A determined Tim Sheens says he will remain at the Wests Tigers’ helm for the next 18 months and resist parachuting Benji Marshall into the job early as the side tries to avoid a sixth straight loss.
Sheens also said Mitchell Moses had been “genuinely interested” in returning home to the Tigers, only to stay loyal to Parramatta, the club his side faces on Easter Monday in the hunt for a long overdue victory.
It has been another controversial week for the Tigers, which started with Daine Laurie “liking” an image of Brisbane’s Selwyn Cobbo scoring a try against his own club and included the drawn-out commemorative Anzac jersey fiasco, in which the club used an image of American soldiers rather than Australians.
Another loss at Accor Stadium on Monday will turn up the heat on Sheens and the new coaching structure, but the club and the 72-year-old mentor will not bow to external pressure.
The Tigers have the bye next weekend, then take on Manly and premiers Penrith, a run that could leave them without a win heading into round 10.
However, Sheens knows it would be foolish to accelerate the plan for Marshall to succeed him before the start of the 2025 season.
Tim Sheens says he won’t hand over the coaching reins early despite the Wests Tigers’ woeful run.Credit: Rhett Wyman
“Benji is already heavily involved, and we’re working as a team,” Sheens told The Sun-Herald. “I don’t care what people say; my commitment is to this club.
“I love doing what I’m doing. I’m disappointed at times, as is every coach. But I’m not giving up on the season. I’m committed to this group. I said that after the Broncos loss. And I won’t be giving up on this group.
“I’m employed to do a job. I’ve worked hard with these guys to put this team together, and I’ll continue to work hard to try and recruit and improve this squad.”
There were suggestions Sheens and Marshall had not seen eye to eye over team selections – and recruitment targets, including Mitchell Pearce – but the coach dismissed such talk last week.
Wests Tigers’ coach-in-waiting Benji Marshall.Credit: Getty Images
Moses was hotly pursued by the Tigers and can put the boot into his old club a second time in the final game of the round.
The Tigers tabled a mammoth five-year offer for the half, only for the Eels to upgrade his deal next year and extend the contract through to 2028 on a whopping $6 million.
“We went after him for a reason; Mitchell was our junior in a sense, and I signed him many years ago,” Sheens said.
“He’s clearly talented, and that’s why Parramatta paid so much to keep him. He was genuinely interested in us and gave us the time of day. But he was drawn back to his own club, and that’s fine. He made his call and we move on.”
The fact the Tigers missed out on Moses leaves question marks over Luke Brooks and where he fits into the club’s plans for next year. Brooks said on Friday he was yet to speak with the club about 2024 and beyond.
One player briefly linked to a mid-season move to the Eels is Laurie, the fleet-footed fullback who will spend another week in reserve grade.
Former Balmain fullback Tim Brasher told the Herald during the week he had hoped to see Laurie reinstated to the custodian role.
Sheens said he and Laurie had spoken about what he wanted him to work on, and he had responded well at training.
“Daine and Charlie [Staines] are our best options right now, while everyone knows we have a young guy [Jahream Bula] coming through who is out injured,” Sheens said.
“Fullback is such an important position. The old saying is you appear to play with 14 men with a good fullback, but only 12 if you don’t have one. Fullbacks have to be those dominant characters.”
Stream the NRL Premiership 2023 live and free on 9Now.
