Gary_Bakerloo
New member
Departing Wests Tigers chief executive Stephen Humphreys believes the joint-venture club has a bright future if officials follow through on plans to overhaul its structure and leave factionalism behind.
Humphreys finished his four-year tenure on Friday, with chief operating officer Grant Mayer taking over until a replacement is found. The club has been beset by many challenges on and off the field including a horror injury toll, uncertainty about the long-term future of Benji Marshall and the departure of key stakeholder Wests Campbelltown this week.
The Tigers have asked the ARL Commission for help in overhauling their corporate structure and addressing governance issues. Humphreys hopes the moves could pave the way for a new spirit of co-operation between the parties.
''We all come from somewhere, the majority of Wests Tigers supporters did support Wests or Balmain and we're all proud of where we came from and who we used to support,'' Humphreys said.
''But I never got caught up in the factionalism and never understood why anyone would want to. We're one club now and everyone has to respect where we come from but it's time to get with the current program.
''I see that happening, bit by bit every year. People say we need regeneration to get to that point. We're getting there.''
While the former Tigers player will leave it to officials to decide what the new structure would look like, he believed it could consist of a ''hybrid model'' with a level of private investment.
''From here, we would benefit from some independence - and I don't mean total independence,'' he said. ''We have some existing shareholders who already bring a lot to the table, so it's not a case of ignoring that or turning it off.
''It's a case of how we can build on that with some potential private investment. We've look at those models and the lessons that can be learned. My thought is that would be the obvious ways to attract capital and skills to the business.''
It has been a tough initiation for coach Mick Potter in his debut NRL season, although consecutive wins have lifted them from the bottom of the ladder. Asked if Potter was the man to guide them through a tough period, Humphreys said: ''I hope so. Mick's a tough individual and not one to run away from a fight. He's certainly got a challenge on his hands.''
The other glaring issue is the uncertainty over Marshall's future. Plans to extend the deal for the Kiwi playmaker have been put on hold and a provision for an upgrade of his current contract remains unresolved. Humphreys hoped the issues could be resolved to ensure Marshall stayed put.
''Stating the obvious, he is a critical component of our roster for several years and hopefully will be for some time to come,'' he said.
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Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/only-way-forward-is-to-leave-factionalism-behind-humphreys-20130614-2o9o6.html#ixzz2WEo02Y2V
Humphreys finished his four-year tenure on Friday, with chief operating officer Grant Mayer taking over until a replacement is found. The club has been beset by many challenges on and off the field including a horror injury toll, uncertainty about the long-term future of Benji Marshall and the departure of key stakeholder Wests Campbelltown this week.
The Tigers have asked the ARL Commission for help in overhauling their corporate structure and addressing governance issues. Humphreys hopes the moves could pave the way for a new spirit of co-operation between the parties.
''We all come from somewhere, the majority of Wests Tigers supporters did support Wests or Balmain and we're all proud of where we came from and who we used to support,'' Humphreys said.
''But I never got caught up in the factionalism and never understood why anyone would want to. We're one club now and everyone has to respect where we come from but it's time to get with the current program.
''I see that happening, bit by bit every year. People say we need regeneration to get to that point. We're getting there.''
While the former Tigers player will leave it to officials to decide what the new structure would look like, he believed it could consist of a ''hybrid model'' with a level of private investment.
''From here, we would benefit from some independence - and I don't mean total independence,'' he said. ''We have some existing shareholders who already bring a lot to the table, so it's not a case of ignoring that or turning it off.
''It's a case of how we can build on that with some potential private investment. We've look at those models and the lessons that can be learned. My thought is that would be the obvious ways to attract capital and skills to the business.''
It has been a tough initiation for coach Mick Potter in his debut NRL season, although consecutive wins have lifted them from the bottom of the ladder. Asked if Potter was the man to guide them through a tough period, Humphreys said: ''I hope so. Mick's a tough individual and not one to run away from a fight. He's certainly got a challenge on his hands.''
The other glaring issue is the uncertainty over Marshall's future. Plans to extend the deal for the Kiwi playmaker have been put on hold and a provision for an upgrade of his current contract remains unresolved. Humphreys hoped the issues could be resolved to ensure Marshall stayed put.
''Stating the obvious, he is a critical component of our roster for several years and hopefully will be for some time to come,'' he said.
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Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/only-way-forward-is-to-leave-factionalism-behind-humphreys-20130614-2o9o6.html#ixzz2WEo02Y2V
