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THE reign of Tim Sheens as Wests Tigers coach will come to an end if the club fails to make the finals this year.
Sheens, whose tenure at the joint venture club was recently extended for another 12 months, will go into the 2011 season knowing it is his last in charge of the Tigers if they do not feature in this year's play-offs.
Tigers chief executive Stephen Humphreys confirmed the arrangement that would seal Sheens's fate if the club misses the top eight as speculation swirled around the coach and his players in the wake of Sunday's 50-10 thrashing by South Sydney.
However, Humphreys remained confident the Tigers would qualify for the finals and insisted harmony within the club was strong. ''Tim is aware that if we do not make the finals this year then next year will be his last in charge of Wests Tigers. That is an understanding we have with Tim,'' Humphreys said. ''Hopefully that is a situation that does not arise.''
In seven previous seasons under Sheens, the Tigers have made the finals just once - in 2005 - but they won the premiership that year.
Sheens, who also took Canberra to three grand final wins in 1989, 1990 and 1994, enjoys strong support from his players - and in particular star playmaker Benji Marshall.
Humphreys said no one took Sunday's loss harder than Marshall, who told the Herald after recently committing to the Tigers for a further five years that he never wanted to play for another club.
It is understood that Marshall was still upset yesterday and had several discussions with Sheens and Humphreys as they tried to determine how to put an end to a four-game losing streak.
''Everyone within the club took the loss incredibly hard and Benji probably more than anyone,'' Humphreys said. ''He was absolutely devastated after the game.''
Tigers insiders say Marshall's reaction to the defeat should quell rumours he was still unhappy with the club over a fine imposed several weeks ago on the New Zealand captain for being late to training.
Marshall's manager Martin Tauber also rejected any suggestion the fine would have had an impact on his performance. ''The fine was weeks ago and it had nothing to do with his performance or the team's performance,'' Tauber said.
Meanwhile, the Tigers' injury list continues to grow with back-rower Liam Fulton and centre Blake Ayshford the latest casualties.
Fulton is expected to miss up to six weeks with a right shoulder injury, while Ayshford will be out for four weeks with a groin injury. They join props Keith Galloway and Jason Cayless, fullback Tim Moltzen and wingers Taniela Tuiaki and Tame Tupou on the sidelines.
In other injury news, South Sydney captain Roy Asotasi will miss up to four weeks with a shoulder injury suffered in the defeat of the Tigers.
[Source](http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/a-simple-equation-tigers-must-make-finals-or-2011-will-be-sheenss-last-20100517-v9ed.html)
Sheens, whose tenure at the joint venture club was recently extended for another 12 months, will go into the 2011 season knowing it is his last in charge of the Tigers if they do not feature in this year's play-offs.
Tigers chief executive Stephen Humphreys confirmed the arrangement that would seal Sheens's fate if the club misses the top eight as speculation swirled around the coach and his players in the wake of Sunday's 50-10 thrashing by South Sydney.
However, Humphreys remained confident the Tigers would qualify for the finals and insisted harmony within the club was strong. ''Tim is aware that if we do not make the finals this year then next year will be his last in charge of Wests Tigers. That is an understanding we have with Tim,'' Humphreys said. ''Hopefully that is a situation that does not arise.''
In seven previous seasons under Sheens, the Tigers have made the finals just once - in 2005 - but they won the premiership that year.
Sheens, who also took Canberra to three grand final wins in 1989, 1990 and 1994, enjoys strong support from his players - and in particular star playmaker Benji Marshall.
Humphreys said no one took Sunday's loss harder than Marshall, who told the Herald after recently committing to the Tigers for a further five years that he never wanted to play for another club.
It is understood that Marshall was still upset yesterday and had several discussions with Sheens and Humphreys as they tried to determine how to put an end to a four-game losing streak.
''Everyone within the club took the loss incredibly hard and Benji probably more than anyone,'' Humphreys said. ''He was absolutely devastated after the game.''
Tigers insiders say Marshall's reaction to the defeat should quell rumours he was still unhappy with the club over a fine imposed several weeks ago on the New Zealand captain for being late to training.
Marshall's manager Martin Tauber also rejected any suggestion the fine would have had an impact on his performance. ''The fine was weeks ago and it had nothing to do with his performance or the team's performance,'' Tauber said.
Meanwhile, the Tigers' injury list continues to grow with back-rower Liam Fulton and centre Blake Ayshford the latest casualties.
Fulton is expected to miss up to six weeks with a right shoulder injury, while Ayshford will be out for four weeks with a groin injury. They join props Keith Galloway and Jason Cayless, fullback Tim Moltzen and wingers Taniela Tuiaki and Tame Tupou on the sidelines.
In other injury news, South Sydney captain Roy Asotasi will miss up to four weeks with a shoulder injury suffered in the defeat of the Tigers.
[Source](http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/a-simple-equation-tigers-must-make-finals-or-2011-will-be-sheenss-last-20100517-v9ed.html)
