FED-UP WESTS TIGERS FANS MARCH IN FORCE, DEMAND HOLMAN BARNES EXIT
More than 1000 supporters converge in Sydney’s inner west as chaos engulfs NRL club
SYDNEY – In a powerful show of dissent that will forever be etched in Wests Tigers history, more than 1000 fed-up fans took to the streets on Saturday, marching in unison to demand the Holman Barnes Group resign from the embattled NRL club.
Led by passionate local mayor Darcy Byrne, the rally drew supporters from as far as Tasmania and Perth, with footy legend Steve ‘Blocker’ Roach – a club great – joining the protest to stand with loyal fans.
Byrne delivered a stark warning about the club’s future under its current regime. “We simply won’t be in the NRL in a couple of years’ time if these people (Holman Barnes) are allowed to continue the way they have been,” he told the crowd.
The demonstration comes amid 11 days of unprecedented chaos since December 1: the club sacked independent board directors, CEO Shane Richardson resigned, the NRL intervened to reinstate the ousted directors, and coach Benji Marshall’s contract was extended until 2030.
In a move to unify supporters, Byrne announced the launch of “Wests Tigers Unite” – a new organisation giving fans a platform to air their concerns to club power brokers. He also issued a clear deadline for change.
“We’ll give them until February… to the first trial game at Leichhardt,” Byrne said. “And if the problem hasn’t been fixed, if we don’t have real independent governance, well, guess what? We are going to protest again. There you go Holman Barnes, have a think about that over Christmas.”
Roach emphasized the critical need for fans’ voices to be heard. “I’m a Tigers supporter, so I’m just like everyone else,” he said. “I want the power to go back to the fans – they pay their hard-earned week in and week out, so they should have a say.”
Fellow supporter Hannah Nichols captured the mood with signs reading “Wests Tigers. Not Magpies. Not Balmain.” and “It’s our club. Not yours.” – sentiments that resonated with the massive crowd.
