New season, same old internal in-fighting plagues Tigers
Danny Weidler
February 26, 2023 — 5.45am
On the eve of their latest rebirth, Wests Tigers are facing more internal drama following claims that club bosses are not accountable and are part of the reason the club has struggled on the field for the past decade.
Western Suburbs District Rugby League Football Club chairman Shannon Cavanagh says Wests Tigers chairman Lee Hagipantelis and chief executive Justin Pascoe need to acknowledge they are at least part of the problem at the club that finished with the wooden spoon last season.
Cavanagh is speaking out today before a disciplinary hearing he will front this week relating to a conversation he had with Pascoe in front of a club sponsor.
“They [Pascoe and Hagipantelis] are really lacking in self-awareness if they can’t acknowledge they are a big part of the issues at the club,” Cavanagh said. “I think they don’t listen and they can’t handle criticism at all. There is an arrogance that exists at the club and I don’t know why they would feel like that given the way the Wests Tigers have performed.”
The disciplinary hearing relates to a conversation Cavanagh had with Pascoe at the launch of the Tigers’ centre of excellence. During a lengthy and sometimes heated conversation, Cavanagh was asked by Pascoe who he thought should run the club. He suggested SEN radio host Jimmy Smith.
“He asked me out of the blue and I said Jimmy,” Cavanagh said. “And when I think about it he would be good. He played for Wests, knows footy and he has an MBA. I think he’d be a good choice.”
This column has the letter of complaint written by Hagipantelis tearing strips off Cavanagh. The letter to the Wests club says in part: “Mr Cavanagh’s conduct was reprehensible. In his capacity as Chair of Wests Magpies, he has not only embarrassed himself, but also your Club. More importantly from my perspective, and what is of particular concern to my Board, is that said conduct occurred in the presence of, and in fact engaged, sponsors of Wests Tigers. It has been now necessary for me to proffer a formal apology on behalf of Wests Tigers to Mr Fabry and to the other Sponsor with whom I spoke, for Mr Cavanagh’s misconduct.
“What is most galling is the arrogant presumption of Mr Cavanagh that he is in any position to level criticism of the Wests Tigers. To my understanding, confirmed by my discussions with our CEO, Mr Justin Pascoe, Mr Cavanagh has had absolutely no involvement in our Club’s operational matters ... In those circumstances, Mr Cavanagh has no foundation, let alone any entitlement, to criticise our CEO, Mr Justin Pascoe, the culture of our organisation and the manner in which it is operated or make any comment with respect to staff.
“... This is not the first occasion Mr Cavanagh has embarrassed himself by engaging in vitriol and criticism, in a public setting, of the Wests Tigers. The conduct being the subject of this complaint should therefore not be construed as a one-off but, somewhat disturbingly, a pattern of conduct.
“It is the view of the Wests Tigers Board that Mr Cavanagh is not a fit and proper person to fill the role of Chairman of Wests Magpies, or indeed, hold a membership.”
Cavanagh denied that he was in any away aggressive or out of line in his conversation with Pascoe. In a letter detailing the night, Cavanagh writes: “After I arrived home, I sent him [Pascoe] a direct message via Instagram at 11:56pm which said: ‘Thanks for the hospitality??? If that is Wests Tigers culture, we have problems. Very poor.’
“I also sent a text message to Simon Cook, the CEO of Wests Ashfield at 11:18pm which said: ‘Wow, Justin’s a great guy. And his mates’. I believe that my response to Mr Pascoe’s question concerning the CEO of Wests Tigers was reasonable given the facts that: (a) Wests Tigers have not made the finals whilst Mr Pascoe has been CEO since 2015; b) in 2022, Wests Tigers finished last; c) the media has branded the organisation with the terms such as ‘basket case’, ‘laughing stock’ and ‘embarrassment’, and; d) in 2018 the NRL suspended Mr Pascoe for six months due to ... not disclosing contracts as required under salary-cap regulations.”
Hagipantelis and Pascoe were contacted but declined to comment. Cavanagh’s hearing is this week.
Wests Tigers’ club bosses have come under fire from the Western Suburbs District Rugby League Football Club chairman.
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