HBG, Independent Directors Sacked

[HUNT 101]

At least this sh.it is happening in the off season, imagine we hit the ground running (after the round 1 bye of course) with 5 straight wins ,looking promising and then the cu.nts drop this bomb.This way hopefully there is some sort of order in place before the competition start. 😵‍💫🫠

 

[tiger_one]

At least this sh.it is happening in the off season, imagine we hit the ground running (after the round 1 bye of course) with 5 straight wins ,looking promising and then the cu.nts drop this bomb.This way hopefully there is some sort of order in place before the competition start. 😵‍💫🫠

Yes, that point is intriguing.
Why did HBG trigger their action when they did?

 

[69tiger]

Mate ..this whole thing makes zero sense from Monday afternoon when they got rid of the independents…

It’s up to the NRL to investigate now and get to the bottom like they said they were going to do …although what will happen after that I have no idea

Don’t these idiots in the HBG realise that top players are likely to leave(Luai our figurehead Bulla contract pending) plus the CEO? What possesses them to do something like this when there’s a risk that the Club at all levels will implode?
Surely they can see the potential damage that’s going to happen through this-
It will put us back another 5 to 10 years

 

[BAGNF05]

At least this sh.it is happening in the off season, imagine we hit the ground running (after the round 1 bye of course) with 5 straight wins ,looking promising and then the cu.nts drop this bomb.This way hopefully there is some sort of order in place before the competition start. 😵‍💫🫠

Who’s currently working on signing two of our international and best players, Luai & Bula.

Answer: Mal Meninga (Bears)

It’s never good timing to be incompetent.

 

[Suzie-Q]

Pretty much, every time we promote the rally.they atrack. They mainly try to paint it as a Wests v Tigers issue.

Which it absolutely is not!

 

[Suzie-Q]

One of them threatened Steve with physical violence earlier in the week.

I was just chatting with ink and was saying that they have tried to intimidate me to stop me going to lidcombe in the past. Had guys come up and start abusing me at lidcombe.

I still go but can't take my daughter to games there as it isn't a safe or pleasant environment for her.

That's disgusting, Garry 🤬

 

[fainty]

I believe Richo is gone (no info just my thoughts) this will set us back years. I don’t know where we go?! I feel like the whole drama will continue to roll on and we will be bottom half of the comp for years. I see players leaving, Benji going and then we start all over again. I would love Richo to come out and say “I’m not a quitter!” And fight for this team, get some support from the NRL powers and also Harry and Laundy. Players block all this noise out with Benji and say we are gonna use a siege mentality. But my hope is fading and my optimism with this club is almost gone. I’ll still support to the day I die…but feels like I’ll support a “shit” team for the rest of my life! 👎👎👎

 

[innsaneink]

This sums it up


From WestsTigers Life facebook:

Question(s) for a Saturday morning to our constant commenters that are laughing and enjoying this situation at Wests Tigers. Ie Stamos’ little crew of middle aged men. You know who you are.

It was our more than likely outgoing CEO’s question too. What Wests Tigers membership do you own? (You don’t have to state your number though)

Or failing that, how many games do you attend? (Wests Tigers games that is). How often do you buy merch? How many fan days do you attend? How many hours, dollars and how much emotion do you put into the Wests Tigers NRL club?

I will bet my mortgage that it’s nowhere near the level that us, or The Ambush, or Claws Out Podcast, or Tiger Town Podcast, or Wests Tigers Faithful Podcast, or Wests Tigers Podcast, or Tiger Kidz Podcast, or The NRL Fanatic, Wests Tigers Forum, Wests Tigers Fan Representative Group, Playing and Simple Podcast, Speak Free with MattyG, SHAK TV, Tigercast, @allthingsweststigers, @everythingweststigers_, @picoftigerseachdaytillfinals, @saveleichhardtoval, @depressedtigersfan, @mortsrugbyleague, @ausideline, @tooheysmed or the tens of thousands of other familiar faces we see at Leichhardt, Campbelltown or Commbank every week.

You say we should be thankful or quiet because we don’t financially own 90% of the club. But without us, the hundreds of thousands of dedicated Wests Tigers fans, there is no club. No matter who owns it. Be it a Leagues club, private owner or the NRL themselves. The power of this club is the people. The ones who filled our stadiums during wooden spoon seasons. The ones who make our merchandise and jerseys sell out year or year. The ones who’ve gone through one of the worst runs in Australian sport but come out the other side positive about 2026.

You can comment your bullshit a minute after every single post we do (our algorithm
thanks you) and try and tell us majority of die hard Wests Tigers fans about how we should feel
about the situation, but you’re wasting your time.

You’ll never convince us that after a year where so much and hope and joy was restored in being a fan of the club, that it was justified to throw a grenade into the boardroom and splashing us all over the newspapers again for the wrong reasons.

Your constant reminders that we are all “ignorant” or “gEt yOuR fAcTs” that your little contingent of middle aged white men, that gather to stroke your each other’s egos and then like the Winged Monkeys in the Wizard of Oz fly out of the bar full of piss, are the ones who know what’s right for this club is wrong.

We know what you really want. We know your (and some powerful figures’) agenda. You can brag about a business account that isn’t even yours and speculate what they could or couldn’t do with it. But there are some things money can’t buy.

We loyal fans have been through it all. We have the power of the people and we’ve had enough.

The Magpies and Balmain are done.

The majority of us loyal fans and members are who matters most. Not majority owners.

It’s Wests Tigers forever. And we’ll fight to the death to make sure no one damages our NRL club any further.

 

[poopy_diaper]

My 2c on the matter.

There is a lot of speculation about what's going on inside the heads of the HBG. I wager quite a lot of it is on the money but also without context it is not so easy to see their agenda.

There are a lot of possible permutations as to how we have arrived here. And we are short on facts.

The saga dates back quite a ways. Some things to consider include looking back at how Wests Campbelltown left the merger. Ironically it was because Ashfield kept voting with Balmain.

People like Dennis Burgess are old Magpies tragics it's true. And as the Macarthur region expands and with full control I am sure fantasies of restoration are often on the minds of such people. Who could really blame them? He's not long for the world and when you get to that point you become bolder about wanting to get some of your dreams realised before you drop off. It is what it is.

But whether he or they actually can, or are actually genuinely trying is a different thing altogether. An old man or three saying it with a gutful of pinot gris doesn't make an agenda. People say random things all the time. Memetics does funny things though now with instant online communications. Guys like Dennis don't understand that barstool talk can become a problem.

Which is to say that even the most charitable reading of the situation here still doesn't favour the HBG. As I've pointed out on the Faithful podcast and on socials the HBG simply are unequipped to run the club. Set aside conjecture about agenda and look at the reality. The HBG debenture system is undemocratic, easily stacked and factionalised, doesn't contain any kind of standards for membership and they have a track record of insecurity driven decision making that is not conducive with stability. They are the Borderline Personality Disorder of NRL owners.

All you have to do is look at their website and foundational principles. The debenture system, which they are proud of, is a protectionist concept. This is intentional. For whatever reason back then the debenture system was quite literally designed to prevent takeovers and coups. That is it's foundational purpose and it's mandate.

How can an organisation whose strict reason for it's structure is protectionism from takeover ever allow any of it's assets to be managed independently? Especially by a guy like Shane Richardson who is a life member of a Brisbane club with the same branding as ours that as recently of inside the last 5 years tried to enter the NRL with a bid led by ... Shane Richardson?

If I was Dennis and co. I'd have been paranoid about him from day 1. Rightly or wrongly.

Is Shane Richardson actually trying to make moves to benefit himself? Almost certainly. That is what it means to be successful. You do things to further your own aims. Shane has not even been reserved about it either having signed questionable footballers to contracts simply because they are clients of the agency he runs. He has been called out about this. Beyond that though it's mostly conjecture, and the moves he's made visibly have all been great from a neutral standpoint.

Well unfortunately when you are dealing with a protectionist mob who deep down wish we were the Magpies it doesn't take much to trigger paranoia. This is, once again, just cause and effect.

I think the important thing to note here is that the HBG are lying still. The claim that they were not being briefed by the board is literally impossible given they had 2 appointees on it and also are more aligned with Balmain now than ever so really three. The HBG actually own and operate the only Balmain Tigers Leagues Club that still trades. Further to that the independent recruiter that was tapped to find the 4 independent directors was fired before completion. Two of the four were appointed by Holman Barnes. The inquiry instructed HBG to appoint a fully independent board and let go of control in perpetuity. This never occurred and never will. It defied the HBGs core principle.

The dismissal of the board can easily be nothing more than them wanting control back. Most likely because they can and feel like they should. There's something serious to be said about ownership having direct (and useful) influence over management of the team though. I have stated before that the football team being run without an ultimate beneficial owner having actual direct say and skin in the game makes it harder for us to compete with clubs that do have that. In that way I wasn't really all that supportive of the idea of the independent board anyway. It improved things though because we had some stability and because some other clubs had really bad years. It would have been nice to see year 2 but alas we will not.

But even saying that once the decision was made and given the instability of the past 13 years the HBG had no option whatsoever other than to do nothing. They had played themselves into that position and with the club improving could under no circumstances do anything but leave it alone. That was the only reasonable choice. It doesn't matter what they want or what I think is a better model. For the benefit of the players, team employees, on field results, the fans and their own reputation they had to leave it alone.

And simply in doing the opposite, without any other facts to bear, they demonstrate their incompetence in one final Earth shattering blow to the club.

It has been my view for quite some time that the Holman Barnes Group cannot be the owner of a successful NRL team. That makes clear what I think has to happen. If the NRL cannot legally do so and the HBG continue to run this club there is no use whatsoever in supporting it.

But sports fandom is a sickness so it's easier said than done hey.

 

[hank37w]

Couldn’t be any worse than Grant Mayer.

At least we kept coming 9th when he was around.

Yeah get Mayer back, but we would have to get Mick Potter back so that he could Bench Benji.

 

[BAGNF05]

I believe Richo is gone (no info just my thoughts) this will set us back years. I don’t know where we go?! I feel like the whole drama will continue to roll on and we will be bottom half of the comp for years. I see players leaving, Benji going and then we start all over again. I would love Richo to come out and say “I’m not a quitter!” And fight for this team, get some support from the NRL powers and also Harry and Laundy. Players block all this noise out with Benji and say we are gonna use a siege mentality. But my hope is fading and my optimism with this club is almost gone. I’ll still support to the day I die…but feels like I’ll support a “shit” team for the rest of my life! 👎👎👎

Hang in there mate. We’re standing up together to demand an ownership who wants the best for Wests Tigers.

The more Wests Tigers supporters that get behind this fan movement, the more attractive we are to potential new owners, and the more HBG will realise it’s not that wise to run a business against your customers wants and needs.

 

[Tom Shines]

Don’t these idiots in the HBG realise that top players are likely to leave(Luai our figurehead Bulla contract pending) plus the CEO? What possesses them to do something like this when there’s a risk that the Club at all levels will implode?
Surely they can see the potential damage that’s going to happen through this-
It will put us back another 5 to 10 years

I can only suspect they have a different agenda which might be at odds with the current club winning games and having success ..🤔…

 

[murrayf]

At least this sh.it is happening in the off season, imagine we hit the ground running (after the round 1 bye of course) with 5 straight wins ,looking promising and then the cu.nts drop this bomb.This way hopefully there is some sort of order in place before the competition start. 😵‍💫🫠

Wait till the Luai and Bula stuff starts coming out.

Will they, won't they this may drag on into next season and if it does bye bye 2026

Don't forget Marshall and his coaching future as well and if that goes pear shape and they spear Marshall you may find other players wanting out because they only signed on because of Marshall.

This is just the start, and it may drag on into the 2027 season I have feeling if the NRL don't step in it will be a slow painful death for WT.

08/12/2025 maybe the beginning of the end for WT.

 

[hank37w]

I can try to make sure that as many WT fans as possible understand that this is not right. This failure. We the paying footy fans deserve better and can actually demand better. Beats the people scratching their arse and criticising people for caring about something.

Shadows lol are people seriously blind?

“Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows! “

 

[HUNT 101]

Yeah all true 100%, but as I said on the other hand hopefully it is somewhat under control... better to start the process now then in the middle of a new season aye

 

[innsaneink]

No i refuse to take my daughter. Another thing I told ink is, I used to be a Principal in Mount Druitt. I am use to dealing with abuse. I stay calm and answer their questions which usually upsets them more.

Thats a good skill to have...im getting better at staying calm as i get older id like to think.
Seen it.in.play at work many times...very effective

 

[Tom Shines]

My 2c on the matter.

There is a lot of speculation about what's going on inside the heads of the HBG. I wager quite a lot of it is on the money but also without context it is not so easy to see their agenda.

There are a lot of possible permutations as to how we have arrived here. And we are short on facts.

The saga dates back quite a ways. Some things to consider include looking back at how Wests Campbelltown left the merger. Ironically it was because Ashfield kept voting with Balmain.

People like Dennis Burgess are old Magpies tragics it's true. And as the Macarthur region expands and with full control I am sure fantasies of restoration are often on the minds of such people. Who could really blame them? He's not long for the world and when you get to that point you become bolder about wanting to get some of your dreams realised before you drop off. It is what it is.

But whether he or they actually can, or are actually genuinely trying is a different thing altogether. An old man or three saying it with a gutful of pinot gris doesn't make an agenda. People say random things all the time. Memetics does funny things though now with instant online communications. Guys like Dennis don't understand that barstool talk can become a problem.

Which is to say that even the most charitable reading of the situation here still doesn't favour the HBG. As I've pointed out on the Faithful podcast and on socials the HBG simply are unequipped to run the club. Set aside conjecture about agenda and look at the reality. The HBG debenture system is undemocratic, easily stacked and factionalised, doesn't contain any kind of standards for membership and they have a track record of insecurity driven decision making that is not conducive with stability. They are the Borderline Personality Disorder of NRL owners.

All you have to do is look at their website and foundational principles. The debenture system, which they are proud of, is a protectionist concept. This is intentional. For whatever reason back then the debenture system was quite literally designed to prevent takeovers and coups. That is it's foundational purpose and it's mandate.

How can an organisation whose strict reason for it's structure is protectionism from takeover ever allow any of it's assets to be managed independently? Especially by a guy like Shane Richardson who is a life member of a Brisbane club with the same branding as ours that as recently of inside the last 5 years tried to enter the NRL with a bid led by ... Shane Richardson?

If I was Dennis and co. I'd have been paranoid about him from day 1. Rightly or wrongly.

Is Shane Richardson actually trying to make moves to benefit himself? Almost certainly. That is what it means to be successful. You do things to further your own aims. Shane has not even been reserved about it either having signed questionable footballers to contracts simply because they are clients of the agency he runs. He has been called out about this. Beyond that though it's mostly conjecture, and the moves he's made visibly have all been great from a neutral standpoint.

Well unfortunately when you are dealing with a protectionist mob who deep down wish we were the Magpies it doesn't take much to trigger paranoia. This is, once again, just cause and effect.

I think the important thing to note here is that the HBG are lying still. The claim that they were not being briefed by the board is literally impossible given they had 2 appointees on it and also are more aligned with Balmain now than ever so really three. The HBG actually own and operate the only Balmain Tigers Leagues Club that still trades. Further to that the independent recruiter that was tapped to find the 4 independent directors was fired before completion. Two of the four were appointed by Holman Barnes. The inquiry instructed HBG to appoint a fully independent board and let go of control in perpetuity. This never occurred and never will. It defied the HBGs core principle.

The dismissal of the board can easily be nothing more than them wanting control back. Most likely because they can and feel like they should. There's something serious to be said about ownership having direct (and useful) influence over management of the team though. I have stated before that the football team being run without an ultimate beneficial owner having actual direct say and skin in the game makes it harder for us to compete with clubs that do have that. In that way I wasn't really all that supportive of the idea of the independent board anyway. It improved things though because we had some stability and because some other clubs had really bad years. It would have been nice to see year 2 but alas we will not.

But even saying that once the decision was made and given the instability of the past 13 years the HBG had no option whatsoever other than to do nothing. They had played themselves into that position and with the club improving could under no circumstances do anything but leave it alone. That was the only reasonable choice. It doesn't matter what they want or what I think is a better model. For the benefit of the players, team employees, on field results, the fans and their own reputation they had to leave it alone.

And simply in doing the opposite, without any other facts to bear, they demonstrate their incompetence in one final Earth shattering blow to the club.

It has been my view for quite some time that the Holman Barnes Group cannot be the owner of a successful NRL team. That makes clear what I think has to happen. If the NRL cannot legally do so and the HBG continue to run this club there is no use whatsoever in supporting it.

But sports fandom is a sickness so it's easier said than done hey.

I dont agree with everything you say …but you have said a lot of interesting this past year …

I feel unfortunately there is a very narrow path ahead at the moment … I agree that there is no positive outcome for the Wests Tigers if HBG remain in ownership …I dont even see it being that great a future for the Maggie’s supporters to be honest …just more of the past 13 years to look forward to with a reduced fan base ..

 

[twentyforty]

So lets break this down a bit using what is out there

An anonymous whistleblower has suddenly put in a complaint about Shane Richardson and some of his dealings particularly around the use of family members in certain areas where it is alleged they may be getting paid more or unfairly favoured. - This complaint is fine. The timing of it is what stinks. It has been reported the HBG felt he was sailing close to the wind. Is there anything wrong with that? If I'm doing 60km/h in a 60 zone then that is sailing close to the wind, it's not crossing the line and it's not illegal. It's also been reported Richo doesn't believe he has done anything wrong or concerned in any way and HBG after sacking the four Independents stated Richo had their full support

I thought this issue had previously been discussed with Richo and HBG. Resulting in Richo becoming more arms length from what is now his son’s business.
It’s laughable for ‘an anonymous whistleblower’ to call it in at this time.
We all questioned the value (and nepotism) in hiring Inglis to provide coaching for Bula, but isn’t that why clubs pay the big money for experienced successful administrators? Not just for what they know and can successfully implement,but also for who they know.

 

[poopy_diaper]

I dont agree with everything you say …but you have said a lot of interesting this past year …

I feel unfortunately there is a very narrow path ahead at the moment … I agree that there is no positive outcome for the Wests Tigers if HBG remain in ownership …I dont even see it being that great a future for the Maggie’s supporters to be honest …just more of the past 13 years to look forward to with a reduced fan base ..

It's an interesting thing to unpack what it looks like in a post restoration world and I think the most likely scenario is the Magpies are just even worse than Wests Tigers for reasons you said here.

If Wests Tigers fold the Macarthur needs a team but they'd be better off with a brand new one than a HBG owned Magpies.

 

[cochise]

Yes, that point is intriguing.
Why did HBG trigger their action when they did?

They try to hide this stuff in Dec/ Jan. Did it last year as well.