Wests Tigers Restructure [MERGED]

[cqtiger]

Doesn't mean bugger all to me really.

What do I want? An NRL team to support, my team. Firstly it was Balmain but since 2000 it has been the Wests Tigers because Balmain agreed to join with Western Suburbs. There have been some bloody good years and there have been some very sorry years.

OK the JV hasn't always been the best but I've still had a team to support. It's very frustrating reading about Magpies this, Balmain that lately, and all the other rubbish. But I've always thought that our JV was much, much better than the old Manly/Bears or even the current St George/Steelers "takeover". I was born in Illawarra and I know a lot of Steeler supporters who gave up their memberships and who wished that their JV was as good as ours.

All I want is a NRL team to support, not any team, my team. If this recent development guarantees the Wests Tigers future then I'm happy.

I still have hope that Balmain can get a modern leagues club up and running and can continue to actively contribute financially to the JV.

I always enjoyed having a beer at the old Balmain leagues club on my few visits to Sydney. I've also had the odd beer at Ashfield.

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[Knuckles]

For anyone considering a playing career at Wests Tigers, particularly a marquee player, surely stability and unity in the club must be important. It must be harder to attract players to a club that carries baggage. It will be interesting to see who the three Independants are when they get appointed. I hope for someone with Marketing skills, Financial skills and People skills ….. All lacking on the previous board. We don't need ex-players on there.

 

[Guest]

Stephen Cartwright offers aid to Wests Tigers as NRL decides on independent directors
February 2, 2014
Daniel Lane
Sports reporter & Video journalist
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Stephen Cartwright, one of the state's best connected business leaders, revealed he had already discussed with NRL boss David Smith about how he could serve Wests Tigers as the league prepares to appoint three independent directors to the club's board.

Cartwright is the chief executive of the NSW Business Chamber, and in his position he has access to 15,000 businesses throughout the state.

On Friday, he attended the launch of the chamber's sports business consultancy service - which will be run in conjunction with the Horton Ella Group and Australian Business Solutions Group.

As he sat on a table flanked by the likes of 1960 Olympic Games gold medallist Herb Elliott, NSW Rugby League boss David Trodden and Western Sydney Wanderers chairman Lyall Gorman, rumours were flying that he would be one of the NRL's three appointments.

Cartwright, whose grandfather Patrick Tyler, a Balmain wharfie who played some first grade matches for the Tigers in the 1920s, admitted he had spoken to Smith but insisted it was to simply offer his support in any capacity to Wests Tigers.

''I've said to Dave Smith from the NRL, and to some of the people from the Tigers, that whatever I can do to help them be successful I will do and if that included being a part of their governance structure, I would love to do it,'' Cartwright said. ''But, equally, if I could do anything else for the club I would do it. I'm just a passionate fan, so, whatever they need, I am there.''

Cartwright said he could provide unique business acumen to the board and also offer suggestions as to how the club could replicate his efforts to significantly boost the chamber's membership numbers to help the Tigers.

''My understanding of how the business world works and how it can interface with sport, I think that's where the NRL clubs need to do more work,'' he said.

''You look at the Wests Tigers, they have this fantastic catchment area in western Sydney and how do we get that increased relationship with the corporate world but, also, how do we do what I've done at the chamber - and that is triple the membership numbers? You look at the AFL clubs, their member numbers are way bigger than the NRL clubs. How do we do that?''

Cartwright said it was essential Wests Tigers be put ahead of anything else at a club that was formed when NSW Rugby League foundation teams Balmain and Western Suburbs merged to form the franchise in 1999 but were often seen to be at loggerheads over issues.

''I said to someone the other day that I have a 16-year-old son who had never heard of the Wests Magpies or the Balmain Tigers, he has only heard of the Wests Tigers,'' Cartwright said.

''I think after a given period of time, you have to accept that is the club now. It is something that has to be done and I think the change in governance structure will do that.''

 

[Gary_Bakerloo]

I can't believe Balmain would sell their soul for a fiddle of gold.
Giving up two votes on a seven man board for two years- I hope they've got a pretty good plan in store to raise the debt.
With no voting rights the three NRL appointees could vote in a block to do ANYTHING , including breaking all associations with BOTH Wests and Balmain or sending them off to play out of another state, and the two Wests votes against would be worth a big fat zero.
You can see how Balmain got in this mess in the first place -and there seems to be no hero on the horizon.

Many on this forum have continually called for "independent" directors because apparently, being independent means you will make the best decision.

The more I read of this structure, the more I think Balmain has made an error. If the shareholders did not go to the NRL, Balmain could have had more time to sort themselves out with the assistance from Wests. Now, they have a finite timeframe with everything at risk.

What was that song by Kylie in the 80's?

 

[happy_tiger]

I can't believe Balmain would sell their soul for a fiddle of gold.
Giving up two votes on a seven man board for two years- I hope they've got a pretty good plan in store to raise the debt.
With no voting rights the three NRL appointees could vote in a block to do ANYTHING , including breaking all associations with BOTH Wests and Balmain or sending them off to play out of another state, and the two Wests votes against would be worth a big fat zero.
You can see how Balmain got in this mess in the first place -and there seems to be no hero on the horizon.

Many on this forum have continually called for "independent" directors because apparently, being independent means you will make the best decision.

The more I read of this structure, the more I think Balmain has made an error. If the shareholders did not go to the NRL, Balmain could have had more time to sort themselves out with the assistance from Wests. Now, they have a finite timeframe with everything at risk.

What was that song by Kylie in the 80's?

Locomotion ??

 

[Knuckles]

Stephen Cartwright offers aid to Wests Tigers as NRL decides on independent directors
February 2, 2014
Daniel Lane
Sports reporter & Video journalist
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Stephen Cartwright, one of the state's best connected business leaders, revealed he had already discussed with NRL boss David Smith about how he could serve Wests Tigers as the league prepares to appoint three independent directors to the club's board.

Cartwright is the chief executive of the NSW Business Chamber, and in his position he has access to 15,000 businesses throughout the state.

On Friday, he attended the launch of the chamber's sports business consultancy service - which will be run in conjunction with the Horton Ella Group and Australian Business Solutions Group.

As he sat on a table flanked by the likes of 1960 Olympic Games gold medallist Herb Elliott, NSW Rugby League boss David Trodden and Western Sydney Wanderers chairman Lyall Gorman, rumours were flying that he would be one of the NRL's three appointments.

Cartwright, whose grandfather Patrick Tyler, a Balmain wharfie who played some first grade matches for the Tigers in the 1920s, admitted he had spoken to Smith but insisted it was to simply offer his support in any capacity to Wests Tigers.

''I've said to Dave Smith from the NRL, and to some of the people from the Tigers, that whatever I can do to help them be successful I will do and if that included being a part of their governance structure, I would love to do it,'' Cartwright said. ''But, equally, if I could do anything else for the club I would do it. I'm just a passionate fan, so, whatever they need, I am there.''

Cartwright said he could provide unique business acumen to the board and also offer suggestions as to how the club could replicate his efforts to significantly boost the chamber's membership numbers to help the Tigers.

''My understanding of how the business world works and how it can interface with sport, I think that's where the NRL clubs need to do more work,'' he said.

''You look at the Wests Tigers, they have this fantastic catchment area in western Sydney and how do we get that increased relationship with the corporate world but, also, how do we do what I've done at the chamber - and that is triple the membership numbers? You look at the AFL clubs, their member numbers are way bigger than the NRL clubs. How do we do that?''

Cartwright said it was essential Wests Tigers be put ahead of anything else at a club that was formed when NSW Rugby League foundation teams Balmain and Western Suburbs merged to form the franchise in 1999 but were often seen to be at loggerheads over issues.

''I said to someone the other day that I have a 16-year-old son who had never heard of the Wests Magpies or the Balmain Tigers, he has only heard of the Wests Tigers,'' Cartwright said.

''I think after a given period of time, you have to accept that is the club now. It is something that has to be done and I think the change in governance structure will do that.''

An excellent first choice.
I like his approach and his views resemble some here on the forum.
I hope he gets appointed.

 

[innsaneink]

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This Cartwright fella is very forthright,confident in his abilty…not afraid to push his own barrow...some might call that 'up himself' a bit...self assured is what I got from it.

I read somewhere on all this someone saying Jim Marsden cant really call himself independent due to his prior time with Wests....only Jim Marsden can say truthfully how independent he really is...same with the Cartwright fella, I c predict there will be calls from the fossils that hes Balmain aligned due to his pop etc....big whoop.
Realistically - it will be hard to find anyone truly independent that does not have a passion, and having a passion will stem from some prior involvement.....because I know from experience doing something because you want to - as opposed to doing something because you have to - the former generally produces better results.

I like the sounds of this

 

[GNR4LIFE]

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This Cartwright fella is very forthright,confident in his abilty…not afraid to push his own barrow...some might call that 'up himself' a bit...self assured is what I got from it.

I read somewhere on all this someone saying Jim Marsden cant really call himself independent due to his prior time with Wests....only Jim Marsden can say truthfully how independent he really is...same with the Cartwright fella, **I c predict there will be calls from the fossils that hes Balmain aligned due to his pop etc**....big whoop.
Realistically - it will be hard to find anyone truly independent that does not have a passion, and having a passion will stem from some prior involvement.....because I know from experience doing something because you want to - as opposed to doing something because you have to - the former generally produces better results.

I like the sounds of this

Count on it. At the first sign that he isn't showing any bias towards the Magpies he'll be public enemy no 1\. Hell, he probably already is

Pretty sad

 

[gallagher]

I think there's gonna be some turbulant times ahead for us, seeing as the NRL will have control of us until Balmain get their voting rights back. Some of the unpopular decisions that should have been made over a decade ago might now be made.
Intersting times for us.

 

[Snake]

I think there's gonna be some turbulant times ahead for us, seeing as the NRL will have control of us until Balmain get their voting rights back. Some of the unpopular decisions that should have been made over a decade ago might now be made.
Intersting times for us.

I can assure all that the unpopular decisions will be made ,as far as turbulent times ahead many here still don,t get it ! There is the Weststigers and only the Weststigers as of Friday the past is just that yesterday's memories .The dawn of a new era is here let the unleashing of the beast begin!

 

[Tigersman]

Josh Massoud The Daily Telegraph February 01, 2014 12:00AM

WESTS Tigers skipper Robbie Farah welcomed the historic overhaul of the joint venture's dysfunctional board, as he feared an ongoing stalemate might have spelled "the demise of our club".

The longest-serving stalwart in Wests Tigers history and captain since 2009, Farah has been kept well informed about the club's deepening financial and boardroom woes.
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Story from The Daily Telegraph on Friday.
Story from The Daily Telegraph on Friday.Source: DailyTelegraph
Friday's announcement that the NRL would inject $4 million to balance the books in exchange for three independent directors who will hold the balance of power on a streamlined board keeps has given the Tigers breathing space to plan for the future.

Farah admitted that the constant speculation, in-fighting and uncertainty was difficult to ignore, and looked forward to kicking-off the season without the host of distractions that had become commonplace over the past 18 months.

"It's cleared a lot of things up, and now everyone can get on with their jobs and not worry about it," Farah said.

"It wasn't ideal because you'd hear different things, and where there's smoke there's fire.
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"Financially there was a big cloud over the Balmain side of the joint venture because of the troubles with the Leagues Club development.

"It's really great that both sides have come to this agreement, and now we've got some financial security."

It took six months of negotiations with NRL boss Dave Smith and financial analyst Tony Crawford to bring the joint venture's hostile partners, Balmain and Wests Group, to Thursday night's historic accord.

Play
Tigers challenge: Aaron Woods takes on Luke Brooks
Newsjanuary 22, 2014 3:37
On top of nominating the new directors, the NRL has also overseen the creation of a new strategic plan that must be obeyed for funding from League Central to continue.

Independence also means many of the original constitutional mechanisms safeguarding the interests of Balmain and Wests Group - such as venue allocation - will be abolished.

It was a difficult compromise for loyalists wedded to each foundation club, but, in Farah's view, an essential one.

"The re-structure was overdue and I always hoped it would happen, because it was the only way we could move forward and be succesful again," he said.

"I was worried that if it didn't happen, it would be the demise of our club. I think with what's happened this week, both parties realised that as well.

"In the past there's probably been different factions who've worried about their own interests before those of Wests Tigers.

Play
Nofoaluma, Simona keen to make their mark
Newsjanuary 22, 2014 2:52
"There's people who are black and white, and there's people who are black and gold, but we all just need to be proud to be part of Wests Tigers above all."

The NRL is pushing all nine Sydney clubs toward a centralised stadium strategy, and now that it has a controlling stake in the Tigers, there's a significant chance the allocation of home games at Leichhardt and Campbelltown could be reduced.

The Tigers will split their 12 matches equally between ANZ Stadium and the two suburban grounds this year, but coming seasons will most likely move toward the more financially lucrative confines of Olympic Park or Interstate venues.

"From a playing point of view, we all love the suburban grounds and I'd still like to see them remain part of our game," Farah said.

"But I can also understand the financial point of view, and sometimes hard decisions have to be made with that in mind."
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Read more: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/historical-deal-will-save-my-wests-tigers-says-thrilled-skipper-robbie-farah/story-fni3gpz1-1226815262105#ixzz2s8RER0MQ

 

[Magpie_Magic]

I really hope Balmain get their house in order and start contributing.

We need Bamains financial contribution and 2 votes otherwise the Wests delegates will be outvoted by the nrl reps and the club may find itself with debts wiped out and wearing a predominantly black and white strip playing out of Perth in a few years

Also don't know why many here a so in a hurry to rid the WT of their Wests and Balmain connection. I would think having and promoting that connection will keep many here happy and get others more involved and kids should be educated this can only serve to give the club more of an exciting twist.

 

[wtfl1981]

Nothing is really going to change significantly.. No matter who is appointed or who is in charge at board room level..

From here on in, It can only improve from a financial level and flow down to on field success..

Balmain have no money and magpies have no real voice so WT is here to stay..

The New WT board structure will put WT back on track from a $$ & business perspective.

-Which is a GOOD thing-

Everything from a football perspective is already run by WT at all levels and under the one banner. New board wont change any of that.

The only obvious change will be home ground allocations and HQ location(s)

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[ulluru22]

I WAS a Balmain supporter and don't really care who runs the Wests Tigers (Balmain/Wests directors or independents) as long a they have financial stability and the best intensions for the future of this great club.
For those who still linger with the past, get over it or go and follow Parramatta!! Your not needed here!!

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[supercoach]

The WestsTigers should now have cemented themselves a long future in the NRL with their boardroom restructure, but Iam afraid it looks like the Balmain tigers might perish. Even with a go a head for their Rozelle project I can't see them generating enough money to service their loan and meet their obligations to the joint venture.

My big hope is that the WestsTigers will be able to survive in the near future without funding from the magpies or the tigers, but they may be a pipe dream

 

[pHyR3]

The WestsTigers should now have cemented themselves a long future in the NRL with their boardroom restructure, but Iam afraid it looks like the Balmain tigers might perish. Even with a go a head for their Rozelle project I can't see them generating enough money to service their loan and meet their obligations to the joint venture.

My big hope is that the WestsTigers will be able to survive in the near future without funding from the magpies or the tigers, but they may be a pipe dream

before the dinosaurs eat me, does it matter if either balmain perishes? Wests Tigers will still be around and we will still be the amalgam of two foundation clubs right? and we can still look back to our 212 years of history. Unless the dissolution of balmain means we can't be the 'tigers' anymore, in which case that would suck big time

 

[innsaneink]

Youre still your parents child, even when they die.

History doesnt change, the future does.

 

[Abraham]

There will be many things in the new constitution we will never know…Mayer mentioned this yesterday on 2SM...most of it will be confidential, I imagine like the original constitution.

I don't get this?

Why do they need the JV agreement to remain confidential. It just makes it look like they have something ton hide, when in reality it should be transparent and available for all members to view.

 

[T-D-C]

There will be many things in the new constitution we will never know…Mayer mentioned this yesterday on 2SM...most of it will be confidential, I imagine like the original constitution.

I don't get this?

Why do they need the JV agreement to remain confidential. It just makes it look like they have something ton hide, when in reality it should be transparent and available for all members to view.

See and thats the porblem, we are not members we are just Season Ticket holders (Unless you are voting Balmain/Western Suburbs Members)

Would be great if in the new constitution that memberships are granted voting rights so we are not just season ticket holders for the club.

 

[Abraham]

There will be many things in the new constitution we will never know…Mayer mentioned this yesterday on 2SM...most of it will be confidential, I imagine like the original constitution.

I don't get this?

Why do they need the JV agreement to remain confidential. It just makes it look like they have something ton hide, when in reality it should be transparent and available for all members to view.

See and thats the porblem, we are not members we are just Season Ticket holders (Unless you are voting Balmain/Western Suburbs Members)

Would be great if in the new constitution that memberships are granted voting rights so we are not just season ticket holders for the club.

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