Wests Tigers bosses hit back over ‘offensive and defamatory’ lie claim

The Wests Tigers have demanded an apology and are exploring further options after its ANZAC jersey furore erupted earlier in the week.

Wests Tigers bosses Justin Pascoe and Lee Hagipantelis have hit back at claims the club lied to fans over the ANZAC Round jersey, with reports the club will be looking at legal options.

The jersey was revealed on Monday evening and the Tigers posted an explanation of the jersey, revealing it was “paying tribute to the bravery and sacrifice of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and their loyal service animals.”

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But fans were quick to point out that the design on the front of the jersey featured two servicemen walking away from a helicopter in “a Middle Eastern landscape, reminding us of the incredible bravery and sacrifice of our troops”.

The statement added the club had “worked closely with the Holsworthy Army Barracks”.

The stock image features American soldiers walking away from the USS Lassen helicopter, which is used by the US military.

The Tigers apologised after the furore erupted and have already redesigned the jersey, but not before NRL360 host Paul Kent, Dan Ginnane and James Hooper blasted the drama, saying he had contacted the Defence Force “who said to us they were not consulted by the Tigers as opposed to what the Tigers said yesterday.”

But the Sydney Morning Herald reported Tigers chairman Lee Hagipantelis had demanded an apology and would consider potential further action.

“The reporting on NRL360 was not only erroneous but grossly offensive and defamatory,” Wests Tigers chairman Hagipantelis told the Herald.

“I have personally spoken with Fox Sports to express our disappointment and indignation at the allegations levelled against the club and have demanded a full and unreserved apology.

“The club reserves all its rights in relation to this matter should any further action be required.”

Justin Pascoe spoke to Nine News. Photo: Channel 9

Tigers CEO Pascoe told Nine on Thursday night that the suggestion the club lied to its fans “is really disrespectful to this club, and we’re bitterly disappointed”.

“We would never lie in regards to this topic and we certainly would never lie to our members or our fans,” Pascoe said.

“We’ve never come out and said we got approval on the design from the Australian Defence Force.

“What we did say in a media release on Tuesday night was that we’ve been working in collaboration with Holsworthy Army Barracks, which is a local army barracks here in our catchment area about the approval of marketing collateral.

“It hurts to be accused of lying to our fans and members. It’s a clear shot at the integrity of the club.

“As we clearly articulated in a release on Tuesday — we’re not being cute with words — we were working with Holsworthy Army Barracks in regards to the production of collateral.

“They saw the design, the NRL saw the design … The ownership is on us. We were the ones who initiated the design. It was our concept, our notion and the fault lies with us.

“Our team here designed this jersey with the notion to pay homage to modern-day war in a desert environment. We were the ones who used the stock image and that’s the fact.”

Pascoe added he took full responsibility, claiming it was an “honest mistake” and the club “would never, ever demean or disrespect the ANZACs or the ANZAC spirit and what it represents”.

The Wests Tigers made the change. Photo: Wests Tigers

What was said on NRL360

On NRL360 on Wednesday night, Kent, Ginnane and Hooper had all taken aim at the Tigers over the drama.

“So the Tigers gave us a statement and the important bits to pick out of it are, that they claim they collaborated with Holsworthy Army Barracks, who sighted and approved all collateral relating to the release of this jersey,” Kent said.

“They were very generic around their talking around that. The soldiers on the jersey simply depict the modern-day soldier serving in a desert environment.

“They backed well away from the ANZAC reference. In previous years it has always been called the ANZAC jersey. This year even before this was discovered it was called the commemorative jersey.

“That indicated to me yesterday when we started to chase this that they had already become aware that it wasn’t a genuine ANZAC image and they couldn’t call it an ANZAC jersey.

“I’ve spoken to the Defence Force, who said to us they were not consulted by the Tigers as opposed to what the Tigers said yesterday.

“They did not supply any images to the Tigers. They do have images available if they are sought after.

“The Tigers simply went and got a stock image off the internet, designed the image themselves and sent it off to Steeden, who printed the jersey up.

“There’s also a suggestion in the statement yesterday that it was purchased under licence by our official apparel partner. That’s not true. The fact is it was actually sent to apparel partner Steeden by the Tigers.

“They’re a little bit slippery with their version of events today.”

Fox League’s Dan Ginnane said: “We originally thought it was incompetence, but you do not lie when it comes to this part of society.

“When you are dealing with the Army and Diggers and people that have served. This is very dangerous territory where this is going.”

Paul Kent somewhat defended the jersey mistake on Tuesday night. Photo: Fox Sports

Kent added: “It is dangerous and I think it is symbolic of a lot of things that are happening at the club as far as their attention to detail and what they believe people should know.

“Their version of events, I think they initially got caught out where they realised they had the wrong image on the jersey. They have tried to move away from that and not link it to ANZAC day.

“The Diggers are in outrage because it is an ANZAC jersey. It is not Remembrance Day. It is not remembrance of all soldiers. It is the ANZAC legend. It is the Australian and New Zealand Army Corp.

“The image they found was online and put together by somebody in Iran of all places.

“The Tigers are still not being forthcoming with what happened. I think they have tried to massage and minimise the damage around this and unfortunately for them because of the delay in getting things confirmed it has come back to bite them.

“The Defence Force has shot down what was basically their last straw of hope that they had collaborated with Holsworthy Army Barracks, which the Defence Force said they clearly did not.”

The blunder just intensified the spotlight on the Tigers after a 0-5 start to the season, and some believe their off-field dramas are emblematic of their on-field woes.

“No matter which way they try to massage it or spin it, it is an ANZAC insult,” James Hooper said.

“To me what it underlines is the fact that the Tigers are as bad off the field and in the front office as they are on the field which is a very sad state of affairs.”