Mestrov does have the greyhound nsw background and does know PVL through that, I had a family member who worked with him and knew him.
As far as the manly stuff went, the pride jersey was a disaster, as for DCE well he is unique character anyway so not sure about that one.
@mike That’s how it will be next season wooden spoon the start of bottom 4 for a decade ..Benji will be gone mid season unfortunately if HBG stay in control of the club the club is done and will be gone in a couple of seasons . In a way we are in a strange way glad this has come about as this club is a total failure and swimming in mediocrity . I would imagine this time next week our entire family will be looking at a new club to follow it just has been to much for us to handle the never ending failure ! We will be at the march if it goes ahead but as far as supporting this club into the future if HBG has control we’re gone very sad day for us ..Do not expect PVL or the NRL to do much these guys are vipers as well they know the club is done and would be planning where the Tigers franchise will go !
@jedi-tiger Just another loser joining the Congo line of failures and yes men .. Just another dick head joining dick head central.
What will today hold? I’m praying for a move by the NRL to provide us with stability, improved governance and for Richo to keep us on the upward trajectory.
Wests Tigers Podcast - Talking everything Wests Tigers since 2018!
I’d be surprised if the NRL does anything. Pleasantly surprised though.What will today hold? I’m praying for a move by the NRL to provide us with stability, improved governance and for Richo to keep us on the upward trajectory.
What will today hold? I’m praying for a move by the NRL to provide us with stability, improved governance and for Richo to keep us on the upward trajectory.
today is not really a deadline, it’s just that today we lose Richo. The battle with HBG is going to be a much longer battle.
Inner West Council mayor Darcy Byrne has called on the NSW government to resolve the Wests Tigers’ boardroom imbroglio with an intervention similar to that at Parramatta in 2016.
The Tigers remain in the spotlight and under fire after the decision last week to sack four independent boardroom directors, including chairman and former NSW premier Barry O’Farrell.
Inner West Council mayor Darcy Byrne.Credit: Oscar Colman
Byrne has been an outspoken critic of the Holman Barnes Group (HBG), which owns 90 per cent of the Tigers franchise and orchestrated last week’s boardroom upheaval.
As well as a series of public comments, the mayor has convened a public rally for Saturday. He is urging Tigers fans to march from Pratten Park to Wests Ashfield and demand that the HBG board members resign.
On Sunday, he ramped up his campaign by calling on NSW Minister for Gaming and Racing David Harris to step in and take control of the HBG, citing concerns about club members’ funds being spent on legal action.
As well as the current boardroom battle, HBG also sacked three directors – Rick Wayde, Tony Andreacchio and David Gilbert – last year. Wayde subsequently took legal action and said he accepted an out-of-court settlement for an undisclosed amount.
Byrne said members were entitled to “transparency” about the exact figure.
“I’ll be writing to [ARL Commission chairman] Peter V’landys and to David Harris separately, calling for each of them to intervene in the Wests Tigers’ situation,” Byrne said.
“In the case of minister Harris, I’m going to call for his agency to put an administrator in place to run the Holman Barnes Group.
“We want some transparency on how much has been spent of members’ money on legal fees in the past year … I think that is the smoking gun for intervention by Minister Harris.”
In 2016, the Parramatta Leagues Club board was sacked and an administrator appointed when the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority intervened after a salary-cap scandal resulted in the Eels being stripped of 12 competition points and fined $1 million.
As well as ousting the directors, five Parramatta officials were deregistered. The Eels won 13 games that season, which would have been enough to qualify for the finals if penalties had not been imposed. Instead, they finished 14th.
The state’s liquor and gaming watchdog, Liquor and Gaming NSW, said last week it was “monitoring” the situation but was “not currently investigating any matters” relating to HBG.
V’landys promised that the NRL would “safeguard” the club’s long-suffering fans.
“We will look into it,” he said. “I’m not saying they have done anything wrong, but naturally we are concerned.”
Byrne said it would be a further blow for the Tigers if chief executive Shane Richardson and the club part company on Monday.
Richardson has two seasons remaining on his contract, but the deal is reported to include an exit clause that would entitle him to a lucrative payout if there were changes in the boardroom.
Asked about Richardson’s future last week, HBG chief executive Daniel Paton said: “Shane needs to make a decision now. We’ll respect his decision. That’s up to Shane, and he’ll come back to us.”
Byrne said it appeared “untenable” for Richardson to continue working under a new-look board.
“He’s the guy who’s been in charge of the clean-up operation, and most people seem to think he’s been doing a good job,” Byrne said.
“If you sack the independent directors and chairman of his board – and remember he insisted on having independent directors as a condition of taking the job – you’re sending a message that his position is untenable … if ‘Richo’ goes, I am genuinely worried about the Tigers going out the back door.
“If he goes, how do you recover from that? Who would actually agree to be CEO of the Wests Tigers?
“How can they re-sign Jarome Luai? This is exactly the reason he asked for clauses in his contract.
“I am actually concerned that this will be the end, just when the club was starting to turn things around.
“I’m just worried that in a couple of years the Tigers will be running last, the administration still won’t be fixed and it won’t be that hard a decision to move the franchise.”
Paton and HBG chairman Dennis Burgess were contacted for comment.
To Darcy Byrne's point about legal expenses - it would be very hard to uncover this type of info unless someone with prior involvement at board or CEO level were to come forward.
the 2024 Annual Report is listed on the HBG website and for that period $5.23m in "other expenses" were incurred. In 2023, Other expenses was $3.9m.
The minister David Harris cannot unilaterally appoint an administrator. There needs to be an investigation by Liquor and Gaming after which the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority Board (ILGA) can make the appointment.
Therefore Harris can only request that L&G NSW conduct an investigation. Liquor & Gaming NSW already interview former board members of the Holman Barnes Group around 12 months ago but nothing came of this.
Richo has resigned effective immediately apparently
Richo has resigned effective immediately apparently
on the positive side at least we can stop hoping for improvement
Well, I have to say I’m beyond disappointed. We must keep fighting and being heard.
Wests Tigers Podcast - Talking everything Wests Tigers since 2018!
No chair and no CEO, when does the NRL step in?
Wests Tigers Podcast - Talking everything Wests Tigers since 2018!
I fear with Richo walking away, that it’s game, set and match. My understanding was that Richo intended to stay as long as the NRL took control and appointed an administrator. It would seem that with him going there is little chance of that happening now.
The possibility of the NRL appointing an administrator was the flickering light at the end of the tunnel… but I’m starting to fear that light has been extinguished. I honestly don’t know what the point of marching is anymore. I can’t see HBG resigning any time soon, no matter how many people take to the streets — why would they willingly give up control?
Forget about the QANTAS Chairman’s Lounge! With this antiquated debenture system, the HBG board has become the most exclusive club in Australia.
The NRL getting involved is our clubs only hope now.
