Julie Romero has been ousted as chair of the Holman Barnes Group - the majority owners of the Wests Tigers - in a dramatic shift that threatens to further inflame tensions within the club's already delicate joint-venture framework.
Romero, who had held the position since March 2023 after orchestrating a boardroom coup against then-chair Tony Andreacchio, was replaced this week by Dennis Burgess, the long-time chairman of the Western Suburbs District Rugby League Football Club and a key figure in the Magpies camp.
While Romero will remain on the board, the shift in power at the top of the Holman Barnes Group, which controls Wests Ashfield and holds a 75 percent stake in the Wests Tigers, is far from a cosmetic reshuffle.
Burgess's appointment is already drawing scrutiny. According to theย SMH, he reportedly told Balmain-aligned Wests Tigers director Danny Stapleton, โWe're bringing back the Wests Magpies,โ a comment that quickly caught fire behind closed doors and reached the desk of NRL chairman Peter V'landys via concerned Wests Tigers chair Barry O'Farrell.
For those familiar with the fragile political equilibrium that holds the joint-venture club together, the implications are significant.
The balancing act between the Western Suburbs and Balmain factions has long shaped decisions at Concord and this latest development is likely to reignite fears of imbalance and boardroom instability.
Romero's downfall comes after a turbulent tenure. She not only removed her predecessor but also oversaw the departure of directors Rick Wayde and Dave Gilbert over the summer.
Tensions intensified when Romero opposed an independent governance review of the Wests Tigers following a hat-trick of wooden spoons - a review that was nonetheless conducted by respected administrators Tony Crawford and Gary Barnier.
That review ultimately handed power to CEO Shane Richardson, who has since implemented a number of its recommendations, reportedly to Romero's displeasure.
Her resistance to reform and the perception of internal obstruction may have cost her crucial boardroom support, culminating in this week's vote.
Burgess's elevation may be viewed with suspicion by some within the Balmain camp who fear a reassertion of Magpies control, despite the formal equal representation structure in place at the Wests Tigers board level.
