Wests Tigers stun NRL with bombshell Benji Marshall announcement
The Wests Tigers have announced club legend Benji Marshall will take over as head coach in 2025 after he works under Tim Sheens as an assistant from next year.
Earlier this week, Marshall revealed his interest in working under Sheens, who has been confirmed as the Tigers head coach as of 2023 after Michael Maguire was sacked last month.
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The 71-year-old Sheens has been working as the Tigers' head of football, but will now return to the head coaching role that he left in 2012.
Sheens coached the Tigers for 250 games after first taking the role in 2003, leading the joint venture to their maiden premiership in 2005.
Marshall and Robbie Farah, who played under Sheens in the Tigers' 2005 premiership victory, will serve as assistant coaches for two years from 2023, before Marshall takes the head gig in 2025.
Marshall played 257 games for the Tigers during two separate stints and only retired last year after spending the 2021 campaign with South Sydney.
Farah has worked as a trainer at the Tigers in his retirement and holds the record for most games played at the joint venture.
"This is a very clear path forward for this club and we are delighted to have Tim, Benji and Robbie reunited for the next phase of our club's growth," CEO Justin Pascoe said on Thursday.
"Benji and Robbie are two of the most talented players this club has seen, and Tim's coaching record speaks for itself.
"It's a great day for our club."
Benji Marshall details his dream of coaching
Earlier this week, Marshall said it would be a dream come true to coach his beloved Tigers.
"The dream for me would be to be an NRL coach and at the Wests Tigers would be an ideal situation,” he said on NRL 360.
“Obviously it has been reported that Tim Sheens is going to get the job and mentor someone.
“If the opportunity was for me to be mentored under him with a pathway to become a head coach it is something I would definitely consider.
“I love my job that I do now, but that is an opportunity that I might never get again. The opportunity to try and become a head coach.
“So if they do go down that path and ask me I would definitely be interested and consider that.”
Tigers half Adam Doueihi said having past players like Marshall and Farah back at the club was just what was needed for the struggling club.
"Both have played at the pinnacle of the game and are Tigers die-hards, they both love the club," he told reporters.
"It would give the younger boys coming through a lot of confidence, we've got a good young crop coming through over the next few years.
"If we can get them mentoring off people like Benji and Robbie, it'll only do the club good."
with AAP
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