Wests Tigers chair Lee Hagipantelis accuses Ivan Cleary of patronising fans
Penrith coach Ivan Cleary has been accused of being patronising and offensive after he blew kisses at angry Tigers fan.
Wests Tigers chair Lee Hagipantelis believes Penrith coach Ivan Cleary would have been better served taking the moral high ground on Saturday night.
Rather than blowing kisses and waving at an irate Tigers fan, Hagipantelis believes Cleary should have avoided engaging with the supporters who harbour a grudge over the way he left the club.
Asked what he thought of Cleary’s actions, Hagipantelis admitted they could be construed as somewhat patronising and offensive. He believes they will only inflame tension between the club’s supporters and their former coach.
The spectator at the centre of the clash has acknowledged some of his comments were beyond the pale. However, Hagipantelis believes Cleary would have been better served not reacting given the wounds caused by his departure from the Tigers at the end of 2018 – while still under contract – still remain raw for some.
“I thought it was unnecessary,” Hagipantelis said.
“It was somewhat patronising. Some could construe it as offensive. I would have thought a more respectful position could have been taken rather than engaging with the fans.
“It’s not something that you usually see a coach doing with rival fans. I don’t think it is something to be accepted. There were promises made and unfulfilled. There would be a lot of underlying angst with the true believers at the time.
“I can understand the feeling. He would not have endeared himself to the Wests Tigers true believers. It would have inflamed passion.”
Cleary couldn’t contain himself after being on the receiving end of abuse from a member of the Tigers’ faithful, another sign of the depth of feeling that the club’s fans retain over the nature of his exit.
The Tigers have had well-documented salary cap difficulties in recent years, a position that many supporters still attribute to the Cleary regime.
The likes of Josh Reynolds, Ben Matulino, Russell Packer and Moses Mbye were signed on huge deals that have made it difficult for the club to make the changes necessary to become a more competitive outfit.
Some Tigers fans clearly haven’t forgotten the manner in which Cleary left the club, having spent his time at the Tigers to jump “on the bus” only to get off himself when the Panthers weighed in with a long-term, big-money deal.
Cleary’s response to supporters came after the game culminated in a Penrith win and some wild scenes, highlighted by the sin-binning of BJ Leilua for a high shot on Panthers fullback Dylan Edwards.
Leilua was charged with dangerous contact on Sunday and seems certain to spend four matches on the sidelines as the club prepares to take the early guilty plea.
Four players were placed on report but Leilua was the worst of the offenders with his blindshot on Edwards. The incident prompted ex-Kangaroos back-rower Luke Lewis to declare on ABC Grandstand that Leilua should be suspended for 16 weeks.
Edwards said it was part of the game.
“It was a fiery finish, tempers flared,” Edwards said. “I didn’t see it. You have brainsnaps. It happens in footy.”
Edwards was also whacked by Luke Garner high in the final play of the game which put the Tigers back-rower on report, although he was not charged.
The Leilua incident only served to highlight the challenges confronting Michael Maguire as he attempts to turn the Tigers into a premiership force.
Maguire has turned the screws in recent weeks, changing his side and being rewarded with better performances. The loss to Penrith indicated that Maguire still has work to do.
He will be forced to do it in coming weeks without Leilua, whose antics have cost his side yet again.
Additional reporting: The Daily Telegraph
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