Departing Wests Tigers coach brushes end-of-season presentation night in sad end to decorated career
Outgoing Wests Tigers coach sadly ends his distinguished career on end-of-season presentation night
- Tim Sheens turned down the Wests Tigers presentation night this week
- Sheens was told in August that he was no longer at the club next season
- Struggling joint venture outfit finished off with another wooden spoon from NRL
Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens was invited to attend the club’s end-of-season presentation night, which was to celebrate his career, but turned down the event.
Sheens – who famously gave the joint venture an NRL premiership in 2005 – was told in August that his services were not needed next year.
Benji Marshall was dropped to the top position twelve months early, and Sheens was clearly unhappy with the way he was personally treated by club officials.
He cleaned up presentation night at the William Inglis Hotel at Warwick Farm on Tuesday and it follows a Test season in which the Tigers ‘won’ another wooden spoon after winning just four games.
Scott Fulton was also hired as the club’s new recruiting boss – without Sheens’ knowledge – and the 72-year-old subsequently raised eyebrows after partying at a Panthers Old Boys party last weekend.
Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens was invited to attend the club’s end-of-season presentation night, which was to celebrate his career, but turned down the event.
On the field it was a season to forget, with the Wests Tigers ‘winning’ another wooden spoon
It was 24 hours after the Manly Sea Eagles defeated the Tigers 54-12 at Brookvale Oval on Sydney’s Northern Beaches in Sheens’ final match in charge at NRL level.
Sheens played (1970-1982) and coached Penrith (1984-1987) before leaving the club and creating a dynasty in Canberra where the Raiders won three premierships in 1989, 1990 and 1994.
He then moved on to the Cowboys (1997-2001), arriving with the Tigers in 2003 before leaving nine years later.
Next was Hull and Widnes in the English Super League, before returning to Concord in 2021 where he worked on trajectories, development and talent identification.
He replaced Michael Maguire ahead of the 2023 season, but it was one to forget.
Panthers legend Royce Simmons, who worked with the Tigers under Sheens, felt his close friend – who also coached the NSW City team, the NSW Blues Origin side and the Kangaroos – deserved to be treated better.
“If you weren’t wanted at the club, how could you go to their presentation night,” Simmons told the club Sydney Morning Herald.
Sheens famously led the Wests Tigers to an NRL premiership in 2005 (pictured)
“It’s sad to see. Tim didn’t get the chance to do what he wanted to do.
“Compare his situation with Wayne Bennett at the Dolphins, he got the players and staff he wanted.
‘Look at Tim’s expertise, but they (Tigers) didn’t use it. I do not feel like it.’
Sheen’s next move in rugby league circles remains up in the air.
It is clear that he was eager to return to a head football role with the Tigers, but the struggling club went in a different direction.