Rugby League club Balmain Tigers will use the example of its Australian Football League namesake Richmond "in an audacious bid" to save its shareholding in Wests Tigers and preserve a 106-year presence in top-level rugby league, according to Chris Barrett of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. The foundation club's standing as a partner in the merged entity "is in grave danger, with the original Tigers set to be denied representation on a newly assembled Wests Tigers board" and facing the prospect of having its partnership bought out if it cannot settle its debts within the next 18 months. The new board "was due to meet on Sunday night and elect a chairperson." Balmain's two representatives, Danny Stapleton and Jim Myatt, "were expected to have a vote on that decision but be removed from the board by as early as Friday" under the terms of a deal struck with the National Rugby League in March. The agreement "is understood to state that the first call for funding from the joint venture partners can be made in as little as five days after the board convenes, meaning that by the end of the week Balmain's delegates will be asked whether they are financial, and when they inevitably confirm they are not, they will drop off as directors." Repayment "is a mountain that many believe will be impossible for Balmain to climb" -- former Tigers player Ben Elias said on Sunday the Balmain portion of Wests Tigers was "dead" -- but those behind the rescue mission are drawing on what was achieved by Richmond as they "hold out hope for survival." In '11 Richmond set itself an "ambitious plan" to raise A$6M in 12 months, "much of it through the donations of supporters," to try to clear its huge debts. Balmain Tigers are looking closely at what the AFL club did with its "Fighting Tigers' Fund" and "at least have the advantage of a connection to Richmond and that successful fundraising initiative." Myatt "is a former sponsor of the Melbourne side" and was an active participant in its program (SMH, 9/8).
