Matthew Betsey has been named the Wests Tigers’ acting head of football; no date has been set for the announcement of the team’s permanent replacement.
Before he started as coach this year, Tim Sheens, the man who won a premiership as a coach, was named the head of football in 2021.
However, that collaboration was short-lived as Sheens left the position less than a year into it, giving Benji Marshall early access to the head coach position in 2024.
Given his close ties to the team and his previous experience with the Eels, Mark O’Neill has been mentioned as a potential long-term football manager for the club. However, this is still up in the air.
Michael Cheika, a former Wallabies coach, has also been brought up, but we won’t know for sure until an investigation into the team’s appalling on-field performances is finished.
“A final appointment in this role is on hold until the Holman Barnes Group Review is finished, as has been made known in the public. There is currently no set date for when this will end, the club stated in a statement.
In order to lead the football department in advance of the 2024 season, Matthew Betsey will take over the position right away. He brings a wealth of sports administration experience with him.
After serving as Cricket Australia’s head of development and coaching for over ten years, Betsey moved to Wests Tigers in 2021 as head of pathways.
“Last year, he took on a more significant role with the Wests Tigers Women’s program, helping the club secure an NRLW license and launch its first season in the Telstra Women’s Premiership.”
