‘Should be sacked’: Calls grow louder for change at Wests Tigers

There are growing calls for the Wests Tigers’ board to sack their controversial chief executive Justin Pascoe as the club continues to struggle.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MAY 20: Tigers CEO Justin Pascoe looks on during the round 11 NRL match between the Wests Tigers and the Canterbury Bulldogs at Leichhardt Oval on May 20, 2022 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)

There are growing calls for the Wests Tigers’ board to sack their controversial chief executive Justin Pascoe.

The Tigers have endured a disastrous eight years on the field since Pascoe joined the club in 2015 and the nothing looks like changing anytime soon.

Watch every game of every round of the 2023 NRL Telstra Premiership Season LIVE on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

Tim Sheens’ side are currently anchored to the bottom of the ladder after becoming the first team since 1968 to start consecutive seasons 0-5.

Veteran rugby league journalist Pete Badel has become the latest join a chorus of voices calling for front office change at the join-venture club.

“There are two problems at the Tigers, one is Luke Brooks and the other is Justin Pascoe,” Badel said on NRL 360.

“Justin Pascoe should be sacked by the board and I’ll tell you why. In 2019, they were guilty of a cap breach and he was stood down for six months by the NRL.

“They were fined $750,000 by the NRL on Justin Pascoe’s watch. As a result of that the next year they had $639,000 take out of their salary cap.

“Now that’s a big chunk out of your salary cap when you’re trying to rebuild a club that’s in the mess they’re in at the moment.

“At the same time, they extended Luke Brooks to a $1 million contract. To me it’s one of the worst deals we’ve seen.”

Tigers CEO Justin Pascoe. Getty

Phil Rothfield argued you can’t blame chief executives for player signings and Paul Kent said the Tigers’ problems lay elsewhere.

“The problem is we heard all summer about how they’ve revamped their attack, after two weeks the chairman comes on and says if we attacked better then he comes on a week later and says we’re a new team, give us time,” Kent said.

“You’re 0-3 while the Dolphins who legitimately are a new team are 3-0.

“The problem at the Tigers is the people there just don’t know what they don’t know. That sounds cute but they don’t know what a winning club looks like.

“Sheens is the only one that does but it was a long time ago and the game has changed so much. They are so far removed from where they need to go.”

Originally published as ‘Should be sacked’: Calls grow louder for change at Wests Tigers