ARLC chair Peter V’landys meets with sacked Wests Tigers independent directors, including former chair Barry O’Farrell

Australian Rugby League chairman Peter V’landys has made good on his promise to investigate Wests Tigers’ corporate governance by meeting with the club’s four sacked independent directors on Tuesday afternoon.

The development comes as pressure grows on Dennis Burgess – the chairman of the club’s majority owner, the Holman Barnes Group – to stand down. His future is likely to come to a head next week.

“There are no further decisions or changes that have been made about the Wests Tigers board at the moment,” a HBG spokesperson said. “The next board meeting is scheduled for December 15.”

Shane Richardson quit as Tigers chief executive on Monday after deciding he couldn’t work with the HBG, just a week after it sacked independent Tigers directors Barry O’Farrell, Annabelle Williams, Charlie Viola and Michelle McDowell.

Despite having representation on the Tigers board, HBG claimed it was left out of key decisions such as the team’s stadia policy. It’s a claim that prompted a legal letter from the sacked directors, resulting in a video from HBG chief executive Daniel Paton being taken down from the company’s website.

The developments have piqued the interest of Liquor & Gaming NSW, the body that sacked the Parramatta Leagues Club board in 2016 for having ceased to be an effective governing body. The state’s liquor and gaming watchdog stated “we are monitoring these latest developments involving the board.”

So, too, is the NRL. V’landys has already spoken to Paton, who assured him HBG was not trying to squeeze Balmain out of the joint venture. On, Tuesday he invited O’Farrell, Williams, Viola and McDowell to provide their version of events at his Racing NSW headquarters in Sydney.

O’Farrell and V’landys were contacted for comment. V’landys has previously stated he will look into the matter.