WT Ownership, The Board & Senior Management - MEGA Thread

[Curaeus]

Read in an article by some media vermin that Richo's letter somehow amounted to "pleading" for fans to remain supportive etc etc. Absolute garbage.

 

[BAGNF05]

Pascoe was here nearly 10 years. Richo’s been here 5 mins. It takes longer than 5 minutes to undo a dumpster fire that’s been burning that long.

 

[finnzo]

Phill Gould often mentions once you start rebuilding the rite way it takes time and it doesn’t matter how long you have ahead failure before that. You have to start again even if you have failed for 10 years you still need to do it properly or it won’t work

10 years of terrible management has left us in a huge hole Richo has the shovel out and he’s just starting to dig our way out of it we just have to stick with him and give him time we have no other choice

 

[twentyforty]

I think this is generally good stuff from Richo and probably one of the more coherent pieces of communication punters have received from the club in its existence. However, why do these types of messages always come with a request for patience and no acknowledgement of the patience already practiced for 12 plus years?

Very valid point. Who could possibly argue that a tigers supporter hasn’t been patient? Unless the word translates to “ tolerance?” In which case thats a bridge too far. In all the years of failure, the one constant is the start of a new plan.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

I think this is generally good stuff from Richo and probably one of the more coherent pieces of communication punters have received from the club in its existence. However, why do these types of messages always come with a request for patience and no acknowledgement of the patience already practiced for 12 plus years?

It’s great political speak. I remember as far back as 2007, we’d sign players, and the players would cite how we are a club on the up. Well aside from two years where finished top 4, we’ve made up the numbers ever since. I’m past the point of caring or thinking a CEO deserves credit for acknowledging the results aren’t acceptable. Same old song and dance.

 

[cqtiger]

We wouldn’t know what to do with a winning side. We’d all be writing that a loss is due this weekend. Earlier this year we won 2 games on the trot and everyone was going on about when was the last time our team won 3 in a row?

6 losses later

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Phill Gould often mentions once you start rebuilding the rite way it takes time and it doesn’t matter how long you have ahead failure before that. You have to start again even if you have failed for 10 years you still need to do it properly or it won’t work

Except, what are we rebuilding? We’ve been in a constant re-build for as long as I can remember. Have had to continuously remove “dead wood” year after year. We are a tape playing on an endless loop. To not even have a modicum of success like the Raiders have had over the last few years, or exceed expectations like the Warriors last year, hell even the Dragons this year. Not even the Sharks. Just to be a club who has a 50-50 record after 10 rounds. Surely those expectations aren’t too much to ask. If we were builders, we’d have lost our license years ago.

 

[The Fresh Oil]

Hit the nail on the head. Been waiting over a decade and heard the same shit 3 or 4 times now from various coaches and HQ talking heads over the years. Will this be any different, really?

2 wins and 7 losses in a pro-league is shit, even in our 8th 'rebuilding' phase.

Excuses excuses excuses, same shit will be spoon feed to the fans in 2 years time when the club has achieved fark all.

Imagine if you had a win for every time you’ve been asked to be pAtIeNt

 

[Tom Shines]

We been garbage for over a decade.

Reminding us that there is a ways to go yet.

It’s the last three years that are rock bottom… not the previous decade… 10 wins out of 60 games

 

[Tom Shines]

Elite juniors
We have an abundance of young juniors in our top squad who are all in the early stages of being ‘NRL ready’. We made a conscious decision this season to help fast-track these players in our NSW Cup side, rather than have them playing in SG Ball or Jersey Flegg.

this is the issue that troubles me …what’s the point of having “an abundance of juniors in the top squad” if they are never considered for NRL selection … and there are more coming apparently this off-season

When will they be ready ? Next year ? Or will we essentially be watching this same Top 20 plus Luia losing NRL games next year … scoring 14 points a game and Bateman, Seyfarth and Naden lack of discipline costing them wins?

it’s old now Richo …

 

[Spartan117]

It’s the last three years that are rock bottom… not the previous decade… 10 wins out of 60 games

We been a club that has been a laughing stick of the field and disrespected on the field for much longer unfortunately.

Green shoots despite the lack of wins in 2024

 

[Tom Shines]

We been a club that has been a laughing stick of the field and disrespected on the field for much longer unfortunately.

Green shoots despite the lack of wins in 2024

the only green shoots I am seeing is the defence .. it’s something but not enough …their attack is as poor as ever .. and their.discipline non existent…

The make up of the squad worries me … too many plodders on the books the next two years…

 

[Telltails]

The system allows the strong clubs to remain strong. While ever people keep buying the BS that Brisbane and the Roosters manage their cap better and accept that we are operating under a fair system, then accept that the system operates to keep some clubs strong and others weak and its obvious where we sit

 

[finnzo]

Except, what are we rebuilding? We’ve been in a constant re-build for as long as I can remember. Have had to continuously remove “dead wood” year after year. We are a tape playing on an endless loop. To not even have a modicum of success like the Raiders have had over the last few years, or exceed expectations like the Warriors last year, hell even the Dragons this year. Not even the Sharks. Just to be a club who has a 50-50 record after 10 rounds. Surely those expectations aren’t too much to ask. If we were builders, we’d have lost our license years ago.

Yeah but this is an entirely new set up there is a new ceo and will be a hole new board new coach it’s same people making the same mistakes we need to give our new leadership time

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Yeah but this is an entirely new set up there is a new ceo and will be a hole new board new coach it’s same people making the same mistakes we need to give our new leadership time

To an extent, it’s kind of tough shit for them. They might not have been responsible for where we are at, but we are staring down the barrel of our 13th season in a row without finals. 3 in nearly 25 if you want to go a step further. Being told to be patient after that is laughable. And why should anyone have blind faith that things will magically improve. History is against this club in every way. I remember people telling me to be patient in 2014. 10 years later, how has that patience been rewarded? We’re in an even worse position.

 

[Halbrowne61]

Successful development outline;
1. UpgradeBoard/Senior management ✔️
2. DevelopJunior pathways ✔️
3. RecruitCoaching team✔️
4. Update playing roster✔️
5. Results xxx
We’re on track but we really need to convert change to impact on the field.
( and yes I’ve left out home ground, sponsors, corporate etc but they all come through No 1).

Oh, and I forget, let’s change the jersey, that should do the trick - imho the whole jersey discussion on here is a woke crock of shit ! Sorry to you guys who worry continually about that sort of thing but it’s just fluff to me.

 

[Tom Shines]

The system allows the strong clubs to remain strong. While ever people keep buying the BS that Brisbane and the Roosters manage their cap better and accept that we are operating under a fair system, then accept that the system operates to keep some clubs strong and others weak and its obvious where we sit

“the system “… cmon man … Penrith have just won three titles in a row…after 20 years of mediocre results in the main

if you really believe there is a system that is going to always keep the Tigers weak .. then why do you remain invested in the game?

 

[Tom Shines]

5. Results xxx

This is the only thing that matters … the rest is “fluff” including “the abundance of juniors “ waiting in the wings … we have been told that for years ..

 

[jirskyr]

I know some will say that this is just meaningless fluff to keep the plebs happy and keep him in a job (under the old admin that thought would probably be accurate).However it was always going to be a huge job to turn around the massive entrenched failures that our club seems to wallow in.
Time and patience will get us out the mess and Richo is the right bloke to do it which is why i am happy to see him here long term.I may not see the benefits of it because of my age/health but i am far more confident of our future than i have been since the JV was announced.
Keep the faith

My point today is the same as the point I made when Pascoe left and Richo joined - the talk is all well and good, but performances are all that really matter right now.

I think we can all agree the club is improving slowly and many sensible and long-term decisions have been made, but it's still not converting to W on the field. Richo can't even take credit for half of the positive things Tigers have done recently.

So in my opinion this email from Richo, I think it's fine, but it's as much of a puff piece as anything Pascoe or his predecessors put out to the members. Richo might have a little more working-class cred and good track record than his predecessors, but we are still battling for W.

 

[jirskyr]

“the system “… cmon man … Penrith have just won three titles in a row…after 20 years of mediocre results in the main

if you really believe there is a system that is going to always keep the Tigers weak .. then why do you remain invested in the game?

I agree with both of you in some respects. I don't believe there is any particular intention or agenda to keep certain teams down. I think any suggestions to this effect are ridiculous and cannot point to any reason WHY the NRL would benefit from having only certain teams ever do well.

But I do believe there is a mechanism in play that is gradually concentrating the talent at certain clubs and making it very difficult for the lower clubs to claw their way to the top. And it's not an intentional mechanism, it's a natural side-effect of the self-image focus of the current sports market - this includes elements like social media, personal sponsorship, geography, wage sacrifices.

It goes like this: I think modern players are increasingly focused on self-brand and career opportunities than the success of a specific club. So even though salary cap pressures do force some top players out of top clubs, overall the net movement is towards successful clubs because the players want to be "winners", rather than specifically creating an enduring club-focused legacy. In other words I don't think as many players want to win for their junior club as much as they want to win for themselves, their own brand and their mates.

I think if you look at the best players of previous eras, they are primarily one-club players and heavily identified by their club brand as much as their own career. For example Meninga, Daley, Johns, Bozo, Wayne Pearce, Lockyer, Gasnier, Churchill, Sterling, Dally M, King Wally, Thurston, Norm Provan etc.

But now? I think many more of the best players are less club-oriented. Not to say there are not top-tier one-club stalwarts, but many of the best players going around have split careers. For example Tedesco only just in 2024 has accrued more first-grade seasons at the Roosters than at Wests Tigers.

And because player salaries are at record levels, players can more afford to take pay cuts to stay at clubs where their playing conditions are superior. So if you choose to join a club like Tigers, you know for sure it's going to be a rough ride and the compensation needs to be big, which puts Tigers at a competitive disadvantage. Jerome Luai isn't joining Tigers because of his love for the club, he's doing it for his own brand and desire to breakout as a second-fiddle player at Penrith.

A similar thing plays out in the top soccer leagues, which have been experiencing talent consolidation for decades. Those top clubs aren't bound by salary cap like the NRL, but there is definitely a dollar-value to the prestige of playing for a top club and experiencing success and playing at the highest levels. Harry Kane didn't leave Tottenham because they couldn't afford him, he left to win trophies and gather personal glory.