HBG, Independent Directors Sacked

[The Chad]

Could work. Don’t know how many player managers would say no to him.

Could get us in line for a new family dynasty at the club.

We are a family club after all.

 

[weststigers]

PMSL needed that.

If we can't laugh, we'll cry...

 

[Crucible]

Because his name was directly next to burgess’s.

Surely they are feeding the media BS for a laugh

Even as an ex Balmain bloke,I nearly fell off my chair. Roger Rogerson would have been a better choice.

 

[liltiger]

Former Test star Ben Elias emerges as frontrunner in Wests Tigers chairman search

In what shapes as the most important decision in the Wests Tigers’ tumultuous history, the club have launched their search for a new chairman, with a former legend among the leading candidates.

Dean Ritchie
December 10, 2025 - 3:34PM

In arguably the most important decision in the club’s tumultuous 25-year history, the haemorrhaging Wests Tigers have launched their search for a new chairman with a former Test star the leading contender to claim the position.

This masthead had been told three candidates for the club’s top job are Ben Elias, Leo Epifania and Dennis Burgess.

Burgess, who may struggle to claim the chairmanship after revelations emerged last weekend that his Instagram account follows hundreds of sexually explicit pages, is chairman of Wests Magpies and Holman Barnes Group, while Epifania is on the Wests Tigers board and Elias is a Tigers legend with a powerful business CV.

The club’s chair position was vacated last week when the Holman Barnes Group dumped Barry O’Farrell, a former NSW Premier, and three other independent directors from the joint-venture board.

That decision was followed by the demise earlier this week of Wests Tigers chief executive Shane Richardson.

With two leadership positions unfilled, the club desperately needs to immediately find a strong chairman to end the internal infighting.

When contacted about the possibility of becoming Wests Tigers chairman, Elias would only say: “It would be an honour and privilege to be chair of such a great club. We need to make some strong decisions and we need to do it soon because the NRL kicks off in less than three months’ time.

“I am totally supportive of Benji Marshall and the priority for the club is to put out these fires and move forward in a positive manner.”

Elias served on the Wests Tigers board when the club won the 2005 grand final and was previously a Tigers development officer and marketing manager. He also served five years on the Perth Glory A-League club board.

A former NSW and Kangaroos hooker, Elias is known to have a line to the top end of town.

Epifania, who played 23 games for Wests in the 1980s, is also in the running but questions remain about whether he would suit the role.

Wests Tigers are also looking for a CEO to replace Richardson. The club is expected to name an interim chief executive with current general manager of football, Shaun Mielekamp, the favourite.

Manly’s Tony Mestrov is still being heavily considered but Mielekamp is understood to have the inside running.

Naming an interim chief executive allows the club some breathing space to appoint a chairman before deciding on a full-time CEO.

Regarded as a blue-collar administrator, Mielekamp is a former Central Coast Mariners chief executive and merchandise and marketing manager at Penrith and South Sydney.

The appointment of Mielekamp would allow for continuity given he already works for Wests Tigers.

Wests Tigers coach Benji Marshall is known to be fed-up trying to protect his players from the boardroom drama.

A rally to protest how the club is being run will be held at 10.30am this Saturday where fans will march 1km from Pratten Park to Wests Leagues, Ashfield to demand that Holman Barnes Group directors resign.

“At this rally, fans and members will call on Peter V’landys and the NRL, as well as Liquor and Gaming NSW, to intervene and fix the shambolic governance of Wests Tigers once and for all,” said Inner West Mayor, Darcy Byrne.

They must be really desperate to try things to calm down and get fans onside. No doubt doing this cause theyre trying to assure us fans that Balmain will have representation. On the weekend we need to let them know the real issue is we don't want HBG to have any representation anymore.

 

[weststigers]

Did we really know that HBG fund grants to Balmain for junior football?

I knew that...you didn't.

You only just learned how to copy and paste. I don't want to overload you.

 

[The Chad]

I knew that...you didn't.

You only just learned how to copy and paste. I don't want to overload you.

So after HB GOUT, who funds Balmain juniors & Wests Magpies?

 

[Tiger_Yoshi]

Wayne Pearce for WT chair...where is he?

 

[Chunk]

HBG MAGPIES are not "trying everything to ruin our F team".
Strange, as I didn't know we had an F team though.
An NRL team and a NSW Cup team to just name a couple.
But an F team, never heard of it 😆.

Why? What's the point of doing that.
You've been anti MAGPIE ever since I have known you, and that is a fact.

Where you once know as Yappy on the original forum?

 

[mikey]

Reminder to anyone who doesn’t want constant input from people who put WT second to another club....There is an ignore function and its actually enjoyable for me to see all the one line zingers without having to read the idiocy they respond to

100 percent true. Sad to day but the list has gotten longer in the last week. Don't mind alternate viewpoints but I can't read dribble and deliberate shite-stirring.

 

[weststigers]

So after HB GOUT, who funds Balmain juniors & Wests Magpies?

Easiest issue to solve out of all of them. Let me handle all that. Just focus on more productive things.

 

[Coastie_Tiger]

What on earth is going on, Benny burgess or edpinia, we are will and truly screwed

It has to be a joke surely choice between a turncoat or a deviant, know little to nothing about the other bloke. It just keeps getting more and more comedic by the day.

 

[Jolls]

Each to their own.

Id rather we reinvigorate interest from Wests McArthur and have them buy out HBGs share...

Wests Tigers are a true sleeping giant with the power of Wests McArthur... That's the outcome we need.

HBG have had their chance and blown it... I don't want them to make it work, it'll take them another 40 years.

That would be my preference too, but expect there will be middle ground before it gets there and the transition is likely to take time and will need to be eorked from the inside and outside concurrently.

 

[Coastie_Tiger]

I laughed out loud for real. So true. A whole week til another cricket match. I gotta get out of this forum and I am not alone reading the comments

Big bash starts on Sunday mate not too long of a wait to take your mind off this dribble.

 

[mikey]

More like:

 

[mikey]

For some reason I do not hate the Elias idea

He does know how to stab people in the back - good match.

 

[balmain boy]

If your next door neighbour owns a nice car and treats it like crap,

What can u do.??

Nrl cant control HBG if they dont run their assets poorly

Yes they can.

Stop commenting on something you know nothing about.

The NRL could revoke the license, place the club into administration (freezing out HBG) at any time.

If we went bankrupt this would happen quick smart. We're not bankrupt yet, but we will be if Wests Ashfield gets their way.

The owners are negligent, they bring the entire competition into disrepute, they devalue the entire competition they're unfit to run the club.

They couldn't even run an u13s cricket team, much less a professional sports club.

They didn't even pay for the licence in the first place, they became owners be default. The license can certainly be taken away.

We can only hope the joint venture gets shut down and a private owner gets the license with the promise of retaining the links and respecting the fans of the south west and inner west.

 

[Don Kershane]

Even as an ex Balmain bloke,I nearly fell off my chair. Roger Rogerson would have been a better choice.

He meant John Elias.

 

[batboy]

Why would HBG appoint Elias?

You ever met an old magpie who didn't think this is a Balmain v Wests thing?
Why would the HBG board be any different?

To double down, I would claim the HBG board would be the only collection of idiots dumb enough
to think they could wash this over by appointing Ben Elias.
I don't know many Wests Tigers fans that don't despise Elias, Or who think he has a brain in his head.

 

[weststigers]

He meant John Elias.

A man who knows how to get his way. Could be the man for the job

 

[balmain boy]

if they could influence decision making for the team they love than yes, they would pay the $5 and become a member.

There are many WT members who are already mergers if Wests Ashfield.

And all you need is like 50 votes and you can get on the board at best an AGM. Nobody ever bothers about those things, it doesn't take much to get over the line if you have backing of a group of people