'Such a shame': NRL world saddened over news about Tim Sheens and Robbie Farah
NRL fans are expressing their sadness and disappointment after Tim Sheens and Robbie Farah were noticeable absentees at a 20-year reunion for the club's 2005 premiership triumph. The 2005 squad gathered in the chairman's lounge at Leichhardt Oval to mark 20 years since their 30-16 win over North Queensland in the grand final that year.
Current Tigers coach Benji Marshall was in attendance, as was Cowboys coach Todd Payten (who played for the Tigers in 2005). The only players missing from the function were Farah (who was overseas) and Scott Prince (due to family commitments).
A number of the team's coaching staff also attended, but 2005 coach Sheens stayed away. The 74-year-old had a bitter falling out with the club in 2023 when he was sacked and replaced by Marshall.
Sheens was brought back to mentor Marshall at the start of 2023, and was supposed to hand over the reigns after two years as head coach. But the club bit the bullet early and sacked Sheens out of the blue so Marshall could take over 12 months early. Sheens boycotted the club's end of season awards night at the end of that year, and has seemingly severed all ties.
As for Farah, it remains to be seen whether he would have attended if he was in the country. The former hooker served as an assistant under Sheens in 2023 and Marshall in 2024, but was let go at the end of last season (their third wooden spoon in a row). Club officials have previously stressed that Farah and Marshall's relationship remains strong despite the decision to let him go.
NRL columnist 'The Mole' wrote on social media: "Such a shame Tim Sheens boycotted the 20-year reunion of the Wests Tigers miracle of 2005. But he is a man of principal and the Tigers knifed him something shocking."
Others described it as "awful" and "very sad" that Sheens' relationship with the Tigers still hasn't been repaired. He led the club in 278 of his 778 games as a first-grade head coach, but was left filthy with the way he departed.
The Tigers initially stated it was a mutual decision, but Sheens' good friend Royce Simmons later revealed he was sacked against his wishes. 'Why would you go (to the awards night)?' Simmons said in 2023. 'If you weren't wanted at the club, how could you go to their presentation night?
'They sacked him. And I can only imagine how frustrated Tim is. It's sad to see. He wasn't given the opportunity to do what he wanted to do. You bring a coach back who has won a premiership, and is in the top bracket of coaches of all time, you look to his expertise, then you don't use it. It doesn't make any sense to me.'
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Tigers legend Benny Elias previously said: "The way they treated him, it was disgusting. They signed him saying: 'Help us, help us', so he puts his heart and soul into the club and then they sack him again.
'It was the board's decision to punt him...I was genuinely embarrassed at the way it happened and how he was treated. This bloke is a legend. This is the coach who has won four grand finals at two clubs, coached NSW and Australia. When it comes to the elite in terms of coaching, he is up there in the top three coaches."
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