Ben Elias says the NRL has sounded the deathknell for Balmain’s involvement in the Wests Tigers after the foundation club was left without any directors on the joint venture’s board.

On Friday NRL boss Dave Smith unveiled the new Wests Tigers board, which includes three new non-executive directors chosen by a nominations committee comprising Wests, Balmain and the NRL.

Those directors are Rosemary Sinclair, Lucio Di Bartolomeo and Marina Go.

They join Tony Andreacchio and Simon Cook from Wests to make up the board.

With no Balmain representation on the board, club great Elias, who has previously served as a board member, said he feared the end of the foundation club involvement with rugby league.

Balmain’s $2 million debt to the NRL, has prevented them from holding a position on the board.

“It is very, very sad I have to say,” Elias told Triple M on Sunday.

“It is like we are on life support and it is inevitable they are going to pull the plug.

“Unfortunately those directors are there to support the NRL. Balmain will always be outvoted in preference to the NRL.

“That says in a nutshell the Balmain faction is dead.”

“We have been a big supporter of the game since day one, we need the NRL to support us now.

Elias said the relationship between the Tigers and Wests factions of the board has traditionally been “terrible”.

He also took aim at the lack of rugby league knowledge on the new board.

“Those three people who have come on the board, their experience of rugby league is zero, they have no rugby league affiliation,” he said.

“What worries me is that people are being put in the big positions and they are don’t understand the grass roots of rugby league.

“It is big business and I respect business people coming in and making big decisions but I also respect the fact you must have some of that rugby league faction there with you.

“You have a look at our five board members and you have no rugby league experience on that board and that worries me.”

Elias said he felt it was unlikely under-siege coach Mick Potter would be offered a new contract by the new Wests Tigers board.