Former NSW premier Barry O’Farrell has been dramatically sacked from the Wests Tigers board.
The news broke late on Monday with the Wests Tigers majority owner, the Holman Barnes Group, confirming a removal notice had been issued to the club’s four independent directors, Barry O’Farrell, Annabelle Williams, Charlie Viola and Michelle McDowell.
Commenting on the move, Holman Barnes Group CEO Daniel Paton blamed poor communication between the club owners and the Wests Tigers board, revealing it had been left out of the loop on several key commercial announcements despite having two of its own appointed directors sitting on the board.
According to reports in the Sydney Morning Herald one of the issues that led the dramatic action was the colour scheme of next season’s Tigers home jersey, which was considered to be too orange, presumably due to historic tensions between Balmain and Wests Magpies.
Whatever the exact reasons, Paton said Monday’s boardroom changes would not affect Wests Tigers chief executive Shane Richardson or head coach Benji Marshall as they attempt to guide the club back towards the NRL finals.