I hope we are looking at Josh Hannay for the assistant coaching role, very highly rated.
Several influential player agents are prepared to back the Tigers by encouraging their clients to sign or re-sign with the joint-venture outfit, but only if there is significant investment in the coaching set-up.
The Tigers have already been linked to Justin Holbrook and are expected to pursue the sacked Titans coach. Another potential target is John Morris, the former Sharks head coach currently assisting Jason Demetriou at South Sydney.
Such a move would be made to support, rather than to undermine, Benji Marshall, who is scheduled to take over from Tim Sheens in 2024. Marshall is already taking an increasingly hands-on role as an assistant, but there is a push for the addition of another experienced mentor to the brains trust to help him complete his apprenticeship.
The Tigers have offered the Fainus a four-year deal, comparable to the one tabled by Wayne Bennett’s Dolphins. Latu, a five-eighth, and Samuela, a forward, performed strongly in NSW’s under-19s State of Origin victory last week.
Latu made history when he signed a Manly deal in late 2021 that made him the highest-paid player yet to make his NRL debut. The Sea Eagles want to retain him and Samuela, but have given them permission to explore the market after embarking on a recent signing spree that has put pressure on their salary cap.
The Tigers haven’t got a fit half on their books for 2024 - Adam Doueihi is contracted but is still recovering from knee surgery - prompting a search for playmakers. Aidan Sezer and Brodie Croft, currently playing in the Super League, are two options the club is considering.
There has been a well-publicised difference of opinion between Marshall and new Tigers recruiter Scott Fulton on a raft of recruitment targets. Regardless, several current and prospective players want to see further investment in the Tigers coaching department before making a call on their futures.
Holbrook has already had a meeting with Canterbury supremo Phil Gould and been sounded out by several other clubs as well. The Tigers are expected to make decisions around any additional support staff in coming days, with the Fainus likely to make a call on their future by the end of the week.Several Tigers players are already heading for the exits, with off-contract utility Daine Laurie linked to a return to Penrith.
In other signing news, teenaged Parramatta playmaker Ethan Sanders has signed a two-year deal with Canberra from 2025.
The Eels were among half a dozen clubs keen to secure Sanders, who was the player of the match in the club’s SG Ball grand final and also starred in the Blues’ under-19s win. However, Sanders is currently stuck behind Mitchell Moses and Dylan Brown, who have made long-term commitments to the blue and golds.
While Sanders is contracted to the Eels for 2024, they may opt to release him rather than develop him for a rival. The Raiders would have the salary cap space to take him next year should that be the case.
Canberra have also re-signed Danny Levi. The hooker suffered a fractured jaw in the NSW Cup that will likely rule him out for the season, but will remain in the nation’s capital long term.
Talk about the tail wagging the dog. Looks like we now receive out instructions from player managers via the media. Bravo Pascoe & Lee, Fulton has been such a harmonious addition.
How can Sanders sign elsewhere for 2025?
As for the coaching stuff, I don't hate it. Would rather one of these experienced, modern coaches come in to assist Benji and let Sheens move on upstairs.
As for the coaching stuff, I don't hate it. Would rather one of these experienced, modern coaches come in to assist Benji and let Sheens move on upstairs.
I would rather the club make their own decisions and not have them handed down to them from player managers.
@the-last-ronin both Holbrook and Morris are managed by the Orr brothers.
WT players managed by Orr are Twal and Matamua.
As for the coaching stuff, I don't hate it. Would rather one of these experienced, modern coaches come in to assist Benji and let Sheens move on upstairs.
I would rather the club make their own decisions and not have them handed down to them from player managers.
Well yes that's a fair point too.
But there seems to be more than a whisper around that Sheens is not inspiring the squad as expected, hence the desire to fast track Benji, but with extra experienced support.
@lorenzo yep 💯 agree mate on all that . The Fainus might be good , but I’m indifferent to say they are generational .
Benji was generational . The moment he played in that first game at 17 , it was like what the hell is this ???
Billy slater at fullback , it was similar . Andrew John’s and his kicking game was again , what the hell is this?
Lockyer and his knack to just do the right thing all the time . Was there at the start .
Im too young to go much further back than that .
To be honest , when Bula debuted I don’t know if it’s recency bias , or the fact we have sucked for so long , but I definitely was think who the help is this ?
Im just not seeing it ,in an u19s game where the kids halves counterpart was the better footballer on the day .
@jedi-tiger so this is who Canberra wanted and targeted instead of going after brooks.
Fogarty / sanders 2025 , maybe 2024 . I heard they are getting Lachlan Lam as well. That’s not bad for them .
So, according to the SMH article, "Marshall is increasingly taking a hands-on role" with the current team.
And, at the same time, results have been awful.
Hardly a confidence builder for current and prospective players and their managers. Maybe, despite his (likely) best intentions, Marshall is not ready to take on a head coach role in the foreseeable future and the players are justifiably concerned?
By all means punt Sheens ASAP, he can already add WT 2022/23 to his club wrecking CV. But the strategy of transitioning Marshall to the next head coach role, also needs to be reviewed.
So, according to the SMH article, "Marshall is increasingly taking a hands-on role" with the current team.
And, at the same time, results have been awful.
Hardly a confidence builder for current and prospective players and their managers. Maybe, despite his (likely) best intentions, Marshall is not ready to take on a head coach role in the foreseeable future and the players are justifiably concerned?
By all means punt Sheens ASAP, he can already add WT 2022/23 to his club wrecking CV. But the strategy of transitioning Marshall to the next head coach role, also needs to be reviewed.
I might be wrong here, but I think Pascoe & Co are trying to abandon the plan altogether. Pascoe is someone who's only real talent is survival. Somehow he's been able to weasel his way out of every poor decision he's made. This time, I think he thinks the Sheens/Marshall plan isn't working, and instead of either 1) letting it run it's course or 2) admitting he messed up and changing the plan, he's engaging in moves to try and change the plan by forcing people to leave.
Step 1 was Fulton taking over from McDonnell. This was a successful move to annoy the hell out of Sheens. Step 2 is going to meet with Holbrook and bring him on as a 'support' for Benji. This will be enough for Sheens and he'll leave. Then Holbrook comes in, gets along with Fulton they start signing who they want, with the support of the board. Benji's role untenable. Rinse, repeat.
@lorenzo yep 💯 agree mate on all that . The Fainus might be good , but I’m indifferent to say they are generational .
Benji was generational . The moment he played in that first game at 17 , it was like what the hell is this ???
Billy slater at fullback , it was similar . Andrew John’s and his kicking game was again , what the hell is this?
Lockyer and his knack to just do the right thing all the time . Was there at the start .
Im too young to go much further back than that .
To be honest , when Bula debuted I don’t know if it’s recency bias , or the fact we have sucked for so long , but I definitely was think who the help is this ?
Im just not seeing it ,in an u19s game where the kids halves counterpart was the better footballer on the day .
Agree with this. Add Tedesco to the list, from a pre-NRL young age it was obvious that he was head and shoulders above his peers.
@barra Agree about Teddy, he did have a very stop start beginning to his career though and by the time he settled into some consistency by changing the mechanics of his running style the horse had well and truly bolted in terms of keeping him at the Tigers. Whilst its great to unearth "generational" talent I also believe that one thing all these guys have in common is a will to win and a never give up attitude, that's one of the reasons you find they tend to gravitate to teams that are in the top half of the comp. The good thing is we have a few of these guys in our team and Bula is one, he is naturally talented however his highlight reel so far is based less on skill and more on tenacity, we also have Bateman, Twal and Api who are always having a go. There is potential in Stefano, he has bursts where he plays like Haas and other times where he goes missing and lacks motivation, I'm generally pleased with our forwards they are young and skillful, just need that motivation and that's where Klemmer ad Bateman step in, on their day if they are all firing we are rolling up the field at will. The only obvious issue I see is a number 6 and 7 and more specifically an end of set specialist kicker, its where we fail every time and with a young team that have just busted a gut getting into an attacking position only to have a cheap hand over or a 20m 7 tackle restart they get jaded and its not until they leak a few points that they wake up again. We never put scoreboard pressure on a team because of this and the one time we did we smashed the Cows. I know everyone has lost hope, however i honestly believe that this team is not that far off being a top 8 side if we can find a half with a consistent attacking kicking game...i honestly don't care if they are 40 years old or running with a walking stick.
