The Wests Tigers are reportedly set to announce Tim Sheens as their next head coach within the week, and two very familiar club names are likely to join him on the coaching staff in Benji Marshall and Robbie Farah.
In what will be a throwback to the famous 2005 premiership - the only time the joint venture club have taken out the premiership since the Western Suburbs Magpies and Balmain Tigers merged at the end of the Super League war - the trio are set to reuinte, this time all behind the clipboard according to a Daily Telegraph report.
Marshall and Farah were two of the starts of the show for the Tigers during the 2005 season, while Sheens at the time was coach.
Sheens’ tenure in charge of the club ended in tears during 2012, and the Tigers haven’t made the finals since.
He was brought back to the club this season in a director of football role, and while the 71-year-old has been open regarding the club’s need for an emerging coach previously, it would appear missing out on both Cameron Ciraldo - who knocked them back - and Andrew Webster - who signed with the New Zealand Warriors instead - has led the Tigers to go in a new direction.
It’s understood Sheens has considerable backing to become the next head coach of the Tigers, and is now willing to take on the role.
Farah holds a current role with the club as one of the assistant coaches, while Marshall is working in an ambassador role, but has recently been open about his desire to eventually move into coaching.
It’s understood current interim boss Brett Kimmorley, who took over from Michael Maguire when he was recently axed by the club, will move back into an assistant role. It’s known that he is rated very highly by Sheens.
It’s tipped that the purpose of Sheens taking over will be to work with the assistants with a view that one of them will ultimately take over his post in the coming years, in much the same way that Wayne Bennett will set up the Dolphins during what is understood to be his final contract in the NRL.
The board are likely to back the trio of Marshall, Farah and Sheens to go with Kimmorley, although he has expressed interest in wanting to remain as a head coach, although it’s unlikely any immediate NRL role will exist for him with the Tigers struggling to turn things around after the sacking of Maguire.
Marshall played 201 games for the Tigers between 2002 and 2013, while Farah played 247 between 2003 and 2016. Sheens coached the Tigers 250 times between 2003 and his eventual axing in 2012.