Baron Vo Mandor
Coach
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I sincerely don't understand the Burro love, to me it seems like without Tew this deal was all but f**ked with him at the helm.
http://www.theherald.com.au/news/lo...attend-tinkler-information-night/2113698.aspxGet the facts: Stone urges members to attend Tinkler information night
BY JOSH LEESON
25 Mar, 2011 04:00 AM
KNIGHTS coach Rick Stone, captain Kurt Gidley and legend Andrew Johns have joined Nathan Tinklers TV ad campaign, but Stone yesterday urged club members to educate themselves fully on the details of the takeover before making their decision.
Stone and Gidley personally endorsed Tinklers bid to buy the Knights in a full-page advertisement in yesterdays Herald and also filmed a television commercial yesterday afternoon at Belmont to further support the plan.
Johns, the Knights greatest player, yesterday became the most high-profile Tinkler backer by appearing in his own advertisement shot in Sydney.
Both ads will start airing on Monday before members vote on the takeover on Thursday night.
Stone is a believer in the privatisation plan but said members should attend the Tinkler Sports Groups information night at Newcastle Panthers on Monday to educate themselves on all the facts.
It might be my personal opinion [to vote yes], but I definitely want the members to show up on Monday and ask questions themselves and find out a little bit about the Tinkler group and their vision, Stone said.
I think the biggest disparity here has been the lack of information and lack of understanding of information, and thats been a little frustrating for all parties.
This would be the opportune time for all members to ask some hard questions and look the people in the eye that are likely to take over our club and will have the massive responsibility of ownership of this place.
Tinkler is expected to address members on Monday, along with TSG executive chairman Ken Edwards and chief executive Troy Palmer.
It will be TSGs best chance to shore up the 75 per cent of the vote needed to take over the Knights.
Stone said a perception that members would lose a say in their club was the biggest concern from feedback he had received about the Tinkler proposal.
The members have always had a say in their club and they always need to have one because its an important ingredient in how it was set up, and Id like to think that needs to remain consistent regardless of who owns our football club, he said.
Under the Tinkler model I think that will be the case and people need to ask questions along those lines to make sure their voice is heard and they have some place where they can feel like theyre making a difference.
TSG has pledged to erase the Knights estimated $3 million of accumulated debts, underwrite sponsorship for $10 million annually for the next decade and inject $2.5million a year into junior development.
The deal would make Stone among the best resourced coaches in the NRL.
Theres a lot of other things around the Tinkler bid that could help the Knights in resources and facilities and possibly some presence and clout in the league, Stone said.
Stone is particularly excited by the injection of funding into junior development.
One of the biggest things is making sure our juniors are resourced well, he said.
Our junior representative sides, our development program.
Its fair to say our development program has one of the best league-growing areas in Australia and traditionally its continued to produce players and it will continue to produce players albeit in a different cycle.
http://www.theherald.com.au/news/lo...s-members-to-get-to-tinkler-talk/2115584.aspxEdwards urges members to get to Tinkler talk
BY JAMES GARDINER
28 Mar, 2011 04:00 AM
KNIGHTS members will get an opportunity to hear firsthand the plans billionaire Nathan Tinkler has for the club at an information meeting at Newcastle Panthers tonight.
Tinkler will address the meeting and take questions on his offer to buy the NRL club.
The meeting is the last planned before the ballot on Thursday at which members will vote on the offer.
Tinkler needs 75 per cent of the vote in favour for the mining magnate to assume control of the financially embattled Knights.
Tinkler has previously met with the old boys club and other groups but this is the first time he has been available to all members. Tinkler Sports Group executive chairman Ken Edwards, who will also address the meeting, said they expected a crowd of up to 1500 at the forum.
It is a great opportunity for members to listen to us present our case and our credentials, Edwards said.
It is a great opportunity to ask any questions they still might have, and it is a great opportunity for members to lodge their proxy vote and get it done. To get out two nights Monday and Thursday might be difficult for some. It is an opportunity for some to come and listen and lodge their proxy.
It is the first time Nathan has been available to talk to all members. It is not just voting members we are inviting.
A big part of what we want to do in the future is build on the current members club and making it bigger and more vibrant.
Tinklers offer, which has been endorsed by the Knights board, wipes out the clubs debt of more than $3.5million, underwrites sponsorship for at least $10million a year for 10 years and is backed by a $20million bank guarantee.
We are getting strong support everywhere we go but our greatest concern is that too many people will think it is such a good offer that it is over the line and they dont need to vote, Edwards said. We are urging people that do believe in what we are trying to do with the Knights to make sure they get their proxy in.
The meeting starts at 7pm. Members will have to show their membership card if they want to submit a proxy.
So, just confirming, it's not imperative you turn up to the meeting tonight right? Thursday night is THE night?
So the proxy forms that we received in the mail need to be filled out and dropped off at the supporters shop by tomorrow? And then we need to do the same again on Thursday night?
You can also watch it via the NBN site...I will be watching it because I don't think I could cope with Jim Thornton and others on a Monday night....:lol:
http://www.nbnnews.com.au/Hey Cram do you know if there is some special link or will it just be on the www.nbntv.com.au homepage at 7 tonight?
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...ing-us-greatness/story-e6frexnr-1226029702907Chief - Tinkler will bring us greatness
- Barry Toohey
- March 29, 2011 12:00AM
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Ambition...Nathan Tinkler outlines his plans for the Knights at a meeting in Newcastle last night.
Picture: Liam Driver
Source: The Daily Telegraph
CLUB legend Paul Harragon last night declared "greatness is just around the corner" for Newcastle Knights if the club votes in favour of Nathan Tinkler's $100 million takeover proposal.
Harragon spoke passionately in favour of the Tinkler bid at a members' information forum attended by the millionaire mining magnate and more than 1000 members at Newcastle Panthers.
The club's future will be decided at an extraordinary members meeting on Thursday night.
"The sky is the limit," Harragon told the audience. "We don't want to be strugglers anymore. We want to be the best.
"We can finally be big hitters in rugby league and that's what excites me. I can't comprehend it [voting against the bid]."
Tinkler, who received a huge ovation, told the gathering his only motivation in wanting to take over the club was to give the Knights the best possible opportunity to be successful and win premierships.
"I've been lucky enough to be successful in business and I want to give something back," he said. Former Knights stars Mark Sargent, Michael Hagan, Steve Simpson and Steve Crowe were also part of the official table, as were current coach Rick Stone and captain Kurt Gidley.
Tinkler could be out of pocket as much as $8 million in his first week as owner if his bid is given the green light.
The club is understood to be in debt for between $3.4 million and $4.6 million, which Tinkler has agreed to settle immediately.
Foundation member, Judy says the meeting has led her to change her vote. "I arrived with my mind made up," she said.
"I was certainly leaning towards a 'no' vote.
I just had terrible trouble letting go of the community thing, but after hearing everyone speak I would feel selfish.
I feel that I cannot deny the players, the facilities, the life they're being offered."
My only problem is in the voting system employed, after last nights meeting a mate of mine who is a member BUT NOT A VOTING MEMBER was able to lodge his proxy AFTER the meeting AND NO-ONE ASKED IF HE WAS ELIGIBLE , they just allowed him to place his proxy.
Hopefully someone does check members numbers against eligibility.
My only problem is in the voting system employed, after last nights meeting a mate of mine who is a member BUT NOT A VOTING MEMBER was able to lodge his proxy AFTER the meeting AND NO-ONE ASKED IF HE WAS ELIGIBLE , they just allowed him to place his proxy.
Hopefully someone does check members numbers against eligibility.