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Kangaroos loss not coach's fault, says Benji
Glenn Jackson
November 15, 2010
NEW Zealand captain Benji Marshall said he would be shattered if his side's Four Nations victory - inspired by his own brilliance - came at the expense of the Australian coach Tim Sheens, his Wests Tigers mentor.
The last two Australian coaches to lose finals promptly fell on their swords, so Sheens faces an uncertain future after the Kangaroos' 16-12 loss in Brisbane on Saturday night.
Even the coach admitted beforehand he might not be re-hired if his side became the latest Test outfit to succumb to the Kiwis in a decider.
Advertisement: Story continues below But Marshall, whose last-ditch heroics sealed the Kangaroos' fate, said he couldn't comprehend Sheens finding himself under pressure.
''They had the best player in the world missing in Johnathan Thurston and they had a pretty solid campaign,'' Marshall said.
''To lose like that, it would be heartbreaking. But he's a great coach. He's the best in the world in my eyes. I'd be shattered for him [if he lost the job].''
In 2005, after a shock loss in the Tri-Nations final, Australian coach Wayne Bennett infamously left Brisbane Airport the back way and lost his job soon after. In 2008, after the World Cup final, Ricky Stuart abused referee Ashley Klein and subsequently stood down.
Sheens was a little more gracious but even though he would be well aware that the post-mortems will inevitably focus on him, he was tight-lipped about his future after the loss.
''I'm not thinking about that at the moment,'' Sheens said. ''I don't think anyone in this Australian side is thinking about anything other than the disappointment.''
He said he would discuss the position with his club side before making a decision.
Of course, the ARL might decide to hand the reins to someone else, and the looming arrival of the independent commission clouds the issue. Until rugby league's future is settled, the national coach is unlikely to be decided. That said, the Australian players gave Sheens their backing.
''I think it'd be a little bit unfair to look elsewhere,'' hooker Cameron Smith said. ''It's the first game he's lost as an Australian coach. He's had one draw, one loss and the rest are wins. It's a pretty fair record.
''All the boys really enjoyed playing under Sheensy. I've learnt a couple of things from him. That's what the good coaches do, they always bring something to all their players and make their players better each time they coach them.
''I think it'd be a pretty tough call to ask him to step aside.''
Fullback Billy Slater said: ''The coach wasn't out there letting the Kiwis in our half. I think Tim's done a great job.''
Glenn Jackson
November 15, 2010
NEW Zealand captain Benji Marshall said he would be shattered if his side's Four Nations victory - inspired by his own brilliance - came at the expense of the Australian coach Tim Sheens, his Wests Tigers mentor.
The last two Australian coaches to lose finals promptly fell on their swords, so Sheens faces an uncertain future after the Kangaroos' 16-12 loss in Brisbane on Saturday night.
Even the coach admitted beforehand he might not be re-hired if his side became the latest Test outfit to succumb to the Kiwis in a decider.
Advertisement: Story continues below But Marshall, whose last-ditch heroics sealed the Kangaroos' fate, said he couldn't comprehend Sheens finding himself under pressure.
''They had the best player in the world missing in Johnathan Thurston and they had a pretty solid campaign,'' Marshall said.
''To lose like that, it would be heartbreaking. But he's a great coach. He's the best in the world in my eyes. I'd be shattered for him [if he lost the job].''
In 2005, after a shock loss in the Tri-Nations final, Australian coach Wayne Bennett infamously left Brisbane Airport the back way and lost his job soon after. In 2008, after the World Cup final, Ricky Stuart abused referee Ashley Klein and subsequently stood down.
Sheens was a little more gracious but even though he would be well aware that the post-mortems will inevitably focus on him, he was tight-lipped about his future after the loss.
''I'm not thinking about that at the moment,'' Sheens said. ''I don't think anyone in this Australian side is thinking about anything other than the disappointment.''
He said he would discuss the position with his club side before making a decision.
Of course, the ARL might decide to hand the reins to someone else, and the looming arrival of the independent commission clouds the issue. Until rugby league's future is settled, the national coach is unlikely to be decided. That said, the Australian players gave Sheens their backing.
''I think it'd be a little bit unfair to look elsewhere,'' hooker Cameron Smith said. ''It's the first game he's lost as an Australian coach. He's had one draw, one loss and the rest are wins. It's a pretty fair record.
''All the boys really enjoyed playing under Sheensy. I've learnt a couple of things from him. That's what the good coaches do, they always bring something to all their players and make their players better each time they coach them.
''I think it'd be a pretty tough call to ask him to step aside.''
Fullback Billy Slater said: ''The coach wasn't out there letting the Kiwis in our half. I think Tim's done a great job.''
