NRL 2023: Wests Tigers boss Lee Hagipantelis ‘not interested’ in Alan Jones’ views

Wests Tigers chairman Lee Hagipantelis has responded to Alan Jones’ stinging rebuke of the club’s management.

West Tigers chairman Lee Hagipantelis has no time for Alan Jones’ views on the club.

Wests Tigers chairman Lee Hagipantelis has resisted the urge to engage in a verbal stoush with Alan Jones declaring he was “not interested” in Jones’ views.

Hagipantelis came under surprise attack from Jones at last week’s Daniel Anderson fundraising lunch. Hagipantelis had paid about $10,000 to attend the event which was filled with club officials from the 17 clubs but left promptly after Jones launched an attack on the Tigers management, declaring the “fish rots from the head”.

Hagipantelis left shortly after Jones addressed the 600 strong crowd.

West Tigers chairman Lee Hagipantelis has no time for Alan Jones’ views on the club. Picture: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

“I need to be careful how I do respond,” Hagipantelis said on SEN. “I don’t want to appear overly sensitive or make this all about me which apparently causes great offence to some sections of the media.

“Let me tell you, Tim Sheens was far more offended than what I was. When Alan completed his diatribe I just lost interest in remaining at the function so I tried to discreetly leave.

“I had work to do at the office so I told the boys I’d see them later. We had a Wests Magpies heritage night that night which I was looking forward to. I just left discreetly.

“By the time I got to the car my phone was blowing up about people asking me about leaving. I just said I had better things to do.

“Alan is perfectly entitled to his views, I am not interested in them. Whether or not that was the appropriate forum I would leave others to decide.”

Tiger turmoil: ‘Fed-up’ Wests fans on crusade to evoke change

Fed-up members of the Wests Tigers supporter base have ‘lost faith’ in the club’s leadership and have commenced a petition to evoke change.

Shattered by the club’s flagging results, influential Tigers supporters have called for action in the shape of an external review of the board and senior management.

Wooden-spoon favourites, the Wests Tigers slumped to 16th on the NRL ladder following their 36-12 loss to Cronulla on Thursday night.

The dejection has been magnified by some of the club’s most loyal supporters who have launched a petition demanding “a thorough external review, encompassing all aspects of the organisation.’’

The plan is to share the petition with the senior management of the Tigers and their majority owners, Wests Ashfield Leagues Club.

Supporter petitions rarely have an impact but what makes this one interesting is that it has been launched by fans who were previously embedded in the club.

The Tigers’ fans are calling for change. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Steve Stretton is a member of the Wests Tigers fan podcast, helped establish a supporter group and has regularly met with chief executive Justin Pascoe in recent years to help the club with its image on social media.

He recently sent Pascoe an email saying he could no longer be party to the meetings because he was disenfranchised with the organisation.

The petition has nearly 500 signatures and the aim is to get to 2000.

“We are not parroting Wests Tigers propaganda,” Stretton said.

“We just try to support the club. I know Justin well, I have met (chair) Lee Hagipantelis. The bottom line is that the club is broken.

“It’s not the players. We have one of the best forward packs in the game when they are all on the field. It‘s is not the coaches.

“The problem is the lack of governance and senior management being able to stick to a plan … and their ability to get harmony and a vision and a culture in the club that breeds success.

“I sent him (Pascoe) an email last week and I can’t do this anymore. I said it is nothing personal but I have lost respect for the club’s senior leadership.

“We have no faith there. We have no faith there. I have never seen the agitation I have seen now. I have heard multiple people – the rusted on members – saying they hope the club will fold.”

Tigers CEO Justin Pascoe. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)

The Tigers are reeling from key injuries to Api Koroisau (broken jaw) and Luke Brooks (hamstring), both of whom are at least a fortnight away from returning.

The Wests Tigers travel to Newcastle next Friday to tackle the Knights.

Tigers boss storms out of charity event after Alan Jones spray

— Phil Rothfield

Embattled Wests Tigers chairman Lee Hagipantelis has stormed out of a charity fundraiser after being slammed by veteran broadcaster Alan Jones in an official speech.

More than 650 NRL club executives, coaches and players were gathered in the ballroom at Randwick Racecourse on Friday to raise money for Daniel Anderson, the former NRL coach who is now a quadriplegic after a surfing accident.

Jones was being interviewed by host Yvonne Sampson when he let loose on the underperforming Wests Tigers and the management of the club, calling on Hagipantelis to step down.

Jones said this at the function: “Fish rots from the head”

Hagipantelis was seated at a table for which he paid $10,000 to support Anderson.

The Daily Telegraph texted Hagipantelis after he left.

West Tigers Board Director Lee Hagipantelis has stormed out of a charity fundraiser after being criticised by Alan Jones. Picture: Getty Images.

He replied: “It was enough for me to leave.”

Asked whether he wanted to comment, he said: “Not worth it. It speaks for itself.”

Hagipantelis and the Wests Tigers chief executive Justin Pascoe have been under extreme pressure as the club faces up to a second wooden spoon in a row.

Speeches at the function were ‘off-the-record” so we phoned Jones afterwards to repeat his remarks.

And he didn’t back away, even when informed Hagipantelis had left.

“If Mr Hagipantelis had a problem with what I said he could have come and talked to me,” Jones said.

“I did coach the Balmain Tigers for nothing.

Alan Jones continued to criticise Hagipantelis after the function. Picture: Adam Yip.

“At the end of the day, there’s been so many changes at the club, and with every change requires a drain on the resources of the club. Millions of dollars.

“People are sacked and they are paid out early.

“Then the people they’ve appointed fail and they want to blame someone else.

“The punter out there wants scores on the board.

“You can’t win every game, I concede that, but he’s in charge of what is a mess.

“He said we were going to get better this year and they haven’t.

“If it was a company like BHP they’d be gone.”