HBG takeover, Independent Directors Sacked

[426Tlgerland]

A lot of people see private ownership as our road to salvation. History tells me there are far more failures than successes of clubs who went down this path.

I think the best result would be a total overhaul of the current system of governance and replaced by a board voted in by financial members with strong representation from all stakeholders. I can understand the HB wanting a big say in the decision making process as they are putting up a large chunk of the cash to run the joint. In saying that they should be accountable and replaceable when they are not effective.

Sadly I can’t see the board giving up there current set up without the NRL holding a gun to their heads

Who’s got a spare gun we can lend the NRL , if it needs to be done , let’s do it

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Not smart having it as tigers v Magpies. It's not.

I know right. That implies that whoever posted it wants a Balmain take over. One extreme to the other.

 

[Bus 2 Terrigal]

The question is how are they independent if they were chosen by HBG and can be removed by HBG? There's nothing independent about it. You can't vote out the debenture holders...that's the source of the problem entirely.

And as Batboy (I think it was) said yesterday - two of the independents were Magpie stooges anyhow.

And I have it on good authority, they were left handed 😮

 

[Bus 2 Terrigal]

I know right. That implies that whoever posted it wants a Balmain take over. One extreme to the other.

Viva la ten percent

David v Goliath circa 2025

 

[426Tlgerland]

The issue is the debenture system . If you removed that for something far more democratic , you wouldn’t get the Dennis Burgess’ of the world who think they own the club . They’d be far more concerned with appeasing whoever keeps them in thier seat . Like every other democratically elected position .

Correct , the nrl needs to make them change the system and have a members vote like normal clubs , football club members , it’s not hard and it can be done , issue the flogs who have those $ 2 debentures won’t want to let go , nrl needs to really stand up hear and just simply say if it’s not done we don’t renew the licence ,Magpies , Wests Tigers all gone send licence to NZ and bring in South Island team

 

[hammertime]

I can understand the HB wanting a big say in the decision making process as they are putting up a large chunk of the cash to run the joint. In saying that they should be accountable and replaceable when they are not effective.

They aren't though. As soon as they were moved a bit out of the way, we made a profit. Maybe the funding they tipped in over the years was just from their mismanagement?

 

[twentyforty]

I would have thought that the 20 $100 owners could have forewarned the CEO and independent WT board members that any discussion about forming a Wests Tigers reserve grade team to have Magpies and Balmain as feeder clubs is to be considered treacherous and will be dealt with wholesale sackings.
Talk about this level of seamless integration will only spread to the entire organisation and must stop.
Pleased to hear that PVL is looking into this matter.

 

[Bus 2 Terrigal]

I had a mate that went to Newington College way back when.
He was standing at a bus stop waiting for the bus [obviously] and took his boater off. One of the other kids dobbed him in and he was caned.
The poor bugger apparently couldn't sit down for the rest of the day his bum was so sore.
Do you know how the boater got its name?

As an old New’ lad myself - I can tell you, if you didn’t steer clear of one or two highly suss teachers - your bum might be sore for totally different reasons 😬

 

[Spartan117]

Tweaked the thread title.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Tweaked the thread title.

How do they take over something they already own? Abuse of power seems more appropriate.

 

[pawsandclaws1]

Any reforms will come from the NRL. It puts in $12m pa to the club and entrusts WTs with one of the largest junior districts in the NRL. We await the NRL response.

 

[weststigers]

I wouldn’t be worrying over trivial matters such as branding.

But let’s say the conspiracy theory’s are true and we trotted out with a new feathery emblem and minimal orange - you’d still follow yeah ?

After all it’d just be the latest incarnation of our great club.
And Balmain still own 10% 🤷‍♂️

No, I wouldn't follow because the same fools would be in charge.

You think the club would be managed better if it was called the Magpies...? Or the Bushrangers? You think this is the crux of our issues? The name?

I'm firmly in the camp that wants the NRL to force a sale to new owners or revoke/not renew the licence.

If any organisation posted the results and drama associated over the last 15 years, they would have been long gone by now for non-performance. There is no accountability under the current system and frankly the club has been hijacked.

 

[Vicious]

The question is how are they independent if they were chosen by HBG and can be removed by HBG? There's nothing independent about it. You can't vote out the debenture holders...that's the source of the problem entirely.

I agree.
I have not been arguing about that and I am also not arguing that it appears DB is a bad apple and needs to be removed.
As for HBG itself, I assume PVL will take action if there latest actions have been done without any justification and rightly so.
The other HBG board member who currently sits on the Wests Tigers board is ex Magpies player Leo Epifania. At this stage he has not been accused of any wrongdoing except being guilty by association to HBG. Nobody knows if he has done anything wrong yet he is also being made out to be a criminal due to his association with HBG.
Then on a prominent Facebook page another old Magpies warrior Allan Fallah is also being attacked by people who appear to have no idea he’s an ex player who spilled blood and guts for the Magpies jersey.
For these ex players who have not been found to have done anything wrong, yet are being victimised as guilty by association to the Wests Magpies and the HBG is an absolute disgrace and a total lack of respect towards people who paved the way for Wests Tigers to even exist.

 

[Bus 2 Terrigal]

No, I wouldn't follow because the same fools would be in charge.

So if “the same fools” are still in charge when 2026 kicks off - you won’t be following the club ?

 

[BAGNF05]

I agree.
I have not been arguing about that and I am also not arguing that it appears DB is a bad apple and needs to be removed.
As for HBG itself, I assume PVL will take action if there latest actions have been done without any justification and rightly so.
The other HBG board member who currently sits on the Wests Tigers board is ex Magpies player Leo Epifania. At this stage he has not been accused of any wrongdoing except being guilty by association to HBG. Nobody knows if he has done anything wrong yet he is also being made out to be a criminal due to his association with HBG.
Then on a prominent Facebook page another old Magpies warrior Allan Fallah is also being attacked by people who appear to have no idea he’s an ex player who spilled blood and guts for the Magpies jersey.
For these ex players who have not been found tj have done anything wrong, yet are being victimised as guilty by association tj the Wests Magpies and the HBG is an absolute disgrace and a total lack of respect towards people who paved the way for Wests Tigers to even exist.

I’m sure a good majority of WT supporters who used to follow WSM just want success for WT. The issue appears to be at HBG Board level. Anything else is just noise.

 

[Leck]

Viva la ten percent

David v Goliath circa 2025

David v Goliath - We know how that ended

 

[hank37w]

I’m not following, who exactly are you referring to ?

He'd be talking about Mike Bailey, long time TV weatherman, commentator, dabbler in politics and most notably the husband of long time Romper Room host Miss Helena, who for a time was also Chairman of the Board and extremely passionate Magpies supporter.

Whatever you may have thought about Mike Bailey, at least with his many years of experience as a weather man, he would have had an idea of which way the wind was blowing, a little different to our Denny who is just a blow in.

Once again, sorry if I am a little late to the party bringing you this information because I'm still 30 or 40 pages behind with my reading.

 

[batboy]

No, I wouldn't follow because the same fools would be in charge.

You think the club would be managed better if it was called the Magpies...? Or the Bushrangers? You think this is the crux of our issues? The name?

I'm firmly in the camp that wants the NRL to force a sale to new owners or revoke/not renew the licence.

If any organisation posted the results and drama associated over the last 15 years, they would have been long gone by now for non-performance. There is no accountability under the current system and frankly the club has been hijacked.

It’s almost laughable - the same idiots been running the Tigers through its worst period in existence with their (viva la 90%)
And somehow the Magpies on the Jersey is going to make them do a better job with 100% control (not that the Balmain rep offers anything)

Sorry, not almost laughable…
😂😂😂😂

 

[weststigers]

So if “the same fools” are still in charge when 2026 kicks off - you won’t be following the club ?

To be clear. With this latest development, I'm 100% certain the only way for the club to go forward is to kick HBG out.

If they are able to get their way and rebrand under any other logo, I'm out because that would signal that change is impossible. A club rebrand would be a disaster 25 years on not to mention a continuation of the debenture holders that have held the club hostage for so long.

While change is possible, I will support the team and push for new ownership. That is my agenda. What's yours? You like to comment and cherry pick to challenge, but you never lay your cards out...you're not being clever.

 

[Vicious]

I’m sure a good majority of WT supporters who used to follow WSM just want success for WT. The issue appears to be at HBG Board level. Anything else is just noise.

💯 correct.
The point is sone people are going the wrong way about it, you cannot victimise everybody on the HBG board or associated to them for others actions.
DB and maybe one other random are the only ones who have been on the HBG for a long period of time, the others including Epifania are mostly fresh faces who have nothing to do with what’s happened with previous HBG involvement.
The part that gets me is disrespecting former players involved via sssociation. Most of the people being highly critical have no idea that these ex players are trying to right the wrongs and it is naive, uneducated and disrespectful to either not have any idea who they are or still want to attack them for their association with HBG without any knowledge that they have done anything wrong as individuals.