OFFICIAL Wests Tigers Unite: Call to Arms

[426Tlgerland]

Sadly I think it will be manipulated to strengthen the anti review mob.

Agree Dave 6 months his spot will just go on hold
The other 2 directors 6 years and 8 years will be replaced by hand picked Romero / Burgess supporters , I have said in another section , the media build up may keep shit heads off the board if Romero is all about winding back the review and her and Burgess are heading to the Wests Tigers Board again with a few hanger onners , More pressure will help us and the media are now all over it , Remember it only takes a couple to turn on these grubby directors to make changes again , Romero can be punted if the others turn to save face

 

[Buttface]

Agree Dave 6 months his spot will just go on hold
The other 2 directors 6 years and 8 years will be replaced by hand picked Romero / Burgess supporters , I have said in another section , the media build up may keep shit heads off the board if Romero is all about winding back the review and her and Burgess are heading to the Wests Tigers Board again with a few hanger onners , More pressure will help us and the media are now all over it , Remember it only takes a couple to turn on these grubby directors to make changes again , Romero can be punted if the others turn to save face

“Remember it only takes a couple to turn on these grubby directors to make changes again , Romero can be punted if the others turn to save face”

Can this happen though?
I thought Romero had a “lifetime” debenture membership?

 

[Red88_Tiger]

Most probably won’t affect the club as I would expect 90% do there profit is all pokies money and punters don’t care to much about doing things that don’t allow them to keep gambling , also you would suspect a large number of the members are not footy fans but gamblers , I was a director for 6 years 3 x 2 year terms and treasure for 2 of those years , Pokies was all our profit ( Bar trade broke even ) club Raffles broke even ) Tab lost money , Sky racing for tab was costing us more than it bought in , , Pokies booming ( we had 100 pokies and some months we could clear profit of $ 30 to 60, 000 dollars , 1 month

My sister managed a small rural bowling club
Said 1 pokie player was worth 3 drinkers

 

[hank37w]

Bring it on.

Hearing all this drama being talked about on the radio this morning and general consensus being sympathy with all this crap going on and hindering Wests Tigers now that they look like having a competitive team, Benji and Richo being hindered by all this garbage going on, it all starts in the board room/ front office and so on.

Hopefully the pressure keeps coming for these hacks at the Holman Barnes Group

 

[Joel Helmes]

Thank you to all the roughly 500 people who have signed the Wests Tigers Unite petition in the past 24 hours or so. We now sit at over 1050 signatures!!

As we know, the Mayor of Inner West Council, Darcy Byrne has now said he is also concerned about the governance of Holman Barnes Group (HBG) and will take those concerns to the minister, David Harris MP.

The Mayor’s comments came after it was revealed three HBG board members (two of which were the only two member-elected directors on the board) were suspended on charges as thin as a SAO biscuit.

The trio all supported the adoption in full of the recommendations of our fan-initiated review into Wests Tigers Management & Culture.

Now, all three are gone and perhaps there goes our chance to have skilled independent directors appointed to the Wests Tigers board to help support Shane Richardson and his team do their job of making Wests Tigers a competitive and leading NRL team.

Here’s a selection of comments from people supporting our action asking for a review of the governance of the Holman Barnes Group:

I’m sick and tired of my club being a ******* joke. The West Tigers have been around almost 3 decades. Half the first grade team have never seen Balmain or wests in their life times you absolute idiots. We have our best roster maybe ever and you drongos are destroying the club from the top. Wake up you clowns West Tigers are 1 club. - Ryan

I support the Wests Tigers. I have no faith in the current ownership and governance of the club.
I like all other fans only want this club to have success on and off the field. - Graeme

I want a united West Tigers team. - Phil

Tired of the constant back stabbing and fighting, the members want the West's Tigers to continue and not this silly nonsense of trying to split the sides apart. - Greg

If you haven’t already, please support our petition so we can be heard.

 

[Iron Fist]

Just a question, with absolutely no agenda behind it- was /is the old Balmain club governance similar / same as Wests Ashfield with debenture holders? If not, very curious 2 dissimilar governance structures kept on without some eventual meeting of the minds on best structures for the 2 x entities. I suppose there was also the HBG in the middle managing the governance of the WT negating any need for a meeting of the minds. As I said, just curious and no agenda.

Balmain Leagues didn’t merge with Wests Ashfield (HBG). It couldn’t operate its main site at Rozelle, eventually bankrupt, and assets/liabilities bought by Wests Ashfield. There is no Balmain Leagues Club representation at Wests Ashfield.

Balmain Tigers Rugby League Football Club are a separate organisation with no ownership connection to Wests Ashfield. They relied on Balmain Leagues for funding, just like Wests Magpies do with Wests Ashfield, or Canterbury Bulldogs do with Canterbury Leagues, etc. But BTRLFC are like a bunch of old Greeks playing backgammon at the local Greek cafe. They have nothing to administer apart from maintaining a presence for Balmain Tigers. Wests Ashfield support any local junior teams in the Balmain district, and are happy to do so because some of those teams used to be in the old Wests Magpies junior catchment.

BTRLFC have a token 10% ownership in Wests Tigers, and a rep on WT board, but they have little influence. Wests Magpies have 90% ownership of Wests Tigers, and Wests Magpies are majority owned by Wests Ashfield. This is how board members at Ashfield are able to and insisting on wielding considerable power at WT.

 

[Iron Fist]

The irony imo is that I might be mistaken, @Joel Helmes will be able to correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure the three guys kicked off the board were the only three elected by the HBG members, the rest of the board were debenture placements.

That’s not irony. It’s a deliberate abuse of power.

 

[Iron Fist]

I think in a way we need to put our money where our mouth is. If we're protesting how they operate but keep on giving them our hard earned money then it's sort of condoning their actions in a way.
Obviously those who want to go there still can and will, but encouraging those who are upset with the board to follow this with a financial boycott to hit them where it hurts....
Choose another pub in the area to hold meetups for away days etc. See what Kelly thinks

How many WT supporters use Wests Ashfield though?

I have an alternative view. A membership is only $5 for a year, $10 for three years. But as a member, you can protest/petition as someone who has financially invested in the club, rather than an outsider. That’s got to carry more weight I would think.

 

[Iron Fist]

Agree Dave 6 months his spot will just go on hold
The other 2 directors 6 years and 8 years will be replaced by hand picked Romero / Burgess supporters , I have said in another section , the media build up may keep shit heads off the board if Romero is all about winding back the review and her and Burgess are heading to the Wests Tigers Board again with a few hanger onners , More pressure will help us and the media are now all over it , Remember it only takes a couple to turn on these grubby directors to make changes again , Romero can be punted if the others turn to save face

Andreacchio and Wayde positions are member-elected, so they have to hold a membership election to replace those two.

Yes, they can support members who are their plants and put them on the board, but that would be corrupt.

Alternatively, we could all become members and support two members (I.E. two of us) for election. But what’s not to say you’d get the same treatment as TA and RW and find yourself banned for trivial sh1t. But if the member support is big for member elected directors it could instigate change within.

I haven’t read the HBG constitution so don’t know what rules are in place for terms regarding member eligibility for the board, or voting restrictions, etc.

 

[Joel Helmes]

Andreacchio and Wayde positions are member-elected, so they have to hold a membership election to replace those two.

Yes, they can support members who are their plants and put them on the board, but that would be corrupt.

Alternatively, we could all become members and support two members (I.E. two of us) for election. But what’s not to say you’d get the same treatment as TA and RW and find yourself banned for trivial sh1t. But if the member support is big for member elected directors it could instigate change within.

I haven’t read the HBG constitution so don’t know what rules are in place for terms regarding member eligibility for the board, or voting restrictions, etc.

The only issue is that even if you get elected onto the board the debenture holders still have control 5-2.

 

[Flippedy]

An External Review of the Governance of Holman Barnes Group

www.petitions.net

Cheers thanks Happy & Cochise. Don’t know how I missed that! 🙄 I blame Christmas lol

 

[Flippedy]

Tony A and Rick Wayde are the 2 member elected board members and were suspended for 6 and 8 years.

Dave Gilbert was suspended as well for 6 months. He is a debenture holder.

More dumb questions from me, but can you please tell me why they are being suspended and how can that suspension even be enforced? Who has the power to do such a thing?

 

[Iron Fist]

More dumb questions from me, but can you please tell me why they are being suspended and how can that suspension even be enforced? Who has the power to do such a thing?

It's all in the news and in these threads!

Explosive emails, allegations and threats: Wests Tigers civil war laid bare

Documents detailing the extent of the breakdown in trust among board members have led to calls for Liquor and Gaming NSW to step in to save the Wests Tigers club from its owners.

www.smh.com.au

Architects of Wests Tigers review banned for a combined 15 years

The boardroom battle at the club took another turn on New Year’s Eve.

www.smh.com.au

‘Embarrassment’: Frustrated Tigers fans start online petition amid split rumours

‘Embarrassment’: Frustrated Tigers fans start online petition amid split rumours

www.foxsports.com.au

https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/beyond-belief-wests-tigers-ripped-apart-by-15year-bans/news-story/f0259bb2f2917ef0b4a13317a7621d3f

If you can't get access to the SMH articles, copy and paste into 12ft.io

 

[Tiger_Bond]

Andreacchio and Wayde positions are member-elected, so they have to hold a membership election to replace those two.

Yes, they can support members who are their plants and put them on the board, but that would be corrupt.

Alternatively, we could all become members and support two members (I.E. two of us) for election. But what’s not to say you’d get the same treatment as TA and RW and find yourself banned for trivial sh1t. But if the member support is big for member elected directors it could instigate change within.

I haven’t read the HBG constitution so don’t know what rules are in place for terms regarding member eligibility for the board, or voting restrictions, etc.

https://holmanbarnesgroup.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Western-Suburbs-Leagues-Club-Ltd-Ashfield-Constitution-AGM-26.03.2022-73805663v5-SIGNED.pdf

https://holmanbarnesgroup.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/By-Laws-11-October-2022-FINAL-1.pdf

I’ve attached links to the HBG constitution and By- Laws for you to read if you like

 

[magpies forever]

Balmain Leagues didn’t merge with Wests Ashfield (HBG). It couldn’t operate its main site at Rozelle, eventually bankrupt, and assets/liabilities bought by Wests Ashfield. There is no Balmain Leagues Club representation at Wests Ashfield.

Balmain Tigers Rugby League Football Club are a separate organisation with no ownership connection to Wests Ashfield. They relied on Balmain Leagues for funding, just like Wests Magpies do with Wests Ashfield, or Canterbury Bulldogs do with Canterbury Leagues, etc. But BTRLFC are like a bunch of old Greeks playing backgammon at the local Greek cafe. They have nothing to administer apart from maintaining a presence for Balmain Tigers. Wests Ashfield support any local junior teams in the Balmain district, and are happy to do so because some of those teams used to be in the old Wests Magpies junior catchment.

BTRLFC have a token 10% ownership in Wests Tigers, and a rep on WT board, but they have little influence. Wests Magpies have 90% ownership of Wests Tigers, and Wests Magpies are majority owned by Wests Ashfield. This is how board members at Ashfield are able to and insisting on wielding considerable power at WT.

Thanks. I'd very much like the Balmain side to get back some more of the original stake for balance but I suppose now that would have to be driven by supporters funds as the club itself is out of business for a while by the sounds of it.

 

[426Tlgerland]

Andreacchio and Wayde positions are member-elected, so they have to hold a membership election to replace those two.

Yes, they can support members who are their plants and put them on the board, but that would be corrupt.

Alternatively, we could all become members and support two members (I.E. two of us) for election. But what’s not to say you’d get the same treatment as TA and RW and find yourself banned for trivial sh1t. But if the member support is big for member elected directors it could instigate change within.

I haven’t read the HBG constitution so don’t know what rules are in place for terms regarding member eligibility for the board, or voting restrictions, etc.

I think you would also need to be a member for 2 or 3 years before you are eligible to run for a spot , but at 5 to 2 you won’t get far , we need to have loads of pressure put on the idiots running it now to install the full recommendations from the review , and also put pressure on the other debenture holders to make sure the elected idiots do the right thing , also if there is enough negative media PV from nrl may make a phone call or 3 telling them to clean there act up or face issues from nrl , bringing the game down with poor media instead or positive Tigers media

 

[Tito Santana]

Seems as though this is a pretty complex ownership structure.

My only question is (because I’m not across the detail), independent of these calls for the review items to be implemented, does the ownership structure legally have to make these changes?

Or is the only way change going to happen if there is to be a new owner(s)?

 

[magpies forever]

Seems as though this is a pretty complex ownership structure.

My only question is (because I’m not across the detail), independent of these calls for the review items to be implemented, does the ownership structure legally have to make these changes?

Or is the only way change going to happen if there is to be a new owner(s)?

I think the key point exposed is the warped power given the debenture holders in the current set up. That will only change 2 ways- implement the reports recommendation for 4 x independent directors to provide independent choice / balance against 1 x Balmain, 1 x Magpie and 1 x HBG, or yes sale to a new owner and do away with existing structure. That again has issues- new owner may want relocation, no desire for the heritage clubs views / influence etc. I would suggest the first choice should be easiest but.............

 

[Iron Fist]

Thanks. I'd very much like the Balmain side to get back some more of the original stake for balance but I suppose now that would have to be driven by supporters funds as the club itself is out of business for a while by the sounds of it.

Balmain Leagues Club as an organisation is gone. It will never return. It's fully absorbed into Wests Ashfield's operation. If a club opens up at Rozelle again, it will be operated by Wests Ashfield like other former Balmain Leagues Club assets at Five Dock and Flemington.

From a dollars and cents financial ownership perspective of WT, Balmain Football Club will never have a stake. They don't have one now. Seriously, Balmain are walking around with arseless chaps. Their 10% is a token.

However the external review recommended Balmain have greater influence at Board level where each owner had equal representation - 1x HBG, 1x WM, 1x BT, 4x independents. In reality, Wests had two votes under the recommendations via HBG and Magpies football club, but it's still not the control commensurate with their financial ownership.

To be honest, I couldn't see how that was going to work, where a majority owner sits back and doesn't exercise the control they have. Those concerns amplified during the year, and this is what we have now. HBG taking back board control of Wests Tigers. The same organisation (Wests Ashfield) that not only historically controlled a failing football club pre- joint venture, but also controlled Wests Tigers for the past decade with worse performances year after year.

HBG board members aren't the elite of business. The elite are happy to do a job and move on to the next challenge because they are in demand elsewhere. HBG board members are average operators who have latched onto a position that gives them influence and credibility, but know they have no skills or options so are self-interested in the extreme to cling on until death. And the system they operate within allows this. It's as though the founders of Western Suburbs Leagues Club back in the 1950s were of similar ilk, and enacted rules to preserve their own existence. It was in the club's DNA from the outset. Survive as opposed to thrive.

 

[AmericanHistoryX]

Haha. You’ve won me over again.

I dont mean any harm to anyone in the first place. I am a nobody here and everywhere. A student of life. Again in 2025 if I make any comments that offend anyone this year apologies in advance. Just like keeping it real with the space in my little brain and the information at hand. Besides that you all are cool and my news years resolution is that one day the forum will not become a mirror image of the board. At least we care about this team. At least we have no ulterior motives.