HBG, Independent Directors Sacked

[Spartan117]

lol, maybe we should start a WT digital thread. I'm sure a fair percentage of people on this forum are not too interested in hearing about Claude, Gemini, Anthropic, CoPilot etc..

Focus of my day today....

 

[Lestronge]

Jolls, firstly . . . I've always respected your opinions and intelligent way you look at things.
This is a complicated issue for sure.
Changing the JV mindset is a good thing to strive for, but nearly impossible to change.
The divisions between original Wests and Tigers people still bubbles away under the surface . . . we'd hope that the intelligent ones can mostly keep it there . . . but it only takes one biased comment and it's a mess again.
While there's a whole new generation of purely WT supporters ( which is great ), surely you still see the contrast between old Balmain and Wests supporters ?
The ideal situation would have been that Balmain still existed, and so we would have had 2 sets of input at all levels resulting in a more stable situation. And there would be a whole lot less abuse thrown at the decision makers. But that bird is like Monty Python's parrot.
I'm not a disciple of HBG. Never set foot in Ashfield club. Don't particularly like the latest drama to drag our club down. Emphasis on "latest". Disappointed that Richo left ( without knowing the full reasoning ).
The debenture system is for sure a relic of a system. I know the son of a debenture holder . .. and from the way he spoke about it, those debentures ain't going away anytime soon.
What were his thoughts on the system ? . . . indoctrinated would be the one word answer I'd give.
But this is how they've chosen to run the place, and it's a massive ask if we think we have the right to insist that they change their systems.
But I think we could aim for a separate, more qualified " governing group " just for matters of Weststigers. I DGAF who they want on the WA/HBG board, but those dinosaurs probably don't have the acumen or relevance to grow our club. I don't know the structures of their club hierarchy and if this concept could even take place . . . but all the whining isn't going to dissolve the systems they hold so dear. And at the end of the day, if you own the cricket set, you decide if it's 6 and out or not.
All that aside, while we might not owe WA a statue for saving our club when Balmain folded . . . I'm grateful that when the $$ had to be tipped in to close off the Balmain books, it was from the other JV partner. God knows what would have happened if Wests didn't have the money.
Maybe I'm old, maybe I'm hanging on to outdated values, but to me it's pretty low class to tear strips off the people that "saved" the club.
Thank God we've won our first 2 . . . so many here are drooling at the prospect of blaming HBG for every single thing that's wrong with this place. And God knows, there are SOOOO many things to pick from. The chant of "HBG out" is so ironically hilarious, especially coming from original Balmain people.
Anyway, we should make one of those work safety boards you see in factories. XX days without injuries, and such. But ours would be " XX days since HBG unpopular action". We'd be at around 60 days now . . . that should be rewarded with a WT keyring, or something ?
Bring on the season. Yet again I have the February Fever. But things are looking up. The team isn't letting the HBG stuff influence them, and that's a good thing.

The idea that wests saves Balmain is beyond laughable . There was at least 3 offers put forward to Balmain at the time , and they chose wests .
Wests saw an opportunity for growth and they took it . It was hardly altruistic though . And for the good of wests tigers . It was for the good of wests Ashfield , later HBG once they incorporated the Balmain assets .
So as a wests tigers fan and member , why would I be thankful to wests for taking over the Balmain assets when the end result has been abject failure . From governance down .
Things like approving the fedora as chairman whilst being the major sponsor , or Pascoe retaining his job after the Farah salary cap breach , or the appointment and backing of Taylor after the well known reputation of players being at best indifferent toward him . The backing of Taylor over the then reserve Aus dummy half and current nsw drought breaking take .
It was nonsense .
No . It’s easy to blame subordinates for mistakes tha you signed off on , but personally I find that horseshit and a sign of bad leadership and ultimately weakness in the leaders in charge .
The fact you talk about division is only true in old men like yourself . I’m 42 and I couldn’t give a flying shit about Balmain or wests . In fact I want the club to sell to private ownership , which would finally torpedo all that talk . And I think I speak for the majority on this albeit I’m sure people have vastly different views on privatisation. Which is fine .
But I’m sick of old men on here , who make up literally probably a tiny percentage of fans in 2026 , speaking as if the division is right and everywhere , when In actuality they are bored old men , retired usually , an isolated from the rest of the world , external to the echo chamber they’ve built for themselves online .
There is no division . Fans want a winning wests tigers . They want owners whose priority is wests tigers . And they want governance that is capable of saying no to shit ideas , like getting rid of the nsw dummy half for a failed reserve grade standard coach . Because that decision amongst many was the real catalyst for the club falling into a heap , because Robbie at the time was a the driving force of the wests tigers culture , and was still nurturing the next generation to buy in . And they didn’t ..
See how absolutely none of what I said or very little outside of exposition has anything to do with wests or Balmain …. Because it doesnt …. Not even a little bit

 

[Jolls]

Jolls, firstly . . . I've always respected your opinions and intelligent way you look at things.
This is a complicated issue for sure.
Changing the JV mindset is a good thing to strive for, but nearly impossible to change.
The divisions between original Wests and Tigers people still bubbles away under the surface . . . we'd hope that the intelligent ones can mostly keep it there . . . but it only takes one biased comment and it's a mess again.
While there's a whole new generation of purely WT supporters ( which is great ), surely you still see the contrast between old Balmain and Wests supporters ?
The ideal situation would have been that Balmain still existed, and so we would have had 2 sets of input at all levels resulting in a more stable situation. And there would be a whole lot less abuse thrown at the decision makers. But that bird is like Monty Python's parrot.
I'm not a disciple of HBG. Never set foot in Ashfield club. Don't particularly like the latest drama to drag our club down. Emphasis on "latest". Disappointed that Richo left ( without knowing the full reasoning ).
The debenture system is for sure a relic of a system. I know the son of a debenture holder . .. and from the way he spoke about it, those debentures ain't going away anytime soon.
What were his thoughts on the system ? . . . indoctrinated would be the one word answer I'd give.
But this is how they've chosen to run the place, and it's a massive ask if we think we have the right to insist that they change their systems.
But I think we could aim for a separate, more qualified " governing group " just for matters of Weststigers. I DGAF who they want on the WA/HBG board, but those dinosaurs probably don't have the acumen or relevance to grow our club. I don't know the structures of their club hierarchy and if this concept could even take place . . . but all the whining isn't going to dissolve the systems they hold so dear. And at the end of the day, if you own the cricket set, you decide if it's 6 and out or not.
All that aside, while we might not owe WA a statue for saving our club when Balmain folded . . . I'm grateful that when the $$ had to be tipped in to close off the Balmain books, it was from the other JV partner. God knows what would have happened if Wests didn't have the money.
Maybe I'm old, maybe I'm hanging on to outdated values, but to me it's pretty low class to tear strips off the people that "saved" the club.
Thank God we've won our first 2 . . . so many here are drooling at the prospect of blaming HBG for every single thing that's wrong with this place. And God knows, there are SOOOO many things to pick from. The chant of "HBG out" is so ironically hilarious, especially coming from original Balmain people.
Anyway, we should make one of those work safety boards you see in factories. XX days without injuries, and such. But ours would be " XX days since HBG unpopular action". We'd be at around 60 days now . . . that should be rewarded with a WT keyring, or something ?
Bring on the season. Yet again I have the February Fever. But things are looking up. The team isn't letting the HBG stuff influence them, and that's a good thing.

Thanks for the feedback. Yes, it is definitely Italy a lofty goal and I agree that trying to change the management structure, and potentially the debenture system, could not be achieved without a significant catalyst.

The unwashed HBG members, WT members and fans won't be that catalyst so we should put any thoughts of that that aside. Besides that any push against HBG and the debenture holders is likely to create a siege mentality in that group.

While the system is a problem, it is simply the environment we have to operate in. So this becomes a constraint we all need to be aware of.

The strategic goal has to be, in a philosophical sense, to transform thinking from joint venture to united Wests Tigers with no factions at WT board level. Structurally, Balmain and Wests have to exist at HBG level.

The means, the ways and the ends of the plan needs to be developed within the constraints imposed by the structure. It starts with rational conversations that illuminate the issues for HBGs management.

 

[tig_prmz]

The debunture system is at HBG level not WT level right?

I doubt NRL or anyone else can help remove the debunture system. That system is working for a well profiting private organization.

I doubt HBG would sell WT until they get a good offer. I honestly doubt HBG cares that much about WT if there isn't any money going into their own pockets.

 

[Bus 2 Terrigal Lagoon]

Appreciate it mate, but are you really surprised? In his attempt to be clever and make a joke about it, he is also admitting there is nothing he can point to in terms of achievement.

It's rather amusing watching a really cocky, yet low IQ individual thinking he's got the crowd won. Let him go...it's obviously a really big moment for him.

For them, HBG = Wests and they will blindly support that. For me, it's about quality management and a commitment to progressing the Wests Tigers brand (Not Wests and Not Balmain).

You guys really do like to resort to the ole personal attack ...
Try classing it up a tad - it’s just a footy forum.
Yeah we have different opinions on one or two things but geez, I always try to debate in a good humoured way 🥴

As for your last paragraph - you do have a point. Although I’m not sure who “them” is supposed to be. But yes there are people who see HBG as being Wests. A quick search dug up a couple of prime examples ...

 

[Lestronge]

You guys really do like to resort to the ole personal attack ...
Try classing it up a tad - it’s just a footy forum.
Yeah we have different opinions on one or two things but geez, I always try to debate in a good humoured way 🥴

As for your last paragraph - you do have a point. Although I’m not sure who “them” is supposed to be. But yes there are people who see HBG as being Wests. A quick search dug up a couple of prime examples ...

Do they see it as “wests” or do they simply see it as abbreviation of wests Ashfield .
Because for me is absolutely love wests Cambo to take over , because at the very least thier remit is 💯 about wests juniors. Ashfield pays for Balmain I get that , but that’s always brought up as tokenism or like an uncle who lent you 1000k 20 years ago , and every Christmas brings it up . It seems very conditional.
I actually think that’s the ultimate solution . Cambo gets more and more of a share , they don’t have the baggage of the whole wests v Balmain bullshit , and ultimately there positioned in the area where the club will be looking to establish itself .
As they fix the freeways and ultimately time is reduced and players start to see things like , yea x club is 10 kms away but it takes me 45-1hr to get there or the tigers are in Cambo which is 50km away but it takes me 25-30 mins to get there .
I hope MacArthur booms not just residentially as it is right now , but also commercially and businesses setup there , especially as Wetherill park is such a shit fight to get in and out of .
I think the airport as well can only help . Along with Bradfield .
If you actually read what I’ve posted you will see I’m actually pro wests . Just not HBG. I think the COE in Concord serves a purpose right now, but I can genuinely see a time where they build another one in the MacArthur area/wests footprint , once the area can provide the corporate and bums on seats support sustainably .
Express train and public transport also needs to be improved . Which is why Bradfield to me and a new huge stadium and COE when that town is built , is extremely enticing . 20-30 min express trains from central / Strathfield , seems like something easily manageable . But that’s allot way off I know .

 

[Bus 2 Terrigal Lagoon]

Do they see it as “wests” or do they simply see it as abbreviation of wests Ashfield .

🤣🤣🤣 yeah that must be it.

This bloke death rides half our junior rep teams and our reserve grade side simply because they are Magpies. Fairly safe to say he identifies HBG with the Western Suburbs Magpies. And guess what, a few months after posting this, old mate is given a spot on one of the podcasts.

But yeah, I’m the “bad faith actor”, “being obnoxious and divisive” 🤣🤣🤣

 

[Lestronge]

🤣🤣🤣 yeah that must be it.

This bloke death rides half our junior rep teams and our reserve grade side simply because they are Magpies. Fairly safe to say he identifies HBG with the Western Suburbs Magpies. And guess what, a few months after posting this, old mate is given a spot on one of the podcasts.

But yeah, I’m the “bad faith actor”, “being obnoxious and divisive” 🤣🤣🤣

I’ve never seen that… I’ve seen from someone with Balmain in thier name . Tbf though he’s usually critical of all the junior teams .
For me wests should be up there every year with the pool we get to pick from . Having 4 teams in the 2 major junior comps be absolutely shit , especially the wests team as they have such a huge base to pick from needs to be looked at . Are the systems too complicated , are they not complicated enough , is there a delivery issue , is the message not clear , or is the person delivering it not the right person , I dunno but Shane sultana seemed to be a very good coach , so I’m curious as to what he’s been doing with less , and whether that’s transferable or teachable . Or was he kissed on the balls and struck gold at the right time .
But you are divisive and bad faith acting . You did it in your post of which I’m replying to . You took a reasonable explanation and turned it again into this wests v Balmain nonsense .
I’m debating you flat out ! And I personally can’t stand how Balmain has run thier leagues district into the ground , as much as anything HBG have done .
I’m 💯 wests tigers . Both the wests and the tigers are equally important to me . Something 15 year old me could never have imagined to be true . But it is . So I find it a little insulting that you keep returning the conversation back to some archaic nonsensical war , that’s only prevalent in low IQ social media or geriatric social media like Facebook .

 

[Merlot]

Site got infiltrated, infected by intelligent conversation WTF