Monday Buzz: Phil Rothfield’s highlights, lowlights; Is director Danny Stapleton to blame for Wests Tigers disaster?

While it’s easy to throw around the blame for the debacle the Wests Tigers find themselves in, there’s one person who inexplicably still holds power as the club plummets towards a third straight wooden spoon. Phil Rothfield’s highlights and lowlights.

WOLLONGONG, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 07: Wests Tigers players look on after a Dragons try during the round 14 NRL match between St George Illawarra Dragons and Wests Tigers at WIN Stadium on June 07, 2024, in Wollongong, Australia. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)

It would be easy to throw all the blame at Justin Pascoe and Lee Hagipantelis for the debacle that is the Wests Tigers.

But this is the man arguably most responsible for the terrible mess the club finds itself in.

Inexplicably Danny Stapleton is still in a position of power and influence as the club plummets towards a third straight wooden spoon.

Stapleton has been chairman of the club’s recruitment and retention committee for more than five years, overseeing player signings and coaching appointments.

He is the one director who survived the boardroom carnage from the club’s off-season’s independent review.

Read on and you’ll wonder why.

Danny Stapleton has overseen player and coach signings for more than five years at the Tigers.

Stapleton was there when the Wests Tigers hired Michael Maguire and then sacked Michael Maguire.

He was there when they hired Tim Sheens and then sacked Tim Sheens.

He was there when they hired Benji Marshall.

He was there when they allowed the ridiculous Origin clause in Stefano Utoikamanu’s contract that will result in the boom forward walking out at the end of the season.

He was also in charge when there was a push from within the club to sign Shane Flanagan to replace Maguire, a push that he fought against.

Flanagan is now doing an outstanding job in rebuilding the St George-Illawarra Dragons.

His team belted the Wests Tigers 56-14 on Friday night.

It should have been 62-8 but for the farcical decision to disallow a Kyle Flanagan try that became a 12-point turnaround.

The Tigers were dismantled by the ruthless Dragons on Friday night. Picture: Jason McCawley/Getty Images

This review that was supposed to fix corporate governance issues but has instead seen the club go from bad to worse to hopelessly inept.

They have lost their two biggest sponsors, they still have no home ground strategy, no recruitment boss, the football team is performing abysmally, stars want out and they say moral in the front office is at an all-time low.

And while all this is happening CEO Shane Richardson took himself to England, with his son, for more than two weeks to look for players.

What he actually achieved from this trip has yet to be revealed.

After Friday night’s loss to the Dragons, Benji fronted up to his media conference and described the performance as unacceptable.

What also is unacceptable is the standard of administration.

The independent review has proven to be a waste of time and money.

We sought comment from Stapleton but he did not return text messages.

HIGHLIGHT

Queensland might be the dominant Origin state but it was hardly a Super Saturday for the Titans, Cowboys and Broncos – beaten by a combined 110-36 on their home grounds.

LOWLIGHT

The sin-binning of Warriors five-eighth Chanel Harris-Tavita by Ashley ‘Calvin’ Klein from the bunker on Saturday night for softly throwing the ball in the direction of a Cowboys opponent. It was the most pathetic use of the sin bin your columnist has ever seen.

SHOOSH

One man the Wests Tigers appear to be missing this year is veteran trainer Ronnie Palmer. The ‘Chalmer’ was always a good man to have around in a crisis. He had a million old stories, a dry wit and could make people laugh.

Cameron McInnes was enormous for the Sharks on the back of Origin duties. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

QUALITY CAM

If there was a Dally M captain-of-the-year award for the first half of the season it would be Sharks lock Cameron McInnes by the length of a football field. His performance against the Broncos on Saturday night was so tough and so inspiring.

SPOTTED

There has been a push from some quarters for the NRL to introduce a 20-minute sin bin in light of Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii’s Origin send off that took away from the contest. Not that the punters are on board. A weekend poll in The Daily Telegraph had 66 per cent of fans voting to keep the send off for the most serious acts of foul play like the Suaalii shot that knocked out Reece Walsh.

SPOTTED

Old Origin legends Geoff Toovey and Billy Moore on the train from Sydney Olympic Park back to Central after last week’s Origin game.

360 VIEW

Catch you on NRL 360 straight after the Canterbury Bulldogs v Parramatta Eels game on Fox League with Braith Anasta, Gorden Tallis and Brent Read to discuss another dramatic round of rugby league.

Originally published as Monday Buzz: Phil Rothfield’s highlights, lowlights; Is director Danny Stapleton to blame for Wests Tigers disaster?