The Wests Tigers National Rugby League team’s owners are seeking increased remuneration, a move that comes amid ongoing turmoil within the organization and questions about governance. The proposed honorariums for board members at the Holman Barnes Group (HBG), which controls the Tigers, are second only to those at the Penrith Panthers, a team with a significantly larger membership base and revenue stream.
According to HBG’s annual report, the organization returned a net profit of $11.9 million in 2025, with $52 million generated from poker machines and overall revenue reaching $100 million. Despite this financial performance, the HBG has faced considerable internal strife over the past 18 months, including the controversial removal of several board members and a highly publicized dispute involving former NSW premier Nick O’Farrell and other independent directors.
HBG vice-chairman Frank Primerano, who also serves on the Wests Tigers board, defended the proposed pay increases, stating, “As Holman Barnes Group’s business has expanded, the workload and governance responsibilities placed on directors have increased substantially. The proposed adjustments simply bring board honorariums into line with the scale of the organization and the time commitment required, particularly as directors are increasingly involved in committees and strategic projects during this period of significant growth and investment.”
However, a source familiar with HBG’s operations, speaking anonymously, questioned the timing and justification of the increases. “How can the most chaotic board in NSW simultaneously become one of the highest paid? If the stipend for the board were based on performance then quite obviously these people would be getting a pay cut, not a pay day.”
The proposed honorarium structure mirrors that of the Penrith Panthers, where the chairman receives $80,000 annually, the two deputies earn $40,000 each, and remaining directors receive $20,000 per year. HBG board members also benefit from perks such as complimentary food and beverages. At the upcoming annual general meeting on March 21, members will be asked to approve $500 monthly hospitality cards for the chairman and deputy chairman.
The structure of HBG’s ownership is unusual, with a balance of power resting with 20 debenture holders who select the majority of directors under a system in place for decades. Only two of the nine board seats are directly elected by the wider membership, and there will be no election for those positions at this month’s AGM after one of the three nominees withdrew. The remaining candidates, Shannon Cavanagh and Aldo Di Mento, both have existing ties to HBG and its leadership. Cavanagh is a director of Wests Magpies alongside HBG chairman Dennis Burgess and Primerano, while Di Mento is a director of APIA Leichardt FC, a soccer team in which HBG recently invested.
HBG’s financial report reveals that the organization received $20 million in funding from the NRL in 2025 and has outstanding financial commitments of $36 million to players and head coach Benji Marshall over the next five years. While the Wests Tigers are governed separately, NRL funding is channeled through HBG, highlighting the interconnectedness of the two entities.
The recent turmoil at HBG included the initial axing of O’Farrell and three other independent directors in December, followed by their reinstatement days later after concerns raised by the NRL. The organization also reached a costly settlement with former chief executive Shane Richardson, who resigned amid the boardroom conflict, and settled out of court with former director Rick Wayde, who was banned for eight years. HBG has since increased its representation on the Tigers board, gaining effective majority control.
