The Wests Tigers have named their fifth coach in as many years, recruiting former Panthers and Warriors coach Ivan Cleary to replace Jason Taylor in the top job.
Cleary will guide the struggling Tigers through the remainder of the 2017 season in what is a three-and-a-half-year deal, which will run until the end of 2020.
“This is a great opportunity to join a club with a lot of potential,” said Cleary. “I look forward to getting to work with the playing group and coaching staff.
“The Wests Tigers are a huge brand with a strong Membership base and a lot of supporters and I look forward to getting stuck in over the coming weeks.
“Day one is today and from here we start working on improving, we’ll do a lot of exploring and analysis on how things work at Wests Tigers and how the people within the club work. We need to decide as a group what we want to be and go about achieving this.
“I can’t wait to get to work here. It’s no secret that I’ve missed it, this is a fresh start for me and I’m committed to seeing this club reach its potential and to be the success that I know it can be.”
Cleary will take over from Andrew Webster, who has been standing in as interim head coach since the sacking of Taylor two weeks ago. Tigers CEO Justin Pascoe thanked Webster for his efforts in the past two rounds.
“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Andrew Webster for the way that he carried himself over the last few weeks,” said Pascoe. “He did a terrific job during a difficult time, with the way that he conducted himself a true demonstration of his character.”
Cleary began his coaching career younger than most as a fresh-faced 35-year-old barely three years out of retirement as a player.
He took the reigns of the New Zealand Warriors back in 2006, holding onto the job for six years before a switch to the Penrith Panthers, a club his son currently plays for.
He has spent the last 12 months out of the game after being replaced at Penrith by Anthony Griffin following a string of tough results that saw them miss out on the finals.
Cleary has coached 249 games at the top level thus far, winning 121 and losing 125 with three draws to round it out.
Interestingly, in January, Cleary was appointed as the head coach of Lebanon for the upcoming rugby league World Cup held in Australian and New Zealand later this year.
There is no word as of yet on whether or not the new appointment at the Tigers will affect his role with Lebanon Rugby League.
Outgoing coach Jason Taylor was given the axe after a poor start to the season, coming under fire from the fans over the past 12 months for a lack of finals footy and the treatment of cult hero Robbie Farah.
Another defeat on Sunday at the hands of the Dragons has left the Tigers reeling with four losses on the trot before the Cleary announcement.
They currently sit dead last on the competition ladder with one win to their name, holding the unenviable mark of scoring the fewest points in the league as well as conceding the most points of all 16 teams.
Jacko
Guest
He crapped on my club and therefor he crapped on me.....Clearly by your name he did nothing to upset you. I give every person the benifit of the doubt but once they have lied to me ( he said he was not going anywhere then left anyway), and renegged on his contract, then i choose not to value him again, and I rate him as a person who's word is not to be trusted. You say NZW could have kept him but would you still have a good relationship with someone who has tried to blackmail you? As for how many Coaches the Warriors have sacked well show me how many coaches have been sacked by the Tigers, who he is now going to. Even your club sacks coaches NQ. I notice you love Cleary from a distance NQ as he is not coming anywhere near your club so you have no skin in the game. I wonder how you would feel if Green was removed and Cleary put in his place by blackmail
Magnus M. Østergaard
Roar Guru
Youre a bitter bitter soul Jacko. If i had an offer for three years over 12 months no gurantees, I would ask my employer aye can you match this or can I leave to greener pastures NZW could have kept him if they wanted. Contract after all. This isnt about any other club, its about how Cleary left the Warriors. So how many coaches have the warriors sacked and therefore not kept their contracts. 2 way street.
Jacko
Guest
Yes wrong GF sorry. daniel Anderson was the coach when Jones got them to the GF
no one in particular
Roar Guru
Ivan Cleary - Soon to be former Wests Tigers coach
Jacko
Guest
So they improved as soon as Cleary was sacked then eh?
Jacko
Guest
NQ the Warriors have made the GF 2 times in their history. Once in 2002 under Daniel Anderson and once in 2011 under Cleary. Hope that answers your question...even tho is is extremely simple to google. I dont know how many coaches the club has sacked but if you are willing to tell me the same stat about all other clubs so we can asses it equally then I will happily find out for you. Now let me ask you something and see if i get a reply. Is your club the Warriors or penrith????? If not you have ZERO idea how Cleary treated your club or how good or bad he was as a coach
Jacko
Guest
Daniel Anderson coached them to the 2002 grand final as well. Do you believe he is a great coach? He also won nothing with the club. If you believe telling the club you are signed to for another 18mths that they either give you another 3 year deal or you are leaving a year early is being decent you are easily pleased. I think its called blackmail isnt it? Also do you not believe that a team can go on an unexpected run on emotion? They finished 6th remember in 2011
steveng
Roar Rookie
The panthers aren't going that well since 2015 when Cleary left. In 2016 they got to 6th place, they scored 563 points and had 463 against, 14 wins with 10 loses. This year and so far, they are equal 8th with 2 wins from 5, this is a team that has so many wraps on it and they were/are one of the favourite teams to win the comp. So what have the Panthers done since Cleary left? One thing that must be evident at the Panthers and that is, it must be very hard to work for and with Gould, watching him on TV and the comments that he makes and the way he makes them are aggravating and sometimes downright rubbish and wrong, who wants to work with a man like that?
Magnus M. Østergaard
Roar Guru
Ill answer yours, so you answer mine which you have decided to not reply to. Nope, Yup, Nope. I won't shake in my belief that Cleary was moved on simply because he refused to play his own son. Hey Jacko, just remind me how many time the Warriors have made the finals since 2011? At least Cleary had the decency to let the club know well before the seasons end that he wasnt going to be fulfilling his contract. Also would appreciate a timely reminder on how many coaches the Warriors have sacked.
Jacko
Guest
Gus sacked him from the Panthers...Nothing to do with his son....Gus was actually smarter that I gave him credit for... Just answer 3 questions.....Has he won anything? Was he sacked? Did he serve out the last year of his contract at the Warriors? The answers tell you what sort of a man Cleary is
Jacko
Guest
Haha so show me his trophy's. That may prove he is ok, because I can prove he was sacked by Penrith and left the Warriors with a year to go....
Jacko
Guest
Its not an idea KC its what you said.
mushi
Guest
I feel like Cleary is J-Law and the Tigers Board is Chris Pratt in passengers at this point
JVGO
Guest
Bigger than underarm bowling this one for sure.
Lidcombe Oval
Guest
Has a huge job on his hands as the jv clubs are split and with Wests soon to own 100% of the franchise there is a big push for the team to be based in Campbelltown instead of Concord. As Gussy Gould said Tedesco is the priority signing although he has big offers from the Dragons and Dogs to consider.He wants to play finals footy which he wont at the Tigers for many years to come unless there is a major overhaul of the squad . The other 3 supposedly have also big offers from the Dogs to consider - Need to really revamp the roster meaning letting players go as the squad they have are not anywhere near a potential top 8 side- I would punt Woods/Moses/Brooks and go after better players as there are lots off contract- Woods runs the bull up like a cuddly bear/Moses wants to do things his way and his defence is ordinary/Brooks hasn't developed anywhere near as expected and has gone backwards in being able to organise and run the team. Good Luck Ivan - he will be looking over his shoulder though after every loss as the knives will be out
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Guest
This has to be good news for Tigers supporters and the club. The Tigers looked terrible against the Raiders a few weeks ago and against the Dragons on the weekend but looked pretty competitive against the Storm. They really need to sort out their defence on the right edge as the Dragons had a field day chipping over their rushing in defence. Felt really sorry for Tedesco in particular who puts in every week. Perhaps Cleary will provide a bit of stability that they need.
Magnus M. Østergaard
Roar Guru
He wasmoved on from the Panthers because he didn't want to coach his son in the senior side, something he said publicly.
Magnus M. Østergaard
Roar Guru
Hey Jacko, just remind me how many time the Warriors have made the finals since 2011? At least Cleary had the decency to let the club know well before the seasons end that he wasnt going to be fulfilling his contract. Also would appreciate a timely reminder on how many coaches the Warriors have sacked.
BigJ
Roar Guru
He came back in 2009 but they did not get into the Grand Final until 2011 without Jones. so again there goes that thoery
BigJ
Roar Guru
if your talking about Stacey Jones you need to get your facts right, Jones left the club in 2005 and clearly came in 2006 they never worked together. So there goes that thoery