The Tigers have shocked the NRLW space by posting an online advertisement for their head coach position following coach, Brent Kimmorley’s announcement he will be leaving the club after this season.
Over the weekend, a post was found on recruitment page, Sportspeople, with the club looking to recruit from a wide range of applicants.
With one round left of the regular season, the Tigers are guaranteed to take home the wooden spoon for the second time in a row.
FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer >
While CEO Shane Richardson believes casting a wide net is the best way to shake up the team and lead to success next season, Fox League’s Lara Pitt and sports reporter Pam Whaley told Code Sports this move has left the team in more in trouble for 2026.
“Now they’ve just left themselves completely exposed. They certainly don’t look like they have any plans in place for next season,” Pitt said on Code Sports’ Show and Go.
The online advertisement is open to anyone to apply and closes on September 18, giving the team little time to find someone and create a cohesive team before the 2026 season begins.
The Tigers current coach, Kimmorley has coached the team for the past three years since the clubs entrance into the competition and has played a significant role in the establishment of the NRLW program.
However the clubs poor performance over the three years has the team looking to go in a new direction, open to coaches of any experience.
“We’ve got nobody in mind for the job, we’re just waiting to see who applies,” Shane Richardson told The Daily Telegraph.
“I don’t think it’s necessary, it’d be good to get someone with experience in the women’s game but more importantly we just want a good coach who can give them a hard edge, which is probably what we want as a club,” he said.
Pitt and Whaley spoke out against these ideas, believing a passion for NRLW could be the thing to revive the struggling Tigers side.
When discussing options, Whaley threw out Parramatta Eels and Jillaroos assistant coach, Kate Mullaly while Pitt suggested Newcastle Knights assistant coach, Alicia-Kate Hawke.
“These are people who have been working in the women’s space and they know the athletes to start with and I think that’s more important to me and to the players than perhaps someone coming across from a men’s program who could be using it as a stepping stone to something else,” Pitt said.
It is unclear if there is interest from these women, however as two of the best assistant coaches in the league, either of these choices would bring some much needed passion and drive to a depleted Tigers side.
A missing coach is not the only issue facing the Wests Tigers side as they currently sit with a record 17 players off contract for 2026.
With over half their squad wondering if they will play next season, building any team cohesion is near impossible for this wooden spoon side.
MORE NRL NEWS
CRAWLS: Hip drop drama exposes NRL finals issue; Madge’s Reynolds dilemma
TEAM TIPS: NRL’s stunning Hynes backflip; injury disaster rocks Raiders
TALKING POINTS: ‘Shocked’ Sharks’ big Nicho call; Galvin hides Dogs problem
‘Leaked 70 points with me as captain’ | 02:32
“There’s so many players in that squad, and I’m talking like 17 I think off contract,” Lara said. “It looks like a complete mess,” Pitt said.
“So now you’re trying to recruit or potentially retain and you don’t know who your coach is, how on earth do they even make plans for next year?,” Pitt said.
Given the highly saturated nature of the NRLW top teams like the Broncos and Roosters who dominate the league’s top players and the competition, the Tigers need to recruit new stars next season, however with no coach to back them, this appears an impossible task.
The Tigers surprise advertisement may have left them exposed although it does provide the opportunity for some fresh coaching talent to arise.
With just over a week until the application deadline, the team needs a perfect coach to arise to give them any chance at filling out a winning roster for 2026.
Discussion about this post