NRL 2021: New Wests Tigers football boss Tim Sheens walks straight into Luke Brooks drama
Tim Sheens has arrived at Concord for the first day of his epic Wests Tigers rebuild - with one huge task awaiting him. EXCLUSIVE PICS INSIDE.
Dean Ritchie
10 min read
November 8, 2021 - 9:51AM
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom
Tim Sheens has finally arrived to help save Wests Tigers.
The Daily Telegraph snapped these exclusive photos of Sheens arriving at the club’s Concord headquarters on Monday morning to start his new role as
Wests Tigers director of football.
Sheens was met at Concord by the club’s recently-returned recruitment manager, Warren McDonnell, before the pair shook hands with club chairman Lee Hagipantelis.
Wearing a blue polo shirt and black cap while carrying a black bag, Sheens formally started his new job at 9.15am having arrived back in Australia from England at 7pm on Sunday.
And Sheens’ first task will be to sort through – and sort out –
the constant and damaging rumours that halfback Luke Brooks may head to Newcastle.
Wests Tigers new head of football Tim Sheens (wearing cap) chats with trainer Ronnie Palmer at Concord on Monday. Picture: Toby Zerna
News Corp was told on Sunday that Brooks had assured Tigers officials he would stay at Concord, starting with his attendance at the club’s first off-season training session next Monday.
Despite having engaged in constant and positive dialogue with Brooks, Tigers’ management remains frustrated at the continuing speculation about his future and wants it known the 26-year-old will be the club’s halfback next season.
Brooks will be at Concord for training at 9am on Monday week. Tigers officials have also denied speculation Roosters halfback Lachlan Lam could be heading to Concord. One official said: “Why do we want him when we have Luke?”
News Corp was also told that Brooks had not discussed a release and guaranteed coach Michael Maguire he had no desire to leave for Newcastle as a replacement for Mitchell Pearce — as has been heavily mooted in recent weeks.
Wests Tigers officials have taken to asking journalists where they believe the constant conjecture has emanated from. Maguire wants Brooks, as does Sheens.
“How many times do we need to say it — he is with us,” one source inside Wests Tigers said. “Madge has said he’s staying, Sheens has said he’s staying, every board member has said he’s staying, Lee (Hagipantelis, club chairman) has said he’s here. What else do we need to do or say?
“The organisation has backed him. He will be at training on Monday week. He is Wests Tigers halfback and will be here this year. ‘Brooksy’ has said it all before — he loves the club and wants to stay.”
Wests Tigers will be without the injured Adam Doueihi for the opening five months of next year after he had a knee reconstruction.