Departing Wests Tigers coach brushes end-of-season presentation night in sad end to decorated career

Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens was invited to attend the club’s end of season presentation night where his career was going to be celebrated – but he snubbed the event.

Sheens – who famously landed the joint venture an NRL premiership in 2005 –  was informed in August his services were not required next year.

Benji Marshall was parachuted into the top job 12 months early, and clearly Sheens wasn’t happy with how he was personally treated by club officials.

He brushed the presentation night on Tuesday at the William Inglis Hotel at Warwick Farm and it follows a testing season where the Tigers ‘won’ another wooden spoon after only winning four games.

Scott Fulton was also hired as the club’s new recruitment boss – without Sheens’ knowledge – and the 72-year-old then raised eyebrows after celebrating at a Panthers Old Boys function last weekend.

It was 24 hours after the Manly Sea Eagles thumped the Tigers 54-12 at Brookvale Oval on Sydney’s northern beaches in Sheens’ final game in charge at NRL level.

Sheens played (1970-1982) and coached Penrith (1984-1987) before departing the club and creating a dynasty in Canberra, where the Raiders won three premierships in 1989, 1990 and 1994.

He then moved onto the Cowboys (1997-01), arrived at the Tigers in 2003 before departing nine years later.

Next was Hull and Widnes in the English Super League, before he returned to Concord in 2021, working in pathways, development, and talent identification.

He replaced Michael Maguire ahead of the 2023 campaign, but it was one to forget.

Panthers legend Royce Simmons, who worked under Sheens at the Tigers, felt his close mate – who also coached the NSW City team, NSW Blues Origin squad and the Kangaroos – deserved to be treated better.

‘If you weren’t wanted at the club, how could you go to their presentation night,’ Simmons told the Sydney Morning Herald.

‘It’s sad to see. Tim wasn’t given the opportunity to do what he wanted to do.

‘Compare his situation to Wayne Bennett at the Dolphins, he got the players and staff that he wanted.

‘Look at Tim’s expertise, but they [Tigers] didn’t use it. It doesn’t make any sense to me.’

Sheens next move in rugby league circles remains up in the air.

It is understood he was keen to return to a head of football role at the Tigers, only for the struggling club to move in another direction.