Fans of top flight club sign petition demanding external review into club after terrible season

We have seen a number of clubs struggle at different points in the 2023 Super League season. Things may appear a lot better at Leeds Rhinos but they have hit real low points as have Wigan Warriors and St Helens despite their lofty position in the table whilst Castleford Tigers an Wakefield Trinity have the teams who have struggled more recently.

Warrington Wolves and Huddersfield Giants are right now the teams having difficulties at the moment.

One Super League club earlier this year even had a crisis meeting to address their poor form and that was the Castleford Tigers the week of their brilliant Magic Weekend win over Leeds.

“Yeah we had quite an open, honest crisis meeting, so to speak, on the Monday leading into the Huddersfield game,” Andy Last said on BBC Radio Leeds at the time.

“We was trying to hold back on that, hoping that we’ll get to the start of next season and do that. But I think the way that the season has gone, we need to fast forward and set some standards now and start living by those standards and draw a line in that first half of the season.

“We know that the performances weren’t at the level we expect and we need to make sure that we improve our performances on a day-to-day basis and hope that that will lead to better performances when it comes to game day.”

Castleford aren’t the only Tigers who have struggles in 2023 with John Bateman’s Wests having a difficult year.

Now fans are calling for an independent and external review into the club.

The Wests Tigers Podcast are leading the charge calling for an external review of the club’s operations, launching an online petition that generated almost 500 signatures in just a matter of days.

Long-time club fan, member, and podcast host Joel Helmes told Zero Tackle that high-level decision-makers at the club don’t have the ability to turn the club around – a concern that has been repeated throughout the club’s supporter community.

“I think there is a real concern among the fanbase that the people who are in high-level decision-making roles within the club don’t have the ability to get things back on track,” Helmes said.

“We have a board that features people who may be well-intentioned, but perhaps don’t hold the right skillset to turn a struggling professional sporting organisation into a successful one.”