Wests Tigers have hit back at suggestions the club’s eagerly-watched season review will not strike at the heart of the issues at the joint-venture, following another dismal year devoid of finals football.
The concerns stem from the fact that the review will be conducted by chief executive Justin Pascoe and football manager Adam Hartigan, the very same men who are coming under increasing scrutiny following a decade of woe in Concord.
Chairman Lee Hagipentalis has since gone on the offensive, declaring the review will in no way be “compromised” by vested interests, and that bringing in an independent party would be “unnecessary”.
“I think we are more than capable of undertaking a review ourselves,” he said on SEN this morning.
“I am a lawyer of over 30 years standing so you can imagine I’ve asked a question or two in my lifetime. We have the ability and expertise on that board, we’ve engaged Tim Sheens to assist in that process, we’ve got a CEO who is well qualified, a general manager of football as well.
“It is an opportunity to use that expertise and delve into the club. No-one knows the club as well as we do, no-one knows what questions need to be asked as well as we do, no-one knows the personnel involved as well as we do.”
The biggest points of concern fans will want to see addressed are issues around roster management and a decision made on the future of coach Michael Maguire, who has rightly or wrongly found himself in the crosshairs after little improvement at the club under his leadership.
But the coach has found a groundswell of support from colleagues and pundits around the game who have backed the premiership-winner, arguing the real issues lie with the players’ group.
“The problem is, it seems like the players are in control,” NSW Blues coach Brad Fittler said.
“They’re out there not really having a go and no one is really talking about them being sacked. That becomes a drama because it becomes a lot easier to move one coach and then highlight, ‘You know what players? Now we’ve got rid of the coach and it’s up to you’. Your head is on the chopping block now.
“That’s normally what happens. The players take over, they stop trying, someone gets punted and it sort of starts again.
“Sometimes, when you’re not whole-hearted about everything to do with the club and the team, then it gets found out. And it got found out tonight. They give up.”
Despite his plaudits, Maguire hasn’t been able to remedy any of the ongoing issues that have plagued the joint-venture over the past decade in his three years at Concord.
Time will tell if his dedication is enough to keep his head above water.
Maguire still has two years to run on his deal at the Tigers.
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