breaks his silence
After yet another tumultuous week, Wests Tigers fans get the first chance to hear from the club powerbroker calling the shots.
Was hoping Richo was in the background trying to sort something out but looks like we're totally buggered.
The_Patriot
Well-known member
Me I'm just waiting to hear from Richardson and the NRL.
This whole conversation has been hi jacked by those who no doubt have ties to HBG. Working here to muddy the waters and shut down the widespread outrage felt by 99% of Wests Tigers supporters. So far it's working and good intentioned people are buying into it going back at them over trivial issues.
For now until we hear more from Richardson and the NRL this thread is counterproductive to shining a light on how out of line and intolerable the HBG actions are.
Sign the petitions, join the marches. Do your bit.
This whole conversation has been hi jacked by those who no doubt have ties to HBG. Working here to muddy the waters and shut down the widespread outrage felt by 99% of Wests Tigers supporters. So far it's working and good intentioned people are buying into it going back at them over trivial issues.
For now until we hear more from Richardson and the NRL this thread is counterproductive to shining a light on how out of line and intolerable the HBG actions are.
Sign the petitions, join the marches. Do your bit.
BlackWhiteGold
Well-known member
AP: Should all the [feeder teams, such as NSW Cup, Jersey Flegg, etc] be playing under the Wests Tigers jersey, banner and logo, given it is supposedly one club?
DP: “That’s something for the new Wests Tigers board to start getting their head around and make decisions on.”
AP: What’s the position of the Holman Barnes Group on that?
“The Holman Barnes Group obviously has a number of teams under their umbrella, Wests Tigers and Wests Magpies being two of those, as well as the registered clubs. So we support all our teams.”
AP: Will the Holman Barnes Group now start sticking their beak into football, interfering and meddling in football matters?
DP: “No, it’s not for the Holman Barnes Group to get involved with football operations and player signings. But it is their responsibility to ensure that due diligence is done correctly around the selection of those players. So it’s just ensuring that governance and those systematic measures are in place.”
AP: You said yourself that the board structure hasn’t worked in the past. Now Wests Tigers fans are seeing more [boardroom] changes, and the football club hasn’t really improved significantly. Why should they believe you this time when you say you’re acting in their best interests and that it’s not about the individuals on the board?
DP: “That’s right, it has been a mess in the past. There’s been a clear disconnect between boards [and the] decision making that needed to happen. What’s different this time is that for the first time we’re seeing the Holman Barnes Group board, the Wests Magpies board, the Wests Tigers board and even the Balmain board being more unified than they ever have before.
“So the decision making should be more seamless now and allow the football department to do what they need to do with on-field success.”
DP: “That’s something for the new Wests Tigers board to start getting their head around and make decisions on.”
AP: What’s the position of the Holman Barnes Group on that?
“The Holman Barnes Group obviously has a number of teams under their umbrella, Wests Tigers and Wests Magpies being two of those, as well as the registered clubs. So we support all our teams.”
AP: Will the Holman Barnes Group now start sticking their beak into football, interfering and meddling in football matters?
DP: “No, it’s not for the Holman Barnes Group to get involved with football operations and player signings. But it is their responsibility to ensure that due diligence is done correctly around the selection of those players. So it’s just ensuring that governance and those systematic measures are in place.”
AP: You said yourself that the board structure hasn’t worked in the past. Now Wests Tigers fans are seeing more [boardroom] changes, and the football club hasn’t really improved significantly. Why should they believe you this time when you say you’re acting in their best interests and that it’s not about the individuals on the board?
DP: “That’s right, it has been a mess in the past. There’s been a clear disconnect between boards [and the] decision making that needed to happen. What’s different this time is that for the first time we’re seeing the Holman Barnes Group board, the Wests Magpies board, the Wests Tigers board and even the Balmain board being more unified than they ever have before.
“So the decision making should be more seamless now and allow the football department to do what they need to do with on-field success.”
Betterdays22
Well-known member
Kelce68
Well-known member
Those answers are absolute garbage.‘Richo call will be made on Monday’: Boss of Wests Tigers’ owners breaks his silence
After yet another tumultuous week, Wests Tigers fans get the first chance to hear from the club powerbroker calling the shots.
Was hoping Richo was in the background trying to sort something out but looks like we're totally buggered.
Credit to Proszenko for asking some decent questions.
Daniel Paton, you're on the list 🎯
TIGERS
Well-known member
HBG want to run
Mate the last thing you flogs want is the club becoming solvent on its own. That's where Richo was gonna take it. You had to nip it in the bud before it became a success again.
Mate the last thing you flogs want is the club becoming solvent on its own. That's where Richo was gonna take it. You had to nip it in the bud before it became a success again.
What a load of hyperbole bullshit , and buzz words .
The fans are carrying on because of the media , the nrl should stay out of it because …. Reasons 😂 they’re under another liquor and gaming probe , which didn’t get mentioned .
He’s literally saying “trust us because you can trust us”.
Like I’ve said a million times , the best indicator of future behaviour is the past.
And trust was eroded long ago .
The fans are carrying on because of the media , the nrl should stay out of it because …. Reasons 😂 they’re under another liquor and gaming probe , which didn’t get mentioned .
He’s literally saying “trust us because you can trust us”.
Like I’ve said a million times , the best indicator of future behaviour is the past.
And trust was eroded long ago .
liltiger
Well-known member
Apparently decisions were being made without HBG knowledge so all the independants were sent packing. Yet the chairman of the HBG board who is on the Wests Tigers board who should have conveyed all this to HBG keeps his chairman's seat at HBG and his seat on the Wests Tigers board. You can't make up anything more stupid.
hammertime
Well-known member
So, the stadium policy that he mentioned. If that is true, a couple of things
- That was richo, if not discussed at the board level. And if discussed at the board level, then that is squarely on the HBG reps to make clear the policy to clear with them. The independants have nothing to do with it.
- This was back in August... so what has been happening since then? Have HBG tried to fix it, given warnings or just sat on their hands? If they said nothing, then WT would have assumed the process was fine and continued as is.
Reeks so badly.
- That was richo, if not discussed at the board level. And if discussed at the board level, then that is squarely on the HBG reps to make clear the policy to clear with them. The independants have nothing to do with it.
- This was back in August... so what has been happening since then? Have HBG tried to fix it, given warnings or just sat on their hands? If they said nothing, then WT would have assumed the process was fine and continued as is.
Reeks so badly.
Bus 2 Terrigal
Well-known member
No, I was responding to a heartfelt post by Lestronge 👇 which focused on jerseys, heritage, and kiddies being sad because they don’t think magpies are cuddly.
Not, as you suggested, the governance and lack of success of our club over the past decade and a half.
Seperate topics entirely
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