The Wests Tigers are set to make a major surprise switch for the 2024 season, with Benji Marshall to become head coach, even if not by title.
The Tigers have been locked in a struggle to move away from the bottom of the table in 2023, and find themselves in last place again after a horror show on the weekend as they fell to the Cowboys 74 points to nil in Townsville.
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Tim Sheens has been under enormous pressure in recent weeks, and while the Tigers at times have shown some signs of life, it has hardly been an improvement on their 2022 campaign, which saw Michael Maguire sacked and Brett Kimmorley take over in an interim capacity, before the joint-venture wound up with the wooden spoon.
The Sydney Morning Herald are now reporting that while Sheens will remain in title as head coach next season, it won't be by role, with Benji Marshall to assume duties a year early under the watchful eye of the veteran mentor, who led the club to a 2005 premiership that Marshall played in.
Marshall is slated to officially take over as head coach from the start of 2025 at the end of a two-year apprenticeship under Sheens, who was elevated to head coach this season after being the director of football at the battling club last year.
It's understood Marshall will take over control from November.
Marshall has previously told News Corp that he is keen to continue as assistant coach until the end of 2024, following speculation he could walk out on the club.
โI love my job as an assistant coach and I'm looking forward to learning more off Tim this year and in 2024 and excited to become the head coach in 2025 and I'm not walking out anywhere,โ Marshall said to News Corp.
Making the move a year early would allow Sheens to slip back into a director of football role a year early, taking a more holistic approach in attempting to fix the club's struggles both on and off the field.
While Sheens is viewed as the right man to fix that, it's also believed the club's board want a change of approach on-field, with Sheens unable to deliver results thus far.
It's believed Marshall's responsibilities in running the team have already been elevated, and that would appear to be confirmed with images out of the Tigers' coaching box each week showing Marshall directing traffic with the headset on while Sheens takes a more observational role.
