NRL 2023: Ex-Wests Tigers chair Lee Hagipantelis fumes at club officials over exit
Outgoing Wests Tigers chair Lee Hagipantelis has offered a scathing review of the officials who ended his time at the club, going to verbal war with the club’s majority owners.
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Outgoing Wests Tigers chair Lee Hagipantelis has launched a stunning broadside at the officials who brought an end to his time at the helm of the club, describing their behaviour as disgraceful and conceding he would have to seriously review his million-dollar support of the club.
Hagipantelis, the Tigers major sponsor through his company Brydens Lawyers, was the highest-profile casualty on a day of carnage at the embattled Tigers. Chief executive Justin Pascoe also resigned after being told a review into the club had recommended a change of chief executive while the board of directors effectively committed hari-kari after the club’s major shareholders voted to dissolve the board.
Hagipantelis has been the face of the club during his four years as chair but he now finds himself at war with the Holman Barnes Group, the club’s majority owners who ordered the review into the club and were largely responsible for its recommendations being put into action.
“If my time had come as chairman, then it had come,” Hagipantelis said.
“That is fair enough. But the manner in which these people conduct themselves is just disgraceful, the distinct lack of communication.
“There are five directors who sit on that board that also sit on the board of the shareholders, the Holman Barnes Group and Balmain.
“The Holman Barnes Group treats the Wests Tigers like an extension of its club - like we are part of the fishing club or knitting club.
“The Holman Barnes Group should confine itself to gaming, food and beverage.”
Hagipantelis also took aim at the review into the club’s governance, which began three months ago after the Holman Barnes Group reacted to concerns from supporters over the club’s direction.
Former NRL chief financial officer Tony Crawford and consultant Gary Barnier were charged with the investigation and the end results confirmed some of the initial fears that were privately held by Hagipantelis and Pascoe, who feared they would be under the gun.
They have been replaced on an interim basis by former NSW premier Barry O’Farrell and former Penrith and South Sydney chief executive Shane Richardson.
“We were told the review would be presented to the Wests Tigers board and we would have an opportunity to respond to it,” Hagipantelis said.
“Well that never happened. As you pointed out, there were panic stations today because the report had leaked, which is no surprise given the parties involved.
“Hence there were panic calls today to get approval to adopt the review and then to dismiss the board and lean on Justin.
“It is just the manner in which the people conduct themselves. Not necessarily the outcomes. If this outcome is in the best interests of the club, well so be it.”
Asked about his sponsorship, which still has 12 months to run, Hagipantelis said: “I still have one year left on my contract and one thing I do is I will honour the contract.
“If I am bound to sponsor the club next year, then I will sponsor the club next year. One of the things I do is look at the people who are running the organisation.
“I am also told that some of the directors have already reached out to alternative sponsors. This is the level of conduct we are dealing with, conduct of which I am very unfamiliar and does not operate in the real world.
“It doesn’t happen overnight.”
Hagipantelis, who shared a beer with Pascoe on Tuesday night, insisted he would have no issue facing the directors who were responsible for his demise.
“I have nothing to worry about,” he said.
“I will front them happily. I have nothing to concern myself with. I have done nothing untoward, been completely upfront.
“Their conduct is what has blindsided us. The whole thing was simply a knee-jerk reaction to a petition by some members, who were disgruntled with the team’s performances which was totally understandable.
“I believe the Holman Barnes Group boxed themselves in with this review. I think they created an instrument of their own demise.
“I truly believe that I don’t think they expected this There has been no explanation provided as to how these changes will benefit the club.
“Justin and I have been absolutely inundated with text messages, emails and phone calls from within and outside the organisations asking the same question - how is this going to help?”
Tigers coach Benji Marshall must now pick up the pieces. He voiced his support for Hagipantelis and Pascoe in a recent interview with this masthead but has now lost two of his keep allies as he attempts to pull off a pair of signing coups by landing Jarome Luai and Addin Fonua-Blake.
Asked what it meant for Marshall, Hagipantelis said he had no idea.
“Ask the experts, ask the geniuses who have committed this review and actually enacted its recommendations,” Hagipantelis said.
“I think it leaves Benji in a very difficult situation. Benji said to me in unequivocal terms that Justin was the best CEO he ever worked with.
“They have now ripped out from him that support.”
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