Harry Triguboff hungry for success at Wests Tigers
December 6, 2014
Adrian Proszenko
Having resolved to get more hands-on with his beloved Wests Tigers, Harry Triguboff immediately gave the club food for thought.
"Because they can't win, I am personally now involved," Triguboff said.
"The first thing I'm doing, I'm making them a big kitchen, we are building it now.
"They told me 'the boys go out for lunch and we don't know what they eat'. So now, there will be a chef here. If we win, I will give the chef a special bonus. If we lose, I throw out the bloody chef.
"It's now in the chef's hands. You know that Napoleon said, 'The army travels on its stomach.' "
Like Napoleon, Triguboff has built an empire. His Meriton business, the target of Chinese buyers, is estimated to be worth about $12 billion.
There are only 280 more wealthy individuals on the planet, says
Forbes magazine, than the man who started out driving taxis and running a milk round.
Yet at a time when most are starting to wind down to enjoy the fruits of their labour, the 81-year-old is investing more of himself into the projects close to his heart. Which is why the Tigers will benefit.
"See my business? When the unions were fighting me 45 years ago, they could never beat me," Triguboff told Fairfax Media.
"Because my workers and I were united. We knew we had to succeed together. That's the important thing that has to happen [at Wests Tigers] and that's why I want to be more involved.
"Not that I have such great ideas, I have no ideas at all. But if I am involved I hope I will bring that spirit into the club."
The self-made billionaire was the first sponsor of the joint-venture club and his company retains pride of place on the front of its jersey.
But there have been times his patience has been tested. Like the recent coaching sagas, mediocre results and the ongoing power struggle between Balmain and Wests. He has considered withdrawing his sponsorship on many occasions but has always written another cheque when an alternative couldn't be found.
"I am giving them one year. They are on notice, the bastards!" he said, perhaps only half-jokingly.
"We'll see what they can do. I'll get more involved, maybe that helps."
Given his business acumen, corporate connections and knowledge of the club's heartlands, it is surprising to hear Tigers officials and their NRL counterparts had not sought his counsel.
But to a club which splits its game across three venues, he gives this piece of advice for free; start playing NRL games at your training base at Concord Oval.
"I think it's a good place, it's very central," he said. "The population has shifted a lot because a lot of the people are now living around Rhodes, which is close.
"We've put more people into Rhodes than what we've put into Balmain over the last 10 or 20 years. It's a natural for them.
"If we could fix up [Concord Oval], then I don't think we need Leichhardt Oval. If you can't get it to be used like I think it should be, then we have to fix Leichhardt Oval.
"Leichhardt Oval is very close to our hearts, we remember standing up on the hill with the sun beating down on us, it's got an atmosphere the others don't have
but I think it's limited."
Triguboff is cautiously optimistic about the prospects of the club. There is a new board, a new coach and a promising roster.
A premiership, the first since the landmark 2005 title, could be "two or three years away" now that the political infighting has ceased. However, he would like to see Balmain play an active role in the joint venture.
"I give them money now and hope I help them with other things. We'll see if the money is spent where I want it," he said.
Whether that assistance will extend to developing the ill-fated Rozelle Village premises, meant to house Balmain's leagues club, remains to be seen. One thing is certain he will always be there for the Wests Tigers.
"As long as they need me, I'm there," he said. "It's a tradition now."
Harry Triguboff on ...
Getting involved with Wests Tigers "I was building in Balmain. Dawn Fraser was involved in the club and I liked her, she was my hero. So I joined the club. Sometimes they had nobody backing them, so I backed them. So I have been with them all the time, many years. I feel as though I am part of them."
The job done by the NRL "I don't think they are doing such a terrific job. If you start asking me detail, I would fall apart. But just looking at it, there's something wrong there
salary caps are a difficult thing. What is a salary cap? Is it really a salary cap when one [club] has all the good players and the other one doesn't? You make a mistake, you overpay a couple of times and can't buy any players."
The Tigers' premiership chances "I think it will take two or three years, they can't do it next year. They will win. They are young and if they don't get hurt and stay there, we will win."
