Supercoach Sheens

[Sam H]

I don't see why you are bagging him for playing Murdoch-Masila, It's not like he had a terrible finals series he was solid and done a good job.

Yes maybe picking Fitzhenry isn't great but bagging him for picking inexperience is just wrong, Plenty of times in the history of the game players have been brought in around the time of the finals series and performed remarkably well, Brad Fittler, Toni Carroll and Anthony Collela just to name three off the top of my head.

I'm not bagging him for picking rookies in finals. I'm bagging him for carrying Fitzhenry uselessly on the bench all season instead of giving young rookies some valuable exerperience which could have come in handy in the finals.

As a result when guys like Meaney and Masilla came into the team in the big matches towards the end of the year they did so with almost no first grade experience - a completely avoidable situation. And guess what? They both made crucial errors in these games (Meaney v Titans, and Masilla v Roosters).

All down to Sheens' sick and long-running fascination with Daniel Fitzhenry. It didn't end up costing us a Premiership in 2005, but it was certainly a factor in 2010. Throw in the intervening John Morris years and you have a sense of why so many Tigers fans think Sheens is senile.

 

[Sunshine Coast Tiger]

I'm not bagging him for picking rookies in finals. I'm bagging him for carrying Fitzhenry uselessly on the bench all season instead of giving young rookies some valuable exerperience which could have come in handy in the finals.

As a result when guys like Meaney and Masilla came into the team in the big matches towards the end of the year they did so with almost no first grade experience - a completely avoidable situation. And guess what? They both made crucial errors in these games (Meaney v Titans, and Masilla v Roosters).

All down to Sheens' sick and long-running fascination with Daniel Fitzhenry. It didn't end up costing us a Premiership in 2005, but it was certainly a factor in 2010. Throw in the intervening John Morris years and you have a sense of why so many Tigers fans think Sheens is senile.

Sheens is a good coach. Maybe he has been with us for too long but I can't think of an available coach I would be happy to replace him with.

I think Daniel Fitzhenry will not be offered a contract for next season and this should improve our bench by at least 100%.

 

[Sam H]

Sheens is a good coach. Maybe he has been with us for too long but I can't think of an available coach I would be happy to replace him with.

I agree with that. Sheens is clearly a good coach. Which makes the numerous examples of manifestly horrible coaching even harder to take.

 

[hybrid_tiger]

It appears to me that Sheens is rather good at motivating his troops for finals football.

His problem is getting there in the first place.

As I said, happy to have Sheens stay on, there is no doubting he is a very good coach. But his team selections (Fitzhenry) and use of the bench, borders on criminal sometimes, so you can understand the frustration, surely.

I maintain that Daniel Fitzhenry would not make any other side in the NRL.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

His problem is getting there in the first place.

As I said, happy to have Sheens stay on, there is no doubting he is a very good coach. But his team selections (Fitzhenry) and use of the bench, borders on criminal sometimes, so you can understand the frustration, surely.

I maintain that Daniel Fitzhenry would not make any other side in the NRL.

I don't disagree. Just pointing out the apparent positive since so many people focus only on his shortcomings.

 

[hybrid_tiger]

Definitely agree. He had us primed for finals football once again. Our defence in particular was outstanding for most part. And his tactics were pretty spot on in all three games.

 

[super_coach]

People bag Sheens but if he put himself on the open market their would be plenty of clubs willing to part with big dollars to get him onboard. A ounce of luck and a fair go from the officials and the tigers would have romped it in and now be preparing for a grand final so Sheens must be doing something right

 

[veintitres]

Tim Sheens heading in to the season was something like one finals series appearance (05-Premiers) from his last eleven seasons (or something like that, please correct me there, it may be a little lower like ten, maybe higher like twelve??). From where I sit, that's an alarming stat for a coach, even one as great (and he is a great coach) as Sheens. That alone was cause for concern for any Tigers fan I think you would find.

Now, staying on topic, Tim Sheens isn't the reason the Wests Tigers are now knee deep in to 'Mad Monday' celebrations. Sheens and his staff did a fantastic job this season and this should keep the wolves at bay for a few more seasons yet. The Tigers had a great season and they should be congratulated, Sheens and his staff included.

Don't be fooled, outside of Wayne Bennett, I don't think there is another coach that could have got that result down at Canberra after the physical and mental war that the Tigers went through with the Roosters. It was a massive effort by the players but I think you will find Tim Sheens was HUGE in that result.