Wests Tigers head coach Tim Sheens has shut down links between his club and axed Gold Coast Titans coach Justin Holbrook.
A report earlier this week suggested the Tigers, who are linked to just about every off-contract player on the market, could look to lure Holbrook to the club in an attempt to have more sway over off-contract Queensland-based players.
The Tigers are yet to be linked to either David Fifita or Tino Fa'asuamaleaui, who are the two key players at the Titans currently in the midst of determining their futures after they both became free agents thanks to Holbrook's axing and a clause in each of their contracts.
While the duo will sort their futures out over the next three months, Holbrook's unceremonious dumping from the Gold Coast left the playing roster surprised and the coach reeling.
Despite the Tigers sitting in last place on the table, signs at Concord and internal conversations are positive, with coach Sheens currently in the first year of his two-year deal, and Benji Marshall, who won a premiership as a player under Sheens at the club in 2005, to take over after that.
Sheens said it was "paper talk" that the Tigers were interested in pursuing Holbrook, who could bring plenty to any club he joins in an assistant coaching capacity.
“I know absolutely nothing about it,” Sheens said per NCA Newswire.
“Until I talk to my CEO and others about it, I'm not interested in it. He's not here coaching us today. That's all I'm worried about.
“It's paper stuff at the moment until I talk to people at the club.”
It comes as the Tigers continue to hunt for halves, with Luke Brooks to depart for the Manly Sea Eagles at the end of the year and the club already skinny in that department.
They have recently been linked to English Super League star Brodie Croft, following his previous NRL stints at the Brisbane Broncos and Melbourne Storm.
Sheens didn't rule out making a play in that direction, with the Tigers having already gone after players like Mitchell Pearce, Cameron Munster and Mitchell Moses in recent times.