The only problem is that while we are still beholden to the NRL for the loan we took they get to choose the chair of the board. They are more interested in placing someone in this position who ticks off a diversity box than someone who can lead a divided board away from self interest and 17 year old grudges into a group of people with the singular goal of achieving success. We must somehow come together and pay back the NRL and get them away from making decisions for the club. We need someone like Gould to re-organise our finances as he did at Penrith when they were just about broke. Until this happens I think we will continue to have the same problems we always seem to have however with generational animosity on the board even if the finances are improved we'll more likely resemble Parra than Penrith. Hopefully we can vote in people who realise the Balmain Tigers and Western Suburbs Magpies are gone the way of the dodo and we all now support the Wests Tigers.
I'm glad Moses is gone. I wouldn't have wanted to keep him for $1 let alone a million. If he put as much time into his game as he does trying to milk penalties, berating his team mates, and niggling the refs and opposition players he'd be a very good first grader and possibly something even more. The last couple of weeks have shown he can only play one side of the field and on that side nothing above ordinary. He is not an organiser. His whole brief career he has shown no signs of being a competent defender. The tigers in their statement about Moses did not contradict media reports of the $1mil per year deal. I can only assume they made this offer or are being 'the bigger man' by not commenting on it. Past history would lead me towards thinking they made this ridiculous offer to him.
I'll give Woods and Tedesco a pass on what they said for the time being. They have had this player manager around them since they were about 16. He has ingratiated himself into their lives telling them time and again he is looking after their best interests when everyone else can see that he's only interested in skimming his 10% or whatever off their hard labour. The flip side is if player managers were banned we would be talking 'grubby' clubs who see players not as employees but as tools to be used. Damned if you do damned if you don't. That's not to say as a supporter I haven't taken offence at what they've said in the media this week. I have. If they re-sign with us I can move forward with no hard feelings. At the end of the day they haven't asked for immediate releases. I would like to see them take accountability though.
I have all the faith in the world in Cleary. Anyone who can take the Warriors to a GF and have them playing finals more often than not is a very good coach. He's also proven at mentoring young players and getting them to perform and make finals while the club was struggling financially. Winning starts at the front office as Vince Lombardi once said and this will be our greatest challenge. Please Wests Tigers board, give Cleary everything he wants and stay out of his way!
