It’s either the Macarthur Tigers and success or more mediocrity

It’s almost a week since the Wests Tigers shook the rugby league world when they sacked head coach Jason Taylor after just three matches into the 2017 NRL season.

A lot has been said since that moment, both on social media and online news and sport websites.

The Jason Taylor haters celebrated, while his supporters mourned his passing.

Much of the commentary came from people outside the club and it looked at the history of the joint venture club since its inception in 1999.

Mention was made of similar decisions which pointed to a culture of “more money than sense’’.

These included the sacking and payout of Tim Sheens – that was close to one million dollars.

Robbie Farah may be playing at Souths this year but the Wests Tigers are paying much of his massive salary.

There were also examples of a dysfunctional structure that has not really been able to break free from the hold of the two foundations clubs that created it, Balmain Tigers and Western Suburbs Magpies.

One of this is the muddle of a stadium policy over the last few years, with the club calling ANZ, Campbelltown, Leichhardt and Allianz home, leaving the fans, if not the players, confused.

I won’t even go near the make up of the board, which apparently made the decision to execute Jason Taylor last Tuesday.

And then there’s the elephant in the room: where is the club heading in the future.

As some of you will remember, I have time and time again called on the club to do the only logical thing if it wants to survive and thrive: move to Macarthur permanently.

Phil Gould was quoted as saying as much, and he is considered to be one of the best rugby league brains in the country.

Wests Tigers will continue to be a basket case for ever and a day unless three things change.

First is the establishment of a brand new Wests Tigers structure that is completely separated from the Magpies and the Tigers.

Secondly, a board that contains business people who are also rugby league people, either having played the game or were administrators or both.

Thirdly, move the new structure to Campbelltown and change the name to Macarthur Tigers.

This is a radical suggestion, to start all over again in a new place with a different name, but what is the alternative?