Tim Sheens' brutal confession as Wests Tigers sink to embarrassing 54-year first

He was obviously joking, but a comment from Tim Sheens said it all after the Wests Tigers' latest humiliating loss at the hands of the Brisbane Broncos on Saturday night. The Broncos put the Tigers to the sword in a 46-12 thrashing that gave Kevin Walters' team their first 5-0 start to an NRL season since 1998.

But for the Tigers it's a completely different story, with their 0-5 start for a second-straight year creating some embarrassing history. The Tigers are now the first team since 1968 to go back-to-back seasons without a win in their first five games.

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With a clash against Parramatta coming up in round six, the first chance the Tigers might get to score their first points of the season could come via a bye in round seven. Sheens summed up the woeful start to the season when he said in his post-match press conference: “I hope we beat the bye in a couple of weeks.”

While clearly a joke, the comment typifies the diabolical situation the Tigers find themselves in. Fans had that 2005 premiership-winning coach Sheens and his title-winning players Benji Marshall and Robbie Farah as assistants would be the dream team to turn the club around after 11 years of missing the finals.

But things couldn't have gone much worse over the first five rounds. However Sheens remains optimistic.

"They are a quality group of guys, and they have got talent individually. We have just got to put the 17 individuals together and make sure it works," he said.

"That's my job...and as a coaching group we've got to put them together. Not pick them apart or get over-anxious about it because it is only going to make it worse for them. We have to wear a lot of this, and, in saying that, we've all got to work a lot harder - staff and players.

"These things can happen. Of course, the more you get beat the tougher it is to dig your way out of it, but we need to find a way and we will continue to work hard to do that. You get one win, you'll get two and maybe you are up and running."

Tim Sheens not giving up on Wests Tigers

Sheens conceded the Broncos were a class above the Tigers, with Brisbane winning five games in a row to start the year for the first time since the club's premiership-winning side 25 years ago. “We continually shot ourselves in the foot,” Sheens said.

“They were too strong, too quick for us. Just too good. They were very smart and kicked early. Adam Reynolds was the difference. His decision making and kicking game was outstanding.”

The Tigers had been right in the contest in a number of games in the first four rounds. However the loss to the Broncos exposed multiple flaws for the joint-venture club.

"We have got to work on where we are and not worry too much on the external noise that is going to come this week," Sheens added. "I am prepared to cop as much as you want to give me but I am still going to be turning up with the boys next week working hard."

with AAP

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