Three banned former Wests Tigers directors send explosive letter to club’s majority stakeholder demanding reinstatement
The three banned former Wests Tigers directors at the centre of the ugly boardroom stoush have sent an explosive letter to the club’s majority stakeholder threatening Supreme Court action if they’re not reinstated.
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Three banned former Wests Tigers directors have sent an explosive legal letter to the club’s majority stakeholder threatening Supreme Court action if they’re not immediately reinstated.
The legal letter claims the suspensions of Holman Barnes Group board members Tony Andreacchio, Rick Wayde and David Gilbert was “outrageous, absurd and smacks of bias” and that three former directors have suffered “embarrassment, humiliation, stress and anxiety.”
Rejecting disciplinary charges brought against them, Andreacchio, Wayde and Gilbert - a former Test cricketer - have issued a 14-page letter claiming to have been “treated with disdain and denied natural justice and procedural fairness.”
This masthead has obtained a copy of the document which states “if the club does not comply with my client’s requests” then lawyer Nick Di Girolamo would “commence proceedings in the Supreme Court of NSW to seek appropriate orders.”
Andreacchio, Wayde and Gilbert are also demanding an apology.
A legal drama heading into the NRL season would damage the renewed on-field optimism at Wests Tigers, who have claimed the past three wooden spoons.
The three directors were suspended for a total of almost 15 years on New Year’s Eve for alleged historic misdemeanours by the Wests Ashfield Leagues Club-affiliated Holman Barnes Group, which hold a majority owner of Wests Tigers.
The legal letter was sent to Holman Barnes Group chair Julie Romero and CEO, Simon Cook on January 31 but the three complainants have yet to receive a response.
It states, in part: “Messrs Andreacchio, Gilbert and Wayde have served as directors of the Club with distinction, integrity and honour.
“Regrettably, however, they have recently been treated with disdain and denied natural justice and procedural fairness by an improperly formed and biased disciplinary committee of the club.
“It is highly likely that upon an application by Messrs Andreacchio, Gilbert and Wayde, that the Supreme Court of NSW would grant certiorari to quash the decision of the Disciplinary Committee and the penalties imposed by the Disciplinary Committee against Messrs Andreacchio, Gilbert and Wayde.
“The decision by the purported Disciplinary Committee to cancel Mr Andreacchio’s membership for six years is absurd and smacks of bias. No rationale nor penalty precedent was provided to support this outrageous decision.
“The decision by the purported disciplinary committee to cancel Mr Gilbert’s membership for six months is also absurd and smacks of bias.
“The decision by the purported disciplinary committee to cancel Mr Wayde’s membership for eight years is again absurd and smacks of bias.”
It is understood Holman Barnes Group have not yet formally replaced Andreacchio, Wayde and Gilbert on the seven-member board.
The trio is demanding instant reinstatement with the letter stating: “Messrs Andreacchio, Gilbert and Wayde demand that within seven days of the date hereof (that the) board of the HBG resolves to quash the decisions of the disciplinary committee relating to Messrs Andreacchio, Gilbert and Wayde dated 20 December 2024 and quash the penalties that were subsequently imposed.
“(And that) the Board of the HBG resolves to and thereafter immediately reinstates Messrs Andreacchio, Gilbert and Wayde as members and directors of the club.
“(And that) the board of the HBG resolves to and thereafter immediately issues an apology to Messrs Andreacchio, Gilbert and Wayde for any embarrassment, humiliation, stress and anxiety caused by the improper conduct of the disciplinary committee and confirming that each of them have been reinstated as members and directors of the club.
“(And that) the Board of the HBG resolves to repay each debenture and not issue any further debentures (and that) the board resolves to immediately call for nominations for five directors from the general membership (to replace the debenture holder directors) at the next AGM to be held on 27 March 2025 and for the necessary changes to the constitution to eradicate the debenture holder system.”
The three were banned from the board for alleged “conduct prejudicial to the interests” of HBG and the Western Suburbs Rugby League Club.
Andreacchio, Wayde and Gilbert were HBG directors who helped drive an independent review at Wests Tigers which successfully led to significant change at the joint venture club including a sweeping review of football club operations, which resulted in the Tigers’ CEO and chairman being sacked in 2023.
The review was conducted by Sydney businessman Gary Barnier and former NRL chief financial officer Tony Crawford.
This masthead reached out to Holman Barnes Group chairman Julie Romero four times but she did not respond.
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