let's hope not. He's another "old boy" and we've got enough of them already. It's new blood, new vision that WT need not another pension top-up appointment for a former employee. And, did he choose to leave or was he made redundant at Manly?Confirmed - John Morris has moved on.
Benji can’t stop there or he’ll be off the bus. Shane Flanagan has been floated.
Peter Gentle has left Manly…should we start joining dots?
Tigers to curb Marshall’s powers as they search for coaching director
Danny Weidler
Sport columnist
September 13, 2026 — 5:00am
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Benji Marshall’s all-encompassing powers at the Wests Tigers are being diluted, with the club advertising for a coaching director and senior management taking charge of the search for an assistant.
The Tigers have conceded Marshall needs help in his stressful role as the head coach of a prominent Sydney NRL club. It’s a smart move.
Tigers coach Benji Marshall.Getty Images
Marshall was rattled by the drama caused when Adam Doueihi stood himself down from a match against the Raiders in July after the coach moved him from halfback to lock. The pair have since publicly made up, but Marshall admitted at the time the situation was impacting his family life and said if it continued, he would walk away.
Marshall can’t just pick one of his mates to be a senior assistant. Chief executive Shaun Mielekamp and general manager Pat Richards will head a committee to select a replacement for defence coach John Morris, who left the club this week after three seasons.
They will recommend candidates for Marshall to choose from. The club has also advertised for a pathways coaching director to “lead the strategic direction of coaching”.
“The role will play a critical part in developing future NRL talent while driving coaching excellence, performance outcomes and a high-performance culture,” the job advertisement reads.
Defence coach John Morris has left the Tigers.NRL Photos
It comes after we revealed Marshall had too much power at the club, was not being challenged by those around him and was essentially surrounded by “yes men”.
The issue is that the Tigers are too heavily invested in those who bow to Marshall, and the exit of Morris has only strengthened the “2005 clique” at the club. It means Marshall’s coaching staff and management is dominated by his close mates from the 2005 premiership-winning team – Brett Hodgson as an assistant, Chris Heighington in conditioning and Richards. But change is coming.
Morris was also tight with Marshall, but that friendship was put aside when he was told he was no longer required. Morris was the least compliant of the coaches and someone who challenged Marshall – which is what he needs as a young coach on the rise.
The Tigers will cite the club’s defensive record under Morris as the reason for his departure. Some believe it is a change for change’s sake. The club needs to do something – or at least be seen to be doing something – after another season of despair.
On statistics, the Morris exit can be justified given the Tigers’ terrible defensive record this season – they conceded 699 points, the second-worst in the premiership ahead of the Dragons (717). But they also ranked 16th in attack, scoring just 445 points. That is damning for attack coach Hodgson, and quite surprising given the Tigers’ reputation as an entertaining side.
The issue for the Tigers is the culture of their roster is not what it should be. We pointed out a few weeks ago they needed to sign some experienced hard heads with different values. And it’s why they’ve been linked with the likes of Tyson Frizell and Kurt Mann recently. They also signed Jayden Brailey.
The club would kill for a Phil Gould to shake things up and give Marshall the help he needs.
He can talk to South Sydney coach Wayne Bennett all he likes, but Bennett isn’t paid to manage the Tigers and he can’t be there on a day-to-day basis to mentor Marshall.
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Benji Marshall has total control at the Tigers. The club thinks that needs to change
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Marshall is also using his own people for personal development, and that is a good sign – but it doesn’t guarantee change.
As a head coach, Morris guided the Sharks to the finals in 2019-20 but was released in 2021 when the club signed Craig Fitzgibbon. He was also a part of the South Sydney coaching set-up when they made the 2022 preliminary final.
It wasn’t enough to save him at the Tigers. Perhaps he needed to have played for them in 2005, instead of joining the club and being part of the squad with Marshall from 2007 to 2009.
Shane Flanagan as an assist coach?
There are some pros to this:
Premiership winner
Experience
Isn’t looking to be a head coach, which may eliminate talk of him being a threat to Benji.
Cons
He has baggage
Normally finds a way to bring Kyle with him!
Wests Tigers Podcast - Talking everything Wests Tigers since 2018!
If Flanagan is allowed anywhere near Wests Tigers that will be the day I quit the club for good.Shane Flanagan as an assist coach?
There are some pros to this:
Premiership winner
Experience
Isn’t looking to be a head coach, which may eliminate talk of him being a threat to Benji.
Cons
He has baggage
Normally finds a way to bring Kyle with him!
@mike Flanagan anywhere near this club would be toxic and a Moses client .. need a younger guy with knowledge of how the younger generation think and how footy of TODAY is played not an old burnt out fossil !
@joel How could you even mention that DH coming anywhere near this club . He has that much baggage he would need an A380 to carry it !Can’t stand the man is washed up and the modern game has past him by a few years ago !
I know his last month at the club was substandard but Sandercock wouldn’t look out of place as an assistant coach. What was his position here last time he was here?
I know his last month at the club was substandard but Sandercock wouldn’t look out of place as an assistant coach. What was his position here last time he was here?
I believe he was an assistant coach prior.
Wests Tigers Podcast - Talking everything Wests Tigers since 2018!
@joel How could you even mention that DH coming anywhere near this club . He has that much baggage he would need an A380 to carry it !Can’t stand the man is washed up and the modern game has past him by a few years ago !
You’re probably 100% correct. It would be nice though if we could find someone with real experience, but not wanting the top job.
Wests Tigers Podcast - Talking everything Wests Tigers since 2018!
@teddy_s After watching Sandercocks coaching performance last night I think the NRLW is his go .. never have I seen such a one dimensional performance by a good footy team as the girls last night and that is on the coach !
Has there been any credible source linking Flanagan to the gig other than Flanagan himself?
I know Weidler mentioned it in his column a while back, but he's not a credible source.
Has there been any credible source linking Flanagan to the gig other than Flanagan himself?
I know Weidler mentioned it in his column a while back, but he's not a credible source.
Nothing credible.
Wests Tigers Podcast - Talking everything Wests Tigers since 2018!
Jason Taylor anyone ! He is a proven offensive coach could actually get the team to score in the red zone ..Benji has the team at over 20 attempts in the zone per game for zero points . Has a past with the club some good some bad could do worse … FLANO!
Jason Taylor anyone ! He is a proven offensive coach could actually get the team to score in the red zone ..Benji has the team at over 20 attempts in the zone per game for zero points . Has a past with the club some good some bad could do worse … FLANO!
He probably makes logical sense, but not sure being a former head coach here makes him a realistic chance.
How about Georgallis or Dymock?
Wests Tigers Podcast - Talking everything Wests Tigers since 2018!
Paul McGregor “Mary” an option Dragons,assistant blues coach? Doubt would be looking for head coach role.