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New board to be announced today

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3,211
I have thought for a while why the Balmian side of the 'team' don't ask Harry T for a handout, buy-in. No doubt his finance, marketing, operations, legal, governance teams would be of great value.

Then when the name Marwan Koukash came up in relation to Newcastle, I thought 'why not the Tigers' besides the dollars that are needed, I thought of how Fulton was released a few years back because of salary cap. A bit like European soccer, sorry, football, where clubs 'loan' players to other clubs. Maybe that is what the club needs going forward.

Today, the SMH reports that:
Balmain may ask British billionaire to help keep Tigers partnership alive

Balmain will consider approaching British billionaire Marwan Koukash for financial assistance in a bid to continue as an active partner in the Wests Tigers joint venture.

Koukash has reiterated his desire to become an owner of an NRL club and has been linked to Newcastle. However, the governing body is wary of handing over control to private investors given the dramas at the Knights under Nathan Tinkler.

While Koukash, who already owns Super League franchise Salford, prefers to become a sole owner of an NRL club, he has previously told Fairfax Media he would consider a shareholding arrangement.

That could make Balmain a viable option for the former Palestinian refugee given his desire to be involved in elite rugby league in Australia as soon as next season.

Balmain directors will officially be removed from the Wests Tigers board this week and won't have a say until they are able to settle their debts. It's believed they will need to find almost $2 million immediately or face becoming a silent partner in the running of the Tigers. Should they not pay their way in the next 18 months, they face the prospect of their partnership being bought out.

Most consider it an insurmountable financial obstacle, particularly while there is uncertainty about Balmain's planned premises at Rozelle, but Koukash has the means to secure the foundation club's future.

Although it is understood that Balmain directors have not yet made contact with Koukash, it is an option that will be seriously considered.

"Obviously Balmain is in a position now where we'll be looking at options around how we can re-participate in the joint venture, however that might be," said Balmain director Jim Myatt.

This is not the first time Myatt has had to initiate a fighting fund. The Australian Power and Gas founder raised about $6 million for AFL club Richmond Tigers, mainly through supporter pledges.

Balmain will launch a fighting fund at a gala event celebrating the 25th anniversary of the 1989 grand final at their Five Dock premises, but finding a generous benefactor or buyer remains Balmain's best shot at survival.

Koukash, whose net worth is estimated at $3 billion, claims he could buy an NRL club at a fraction of the cost it takes to operate the Reds.

"I'm looking at three [NRL] clubs," Koukash told PA.

"There were two but in the last week or so another opportunity has arisen.

"There are a lot of opportunities for me to get involved with a number of NRL clubs and the amount of investment that is needed is minute compared to what I'm putting in at Salford."
Koukash, a race horse owner likely to again provide runners for this year's Melbourne Cup, has indicated he will move to Australia if he purchases an NRL club.

"It has to be the right deal for me personally and for the club over there and it has to have the kind of partnership I would like between the NRL and Salford," he said.

"There will be sharing of players and coaching ideas and it will make my recruitment in the future a lot easier for Salford.

"For example, one thing I could offer a player considering coming to Salford is a one-year's development in the NRL and there might be players there who could benefit from coming over here."

Wests Tigers are at a critical point in their history, with three NRL-appointed directors now holding the balance of power in what has often been a divided boardroom. They have begun interviewing coaching candidates to replace Mick Potter and it is expected a recommendation could be put to the board by the end of the week. Jason Taylor, Anthony Griffin, David Kidwell, Nathan Brown, Matt Parish and John Cartwright are in the mix for the post.


Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...ship-alive-20140923-10krtw.html#ixzz3EBiNxVtE
 

madunit

Super Moderator
Staff member
Messages
62,358
Koukash wants essentially a feeder team for Salford, but an NRL side, so that both teams could swap players.

For that to happen, he'd need full ownership of the Wests Tigers (or at least a majority share ownership)

The concept looks good, we send youngsters over to Salford to get some first grade experience and new skills and we can send any of our underperformers off to Salford if they want them.
 

Matchball

Bench
Messages
2,971
I love to see wests leagues out of the picture as well as Balmain.
A sole owner is better moving forward. Fossils from both sides of the jv still have 20 years left in them so no harmony until they die.

Full buy out or forget it.
Joint ownership ever work out?
Crowe/HOC fell out.
Penn/Krillich etc etc etc.
Wests/Balmain.
 

super_coach

First Grade
Messages
5,061
Koukash wants essentially a feeder team for Salford, but an NRL side, so that both teams could swap players.

For that to happen, he'd need full ownership of the Wests Tigers (or at least a majority share ownership)

The concept looks good, we send youngsters over to Salford to get some first grade experience and new skills and we can send any of our underperformers off to Salford if they want them.

Very handy way of keeping your salary cap under control by having the ability to move players from the NRL to the ESL. Moltzen,Galloway and lawrence come to mind!!!!
 

BrotherJim05

Bench
Messages
3,399
I think one owner with total control is the best step forward. The only way you get two warring factions together is with one central dictator...and one with deep pockets would be most welcome
 

37916319

Juniors
Messages
536
Very handy way of keeping your salary cap under control by having the ability to move players from the NRL to the ESL. Moltzen,Galloway and lawrence come to mind!!!!

Yeah but at what cost? These have everything I want and need so let's buy a footy club types are driven by success, not financial gain.

When he relises it's easier to win the SL title with NRL players (I'm sure he knows this) what's stopping him from shifting our young guns on ridiculous money.
 
Last edited:
Messages
14,795
I love to see wests leagues out of the picture as well as Balmain.
A sole owner is better moving forward. Fossils from both sides of the jv still have 20 years left in them so no harmony until they die.

Full buy out or forget it.
Joint ownership ever work out?
Crowe/HOC fell out.
Penn/Krillich etc etc etc.
Wests/Balmain.

Krillich? You mean Delmege yeah?
 

magpie4ever

First Grade
Messages
9,992
I love to see wests leagues out of the picture as well as Balmain.
A sole owner is better moving forward. Fossils from both sides of the jv still have 20 years left in them so no harmony until they die.

Full buy out or forget it.
Joint ownership ever work out?
Crowe/HOC fell out.
Penn/Krillich etc etc etc.
Wests/Balmain.

If Wests and/or Balmain disappear totally out of the picture for some pommy billionaire who will soon realise he is flushing money down the drain and get the shits, that will do me.

No history, just something of a billionaire's plaything, that is not what Australian rugby league was about or should ever be about.
 

gallagher

Juniors
Messages
1,800
Yeah but at what cost? These have everything I want and need so let's buy a footy club types are driven by success, not financial gain.

When he relises it's easier to win the SL title with NRL players (I'm sure he knows this) what's stopping him from shifting our young guns on ridiculous money.

Or move us to Perth. He'd see the opportunity of a one town team v 9 Sydney teams. The NRL would love it too. Too risky for me to like.
 
Messages
3,211
I guess I was looking for the White Knight ;-)

Very handy way of keeping your salary cap under control by having the ability to move players from the NRL to the ESL. Moltzen,Galloway and lawrence come to mind!!!!
that's what I thought

When he relises it's easier to win the SL title with NRL players (I'm sure he knows this) what's stopping him from shifting our young guns on ridiculous money.
never thought along those lines, great point and we don't need or want that

Or move us to Perth. He'd see the opportunity of a one town team v 9 Sydney teams. The NRL would love it too. Too risky for me to like.
I didn't think of that either.

Back to the drawing board.

Hopefully Paul Siro and his group can raise some dollars.
 

Trollhammaren

Juniors
Messages
2,016
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/marwan-koukash-rules-out-wests-tigers-bid-20140925-10lp50.html

Old Mate is not interested...

"But he has ruled out buying the Wests Tigers.
"It's not something that would be of interest to me, no," Koukash told Sky Sports Big Sports Breakfast on Thursday.
The 55-year-old said the club's joint venture structure - the source of infighting between the Wests and Balmain factions - had been a turn off.
"That's too complicated for me. I'm going to pass on that," he said."
 

super_coach

First Grade
Messages
5,061
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...les-out-wests-tigers-bid-20140925-10lp50.html

Old Mate is not interested...

"But he has ruled out buying the Wests Tigers.
"It's not something that would be of interest to me, no," Koukash told Sky Sports Big Sports Breakfast on Thursday.
The 55-year-old said the club's joint venture structure - the source of infighting between the Wests and Balmain factions - had been a turn off.
"That's too complicated for me. I'm going to pass on that," he said."



One would imagine that is curtains for Balmain now, how are they going to come up with around 5 million in a year?? Thats a lot of chook raffles
 

madunit

Super Moderator
Staff member
Messages
62,358
As I mentioned a while back, giving Balmain any sort of deadline shorter than 20 years to repay the few million they owe the NRL now will kill the club.

The development won't save them either as they won't even own the space where the club is proposed to be, they'll be renting it, no doubt at full price.

What alternative do they have that is realistic, knowing full well that no one will pay off the debt without demanding the money be repaid.

Perhaps Wests Ashfield could buy them for the cost of the debt, change the Balmain Leagues venues all to Wests Tigers outlets owned by Wests Ashfield but with the old Balmain board members running them still.

Wests get their dominance over the merger that they've always wanted, Balmain can have their seats on the committee and their debts all paid and their junior teams can still be Balmain if they want, or they can rebrand themselves as Wests Tigers.

If Wests Ashfield rebranded as Wests Tigers they could be the official Leagues Club for the team.

Surely that would be a marketing boom for Wests Ashfield, to be affiliated completely with the NRL side.
 

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