Tim Sheens steps down as Kangaroos coach

Tim Sheens has resigned as Kangaroos coach.

Sheens, 64, coached Australia to World Cup victory in 2013 and joined Salford permanently in June after an initial advisory role.

But the 64-year-old wasn’t expected to be re-appointed in November after losing three consecutive Tests to the Kiwis, and with it the world No. 1 ranking.

NRL Head of Football Todd Greenberg said Sheens had been a wonderful coach during his time with the Kangaroos, from 2009 until 2015.

“Now we’ve survived successfully in Super League, I’ve had a good talk with the family and to Marwan”, Sheens saidy.

The former Canberra and Wests Tigers coach has helped Salford maintain their Super League status for next year while playing a mayor role in recruitment, and last night the Reds also announced their first seven signings for next year. “We came over earlier in the year, for a little under a month, and were then invited back”.

Sheens said he’d resigned from the Australian group and would be ready to start his new position in November.

“Although I will be involved with the coaching, I won’t be the senior coach”.

“My job will be to make sure everything in the club is heading in the right direction, from marketing and everything”.

Sheens could not stop Salford finishing in the Super League’s bottom four this season, but after head coach Iestyn Harris left he assisted Ian Watson as they secured a top-flight place for next term by finishing third in the qualifiers.

The new faces at the AJ Bell Stadium are St Helens forward Mark Flanagan, Widnes prop Phil Joseph, Huddersfield prop Craig Kopczak and Warrington half-back Gareth O’Brien.