‘Coaching debacle’: How ‘pathetic’ display exposed glaring problem Tigers can’t ignore
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‘Pathetic’ Tigers’ Sheens revolution slammed as ‘coaching debacle’ emerges in Leichhardt
Tim Sheens’ Tigers slumped to two disappointing losses on Sunday afternoon and the rugby league world has taken aim at the merger club’s attempted revolution.
Sheens, alongside Tigers legend Benji Marshall and Robbie Farah, were handed the reigns ahead of the club’s 2023 campaign, hoping to turn fortunes around in Leichhardt.
But after going down to the Titans in Round 1 and the Knights in Round 2, it seems there has been little improvement despite the recruitment of Apisai Koroisau, Isaiah Papali’i and David Klemmer.
On Sunday the Tigers were unable to overcome a Newcastle side without Kalyn Ponga after an ugly concussion and Jacob Saifiti who was sent off in the 40th minute — and The Daily Telegraph’s Phil Rothfield has taken aim.
“The story out of yesterday is the coaching debacle at the Wests Tigers, you defended Tim Sheens last year Laurie when I raised the fact he was 72-years of age,” Rothfield said on the Big Sports Breakfast.
“He had been out of the game, in England for 10 years and lost two jobs while he was coaching over there.
“You saw the way they played yesterday was just terrible, the Benji, Robbie, Tim Sheens coaching trifecta is not working, they were dreadful yesterday.
Rothfield also questioned why the club opted to keep halfback Luke Brooks who is reportedly earning upwards of $1 million-per-season on his current deal.
The Knights were desperate to sign the 28-year-old, however Sheens decided he would persevere with Brooks and rugby league legend Laurie Daley also slammed the Tigers’ Round 2 display.
“Obviously they thought they could get the best out of him (Brooks), I was disappointed with their performance yesterday, as I was in Round 1 and they need to improve quickly,” Daley said.
“What I saw from them yesterday was a team who just made mistake after mistake, they were rushing their plays, they had no one in their team to be able to calm everyone down and take the lead.
“They just were a team that looked frustrated, that tried to play way above their ability at this stage.
“But I have got every confidence that they can get it right over the long term, but over the short term they lack that leadership out there on the field.”
Fox League’s Michael Ennis also labelled the display “one of the most disappointing performances from the Tigers in recent history” and said their attack was “diabolical”.
Rothfield also highlighted how long ago Sheens had success as an NRL coach, having led the Tigers to a premiership in 2005.
“I don’t want to bag Tim Sheens heavy, but I did say last year I have a concern that he has been out of the game for so long,” Rothfield said.
“The premiership was in 2005, what’s that 18 years ago, Benji and Robbie are untried NRL coaches and I know there’s meant to be an apprenticeship here, and I know they are planning.
“They are not going to be anywhere near a premiership for the next three or four years.
“But you have to weigh up everything that happened yesterday, Kalyn Ponga went off yesterday very early into the game, Newcastle’s best player by ten lengths.
“Then they lost their hooker in Brailey.”
A heated post-match exchange between Jackson Hastings and the Tigers duo of Tommy Talau and David Klemmer also captured headlines.
Hastings, who left the merger club after the 2022 season, caught Talau with a high shot which sidelined the outside back for the remainder of the game.
After an interview with Fox League, Hastings approached his former teammate who shirtfronted the Newcastle halfback before a security guard intervened.
Rothfield slammed the Tigers duo for their actions and labelled the incident a “terrible look” for the club.
“I want to talk about what I thought was disgraceful sportsmanship there at full time... he did the right thing, he clipped Tommy Talau high early in the game,” Rothfield said.
“He went over there as footballers do after the game to shake hands, to apologise for the incident and to be then met with that kind of treatment from the Wests Tigers players was wrong.
“A terrible, terrible look to behave like that after a football game, having to be separated by bloody security guards.
“I don’t care what else happened, after a game you shake hands after a football game and there are some incidents that happen on a football field and stay on the football field.”
