NRL: Wests Tigers sack entire board after internal review

The Wests Tigers have ousted their entire board, including chairman Lee Hagipantelis and chief executive Justin Pascoe, following an extensive internal review.

The sudden cleanout comes after the Holman Barnes Group ordered an independent review, conducted by former NRL chief financial officer Tony Crawford and Gary Barnier, the managing director of Benchmarking Matters and Cooperage Capital.

The decision to remove the entire board signifies a major shake-up within the organisation as it grapples with recent disappointments, including back-to-back wooden spoons.

According to News Corp, Pascoe tendered his resignation on Tuesday.

Ex-Rabbitohs CEO Shane Richardson will take over from Pascoe, while former New South Wales premier Barry O’Farrell — who briefly chaired the Tigers board in 2019 — will step in as interim chairman.

The power to make such substantial changes lies solely with the club’s shareholders — the Holman Barnes Group, Wests and Balmain — leaving Hagipantelis, who is also the Tigers’ major sponsor, without a say in his own future.

His position as chairman, maintained for four years, had been under increasing pressure as the team faced ongoing challenges on the field.

The club had a scheduled board meeting for Tuesday night, but sources suggest it has been postponed by 24 hours in order to finalise legal documents and facilitate a smooth transition to the new leadership structure.

This massive restructuring comes as Benji Marshall prepares for his first season as senior coach of the club where he played 201 games and won an NRL premiership in 2005.

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