Inner West Council Mayor Darcy Byrne has issued a rallying cry to supporters, calling for a public demonstration to 'save Wests Tigers' from an escalating governance crisis. The move comes as several fan groups and former players unite in demanding immediate intervention from the National Rugby League (NRL).
Boardroom Turmoil Sparks Fan Fury
The club is embroiled in significant internal conflict after its majority owners, the Holman Barnes Group, dismissed four independent directors from the board on Monday night. The group claimed it had been 'left in the dark' on key commercial decisions, with one point of contention reportedly being a proposed predominantly orange jersey for the 2026 season.
This dramatic purge has thrown the club's leadership into disarray. Chief Executive Shane Richardson, a strong supporter of the independent board model, is now considering his own future at the Tigers. The ousted directors included former chairman Barry O'Farrell.
Mayor Byrne, whose council covers both Leichhardt and Ashfield, has organised a rally for 13 December. He is urging fans to march from Pratten Park to Wests Ashfield, demanding the resignation of the Holman Barnes Group board. "This is clearly an act of self-sabotage, leading into Christmas," Byrne stated. "Just when we were starting to lift our performance on the field and financial performance as well, this is an act of self-harm."
Player Futures and Financial Stability Under Threat
The timing of the crisis could not be worse for the Tigers. The club had recently turned a profit and secured funding to establish Leichhardt and Campbelltown as its permanent home grounds. However, the instability now places the long-term future of star players in serious doubt.
Jarome Luai and Jahream Bula, two of the team's most valuable assets, are free to negotiate with rival clubs for the 2027 season and beyond. While Richardson expressed confidence last week in retaining both, the current upheaval has clouded those prospects. Bula is off contract, and Luai holds a clause allowing him to test the open market.
Former Tigers players Beau Ryan and Aaron Woods publicly backed calls for the NRL to step in. "The NRL can't let it go on like this," Ryan said on Triple M. "If the NRL can jump in and help out, it will save a lot of things. They won't lose Luai or Bula. Because if they lose those players we are back at square one."
Unified Fan Groups Plea for Administration
The political and boardroom drama coincides with a powerful statement from the club's supporter base. Seven separate Tigers fan groups launched a united plea this week, calling for an NRL-appointed administrator to "immediately assume governance of the club."
In a stark warning, the fans claimed they would 'desert the club and game en masse if immediate change is not forthcoming.' Mayor Byrne has also called on the NRL and Liquor and Gaming NSW to intervene, citing the Holman Barnes Group's own recent boardroom issues.
The Holman Barnes Group owns Wests Leagues Club at Ashfield and holds a 66% stake in Wests Magpies. Together, they control a 90% share of the Wests Tigers joint venture. An external report earlier this year prompted them to install a board with four independents, a structure now dismantled.
Byrne criticised the owners' record, stating, "We have this tiny group of people who have overseen 15 years of failure, three wooden spoons, an NRL club that was unprofitable. Their determination to go back to the future and turn the club back to that failure, I don't think Wests Tigers fans are going to take that lying down." As the rally date approaches, pressure mounts on the NRL to take decisive action to stabilise the historic club.
