Crisis at the Wests Tigers: Tim Sheens has left the Wests Tigers with about as much going for it as the US left Vietnam in the seventies. It is a burning mess. The players – those that are left – are in open rebellion with the ex-coach and the front office. The list has been decimated. The culture shot. The bank drained. It is a total disaster that could see this year's pre-season premiership favourite enter next year well in contention for the wooden spoon.
The coach situation could not have been handled worse. The Tigers front office showed no bottle, delaying the inevitable, all to save a few bucks. Even at the death, they refused to fire him, offering him another role at the club. It was embarrassing and a clearly untenable position for the club and Sheens. The Tigers needed to make a clean break – for the club and for Sheens' legacy – yet it has been protracted and ugly. Worse, they have no clear candidate in mind, only the fact they have no money to spend. The supposed red-hot favourite, Matt Parish, would rather assist Ricky Stuart at the wooden spooners than stay in the race for the Tigers. An endorsement from Alan Jones certainly didn't help.
While Parish will be at Parramatta, it seems the Tigers have stolen the Eels' recruitment handbook with their decisions over the last two years. Out are veteran contributors Bryce Gibbs and Chris Heighington, tackle break machine Andrew Fifita and highly promotable Beau Ryan, who played his best year and was promised a deal that never eventuated. In are high-priced flop Adam Blair and over-the-top Braith Anasta, along with overpaid Tigers Lote Tuqiri and Tim Moltzen.
Yikes, maybe Carl Webb and Paul Whatuira weren't that bad!
With the Tigers having little money and little room to move and the club alienating one half of the venture by doing everything they can to pulverise Wests, the future is bleak. And it has all been brought about by their own silliness. The Tigers window is closed. Let the rebuild begin.
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_Posted using RoarFEED 2012_