‘Gross disrespect’: Sacked Wests Tigers boss drops one final bomb

The sacked Wests Tigers boss is not going quietly, divulging details of the “disgraceful” events leading into the club’s day of carnage.

Chairman of the Tigers Lee Hagipantelis. Photo by Jeremy Ng/Getty Images.

Sacked Wests Tigers chairman Lee Hagipantelis has blasted the club after his entire board was sensationally dismissed on Tuesday afternoon.

Hagipantelis was sent packing after the embattled club followed the recommendations of an independent internal review commissioned by major shareholder Holman Barnes Group following fan upheaval.

The controversial chairman has overseen, alongside chief executive Justin Pascoe, the most tumultuous period in the joint-venture’s history.

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The Tigers haven’t played finals since 2011, finished outside the top eight in 21 of their 24 seasons, and collected the past two wooden spoons.

The review - called for by over 2000 disgruntled supporters - recommended a complete clean-out and the three major shareholders pulled the trigger.

But Hagipantelis, who is also the club’s biggest sponsor, was furious he wasn’t given the opportunity to respond to the review’s findings.

“We were told the review would be presented to the Wests Tigers board and we would have an opportunity to respond to it,” Hagipantelis told The Daily Telegraph.

“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.”

Sacked Wests Tigers chairman Lee Hagipantelis. Getty

Hagipantelis was even more scathing in The Sydney Morning Herald and doesn’t believe he’ll ever be shown the review.

“I feel there has been gross disrespect shown to the Wests Tigers and to myself personally by my fellow directors,” he said.

“We were never paid the respect of being involved or consulted as to the review. Even to this day, we have never been engaged or informed as to the results of the review or the recommendations. Now it appears unlikely that we will ever see the report.

“I think the process was disgraceful. The entire thing was a knee-jerk reaction to a petition signed by 2000 disgruntled fans after the Wests Tigers lost 72-0 to the Cowboys. It’s perfectly understandable that our fans would vent their displeasure, but for some reason the Holman Barnes Group embarked upon a review feeling compelled to do so.

“I believe it was some ill-conceived publicity drive which boxed them into a position which left them with no alternative but to accept the recommendations that were made, which as I understand, included the dismissal of the entire board.”

Tigers great Benny Elias told foxsports.com.au the board’s dismissal would help rookie coach Benji Marshall heading into 2024, but Hagipantelis strongly disagreed.

“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.”

Originally published as ‘Gross disrespect’: Sacked Wests Tigers boss drops one final bomb