‘Touching’ scandal that led to Wests Tigers ownership infighting uncovered after board member told young woman: ‘You’ve been a good girl?’

An alleged inappropriate touching scandal was a major factor in the breakdown of the relations among the board of the Wests Tigers ownership.

An alleged inappropriate touching scandal was a major factor in the breakdown of the Wests Tigers ownership, after a board member was told to “undergo training” over an incident with a young woman.

Holman Barnes Group is the majority owner of the cellar-dwelling NRL side and controls the money making beast that is Wests Ashfield Leagues Club.

The company has been in turmoil in recent times with three board members being suspended or banned, over drama that dates back to them backing a sweeping review of the football operations, which saw the Tigers’ CEO and chairman sacked in 2023 — unrelated to the inappropriate touching allegations.

The split opinions led to a coup at the HBG’s annual general meeting last March, with current chair Julie Romero ousting her predecessor Tony Andreacchio and his deputy Rick Wayde, who were both influential in backing the Wests Tigers’ football review.

Holman Barnes Group board member Vince Tropiano was required to “undergo training” following an incident with a woman before the company’s AGM last March.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal that same day, Saturday, March 23, an incident occurred in which HBG board member Vince Tropiano was accused of using a voting paddle to “tap” a woman, before saying to her: “You’ve been a good girl”.

Private emails obtained by this masthead in which a complaint about the incident was initially made claimed the woman had been tapped on the “backside”.

However legal documents referencing the incident, later sent by HBG, stated the woman had been tapped on the “side”, while confirming the “you’ve been a good girl?” comment had been made.

It is understood Mr Tropiano was required to undergo training by a disciplinary committee and removed from a committee he was on, as a result.

That handling of the incident by Ms Romero was criticised at board meetings by other HBG directors.

NSW Police are believed to have been made aware of the incident, but the woman did not ever make an official complaint and no charges have followed.

In a statement, Ms Romero said Holman Barnes Group does not comment on “confidential workplace matters”, adding “I can confirm that we have policies and processes in place for issues and complaints to be raised with us, we take those matters seriously”.

Mr Tropiano said when called: “I don’t wish to talk to you to be honest”.

David Gilbert, the HBG board member who initially made a complaint about the incident with HBG CEO Simon Cook, was sensationally stood-down as a board member in December.

Holman Barnes Group director Rick Wayde (right) with former Wests Tigers chairman Lee Hagipantelis. Picture: NRL Imagery

Holman Barnes Group director Tony Andreacchio, who is currently banned from being a board member.

Holman Barnes Group director David Gilbert who is currently suspended from being a board member.

So too were Mr Wayde and Mr Andreacchio, who later noted their concerns about how the matter was dealt with in minutes of board meetings.

The trio have been either suspended or banned from the board for “conduct prejudicial to the interests” of HBG and the Western Suburbs Rugby League club.

In his email to Mr Cook titled “incident prior to the AGM”, Mr Gilbert outlined how he was talking to a senior HBG executive when that person told him he had just witnessed Mr Tropiano “tap” the woman on the “backside”.

According to the email, the senior executive then immediately approached the woman to check on her wellbeing, asking her “are you ok?” before telling her “that’s not acceptable what just happened to you”.

The Wests Tigers (captain Api Koroisau is pictured) earned their third consecutive wooden spoon in 2024. Picture: Scott Gardiner/Getty Images

The minutes of a board meeting from early April, less than a few weeks after the AGM, detail how Mr Wayde and Mr Andreacchio voiced their concerns over the handling of the incident by Mr Romero.

Mr Wayde and Mr Andreacchio, who were aligned with Mr Gilbert in the board split, both raised concerns about how Mr Tropiano was being “protected” by his allies on the board after they referred him to the disciplinary committee.

The minutes of a board meeting on May 28 outline how Ms Romero openly discussed “that there have been some enquiries regarding the complaint (against Mr Tropiano) which was dealt with recently”.

In the months that followed, the boardroom breakdown escalated with allegations that Mr Wayde, Mr Gilbert and Mr Andreacchio had engaged in “conduct prejudicial”.

Mr Andreacchio was overthrown at the AGM last March, thanks to Ms Romero having the backing of fellow board members Mr Tropiano, Dennis Burgess and Stephen Montgomery — giving her a majority on the seven-person board.

Montgomery and Burgess are part of the Wests Tigers board.

The HBG board’s divide was largely due to the push for an independent review that resulted in sweeping changes at the Wests Tigers.

That came after back-to-back last place finishes, only for the Tigers to collect the wooden spoon again in 2024.

Mr Wayde, Mr Gilbert and Mr Andreacchio were initially suspended in November, before Mr Wayde was eventually banned for eight years, Mr Andreacchio for six and Mr Gilbert was issued a six-month suspension.

Mr Wayde, Mr Andreacchio and Mr Gilbert are set to take legal action over their bans.

Originally published as ‘Touching’ scandal that led to Wests Tigers ownership infighting uncovered after board member told young woman: ‘You’ve been a good girl?’