Wests Tigers launch fresh bid to put Michael Cheika in charge of football department

The embattled Wests Tigers are preparing to give former Wallabies coach Michael Cheika all the power at the club in a major move ahead of Benji Marshall’s first season as coach.

PARIS, FRANCE - OCTOBER 20: Michael Cheika, Head Coach of Argentina, looks on prior to the Rugby World Cup France 2023 semi-final match between Argentina and New Zealand at Stade de France on October 20, 2023 in Paris, France. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Wests Tigers will launch a full-blown bid to lure former Wallabies coach Michael Cheika to the club as early this week.

In the midst of a top-to-bottom review of the embattled club, the Tigers want Cheika to become the club’s most powerful figurehead as the new general manager of football.

The all-encompassing role is of club-defining influence that will place the 56-year-old in charge of the entire football program including coaching staff, playing roster, recruitment and grassroots.

The Tigers have gone more than 12 months without anyone in the head of football role after Tim Sheens stepped down from the position to move into the head coaching job.

The position is of major significance ahead of Benji Marshall’s first season as an NRL coach in 2024.

Marshall’s most experienced coach on his staff is John Morris, with fellow assistants Robbie Farah and Chris Heighington also in the infancy of their coaching journeys.

Michael Cheika is being lined up for a key role at Wests Tigers. Picture: Getty Images

Current Eels head of football Mark O’Neill had also been linked to the vacant head of football job.

However, any talks with O’Neill have been allayed as Wests Tigers pin their primary target on Cheika.

The current head coach of Argentina bowed out of the 2023 rugby World Cup on Saturday morning.

Cheika’s Pumas narrowly went down 26-23 to England in the bronze medal match in France.

The Sunday Telegraph has learned that, respectful of the process, Wests Tigers CEO Justin Pascoe and chair Lee Hagipantelis had been waiting until Cheika’s World Cup campaign was over before upping the ante in their pursuit.

That is likely to unfold this week.

As it stands, Cheika’s contract with Argentina is due to expire with the Pumas now that their World Cup campaign is over.

The Wests Tigers head of football position is of major significance ahead of Benji Marshall’s first season as an NRL coach. Picture: Getty Images

In the wash-up of Argentina’s loss on Saturday morning, Cheika was asked if it were his last game in charge.

“I’ll go to Argentina later in the year and we’ll have a talk about how things went and what the future holds,” Cheika said.

“But it’s not really what I’m thinking about. I’m totally disappointed for everyone, for our crowd, for our people as I think we deserved to win tonight and for one reason or another we didn’t.”

Cheika, who coached the Wallabies between 2014 and 2019, which included being named World Rugby Coach of the Year in 2015, is no stranger to rugby league.

Cheika worked alongside Roosters head coach Trent Robinson as an adviser in 2020 before taking the Lebanon head coaching role ahead of the Rugby League World Cup in 2022.

Under Cheika, Lebanon accomplished their best performance at the RL World Cup, finishing with a 2–2 record.

Underpinning the Tigers chase of Cheika is his close relationship with Farah.

Robbie Farah has a close relationship with Michael Cheika. Picture: Getty Images

It was Farah who first planted the idea of Cheika coming on board at the Tigers with the pair having worked together during Lebanon’s rugby league World Cup campaign last year.

Tigers forward Alex Twal played for Lebanon under Cheika while injured star Adam Doueihi is the cross-code mentor’s cousin.

Tigers chief executive Justin Pascoe reached out to Cheika last month to kickstart informal talks but the club had since left Cheika alone to focus on his Argentina commitments.

Cheika has spoken previously of his admiration for the professionalism of rugby league coaching structures and styles, which is noted by the inclusion of former Kiwis coach David Kidwell, as a member of the Argentinian coaching staff.

Kidwell had success as a defensive specialist since being headhunted by Cheika.

Kidwell is almost certain to emerge on the radar of NRL clubs now that his World Cup commitments are over.

Meanwhile, the Wests Tigers independent review of the club’s operations is edging closer to finality with the outcomes expected to be determined by the end of next month.