Benji 2025 and Beyond

[Telltails]

I agree the whole joint is a dogs breakfast but the coaching team is most visible and the Head Coach is employed to get results, it’s that simple. That’s why they attract most attention.
To throw an unknown quantity into the role was always fraught with danger but despite some improvements, we still fall down on the basics, the major one is knowing how to score when we are in the opposition red zone.
The problem in getting rid of Benji and the Old Boys ( sounds like a rock band)’Is who takes their place. Like I said elsewhere recently, we need some results so first things first, he gets another short term target figure for the balance of the year eg 50% of games, or all home games, or something he can focus on.
Then a year end review, and if he/coaching group hadn’t met the targets then we pick the best available candidate ( preferably outside the Tigers, unless it was Payten).

 

[crazycat]

That was the argument on keeping Pascoe for a while too. It's not right to keep someone who can't do their job well

Something Wayne Bennett said to player trading, but I think it applies to coaches too.

"You can loose anyone, as long as your improving".


The reason we are in the Benji mess, there was no real plan for succession from Madge.
A key mistake the board did was not hiring Shane Flanagan or another experienced NRL coach that could take over from Madge after 3+ years of underperformance.

Then the pure "Sheenious" idea of putting Tim Sheens/Benji in charge... was the biggest NRL gamble and as a Sheens fan from 2005, pure heartbreak. Sheens was Fast Footy only and no adaptation to the team he had of slower moving forwards. He was clearly out of touch. ... so sad.

Benji has done a lot better. He got handed a team that was destroyed with bad signings and has managed to punt most of those signings... at the cost of loosing a front row!

The real questions come:
Could Benji have gotten more performance out of who we had?
Bateman - not really, hasn't set the world on fire at the Cows. although Payten seems to be getting better performance out of him.
Stefano - no, he is doing the same kinda job at Melbourne. they are just deploying him differently.
Klemmer - no, hasn't done much at all at the Dragqueens.
Papalliii - NO, Barely making first grade at Penrith when he was touted as the JFH replacement!


So we have a cleanout... we get good players coming in, but are still missing 2 people in our front row.

Moreover, good players seem to be sliding backwards. We learn the value of Wings who defend, but we are not addressing why our old wingers did not defend. Were tackling soft again.

Benji hasn't made this team work.

We need to upgrade Benji. To do that we need to have someone lined up who is a known quantity of better. There is only one free agent who fits that bill.

Brad Arthur.

 

[Merlot]

Probably not. I think he just set a high bar for himself last year.

that is just corporate spin.

 

[Merlot]

Benji should at least see's out his contract. The positive of the down side on replacing him ,is Benji will walk away quietly, Bah hum bug all you Benji haters

 

[BalmainBoy67]

https://www.theroar.com.au/2025/07/04/sacking-benji-not-an-option-why-wests-tigers-must-stick-solid-with-besieged-coach/

 

[Tom Shines]

Benji got to coach them to play 40 mins in the first half … not 39

 

[Rock Hopper Steve]

Just seen a snippet of Benji's presser in not so many words had a shot at Galvin/TDS more or less saying we only want players that want to be here, a clear line in the sand statement.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Just seen a snippet of Benji's presser in not so many words had a shot at Galvin/TDS more or less saying we only want players that want to be here, a clear line in the sand statement.

That should be the case for every club.

 

[Muffstar]

Player interviews after the match, said the same thing, they did it not only for themselves but for Benji too. Great to see them behind their coach.

 

[BAGNF05]

Player interviews after the match, said the same thing, they did it not only for themselves but for Benji too. Great to see them behind their coach.

This team have been competitive more often than any Wests Tigers team in history I would imagine. Just about every game is a nail biter. Can only recall three poor efforts all season. Hopefully Benji gets the chance to see these players develop into first graders and learn how to win.

 

[Odessa]

Player interviews after the match, said the same thing, they did it not only for themselves but for Benji too. Great to see them behind their coach.

I found it interesting as well

Especially when the Captain today said

We only want to play for Benji ...

I think that was it or just instead of only

All the players interviewed said they want to play for Benji


Where there is smoke there is fire

I wonder if the players know what I posted in here the other day

 

[Tucker]

This team have been competitive more often than any Wests Tigers team in history I would imagine. Just about every game is a nail biter. Can only recall three poor efforts all season. Hopefully Benji gets the chance to see these players develop into first graders and learn how to win.

That’s the frustrating part.
I expected finals this year or very close to them as this squad has a lot of class in it.
Unfortunately our spine has just fallen short too many times when it came to sealing the game.
Not kicking the field goal today is an example.

 

[Tucker]

I wonder if the players know what I posted in here the other day

What was that?

 

[BAGNF05]

That’s the frustrating part.
I expected finals this year or very close to them as this squad has a lot of class in it.
Unfortunately our spine has just fallen short too many times when it came to sealing the game.
Not kicking the field goal today is an example.

I think we’re building nicely for next year if we can jag a few hardened professionals to help with leadership and the young guys continue to get better. Obviously this year is cooked but a few results the other way and it could of been different.

 

[Odessa]

What was that?

Benji getting the can at the end of the year

 

[Odessa]

What was that?

I hope he stays hopefully the players start standing by him in public like today saying we just want to play for Benji

 

[Muffstar]

I hope he stays hopefully the players start standing by him in public like today saying we just want to play for Benji

I think if Benji was to get punted, it would split the club.

 

[Tucker]

I hope he stays hopefully the players start standing by him in public like today saying we just want to play for Benji

They want to keep him, they need to win more games.

 

[BAGNF05]

They want to keep him, they need to win more games.

Bring that same intent v the Warriors and we’ll give them a run.

 

[Vicious]

They want to keep him, they need to win more games.

Exactly actions speak louder than words.
Our experienced and key players all stood up today and although we just fell over the line, we ran hard, tackled hard and played with much better intent in parts of the game.