The Wests Tigers seem to have mastered a unique form of institutional self-sabotage over the years.
They possess a remarkable, almost artistic knack for sparking crises at the most inopportune times.
The season opener against the North Queensland Cowboys at Leichhardt Oval on Saturday was meant to be a festive occasion.
However, instead of celebration, the club's majority owner finds himself facing a Supreme Court writ.
Tony Andreacchio, who was ousted from the Holman Barnes Group board in January last year, has issued a stern warning: either reinstate him immediately, or prepare for court battles.
His goal is not compensation but rather the reclamation of his position.
Andreacchio's legal correspondence has been dispatched, and his legal team is primed to initiate proceedings later this week should HBG choose to ignore him.
As reported by The Daily Telegraph, sources indicate that HBG is more inclined to engage in legal conflict than to capitulate, making a refusal highly probable.
In January last year, a disciplinary committee assessed complaints lodged by Western Suburbs Leagues Club, which is owned by HBG, resulting in the suspension of three directors.