NRL 2024: Former chairman Lee Hagipantelis hired to represent sacked Wests Tigers rookie Jordan Miller against the club | Sunday Session
Wests Tigers’ major sponsor and former chairman Lee Hagipantelis has been hired to represent sacked rising star Jordan Miller against the NRL club.
Brent Read and
Michael Carayannis
The turbulent relationship between the Tigers and their former chairman Lee Hagipantelis has exploded once with the club’s outgoing major sponsor at the centre of legal action being undertaken against the club over the sacking of rising star Jordan Miller.
Hagipantelis’ firm Brydens Lawyers has taken on the case to represent Miller against the Tigers just days before he formally cuts ties as the club’s major sponsor, with that deal expiring at the end of this month.
Hagipantelis confirmed that Brydens Lawyers had taken on Miller’s case, but would not be drawn into the specifics of the matter.
It is understood that the 19-year-old is disputing the club’s reasoning for their intent to terminate his contract.
The matter is now expected to head to arbitration and could end up in the courtroom if it is not resolved.
Former Wests Tigers Chairman Lee Hagipantelis has been hired to represent a player against the club.
The Tigers will claim that Miller was late to a training session – for the second time – and was subsequently breached leading to his impending sacking.
However, the youngster will claim the most recent breach occurred because of extenuating circumstances relating to a personal nature.
Police are involved but there are no allegations of any wrongdoing by Miller aside from getting to training late. Despite the personal upheaval he still attended the session.
Miller made his NRL debut this year and played two games off the bench. He is contracted to the Tigers until the end of 2026 and represented Fiji in their Test against PNG last weekend.
The fact that Miller has chosen Hagipantelis to take on the matter adds another layer to the fractious relationship between the club’s former high profile chairman.
Jordan Miller made his NRL debut for the Wests Tigers in Round 15 2024, but faces being sacked after the Tigers claimed he was late to training. Picture: NRL Images.
Hagipantelis was dumped as chairman last December after a wide-ranging review and subsequently told the club he would not be renewing his major partnership deal.
Hagipantelis described the process that led to his departure as “despicable” in a letter The Sunday Telegraph obtained in May.
“The disgraceful events of 12 December last year impacted significantly and adversely on the relationship of Brydens Lawyers and Wests Tigers given the disrespectful way I, as chairman of Wests Tigers, was treated by the representatives of the club’s stakeholders,” Hagipantelis wrote.
“Recent events have compounded the concerns which I have held with respect to the continuing relationship of Brydens Lawyers and Wests Tigers.”
Hagipantelis wished coach Benji Marshall and the club well, but feared for it’s future.
“I have the philosophical difficulty of continuing in business with people in whom I repose no respect,” he said.
“I speak of the representatives of the stakeholders with whom I had the displeasure of serving on the Board.
“These persons are still engaged in the Club whether it be in a formal or informal capacity.
“I regard these people as cowards.”
Hagipantelis has not attended any Tigers home game this year nor any formal functions despite putting in seven figures to help fund the club.
The Tigers are yet to announce a new front of jersey sponsor.
