The departure of David Furner as an assistant coach has allowed the Wests Tigers to promote Chris Heighington to the role of an assistant for next season.
The 338-game NRL player worked as a trainer for the club last season but will now work alongside former teammates John Morris and Robbie Farah as an assistant coach under Benji Marshall, perย News Corp.
Along with being a trainer at the club, he has also worked part-time at the Tigers for several years but will now be elevated so he can look after the middle forwards.
โChris is a quality human, hardworking, loyal, loves the club and the players respect him,โ said CEO Justin Pascoe, per News Corp.
โObviously the season we've had wasn't up to scratch,โ Heighington told the publication.
โBut I'm a big believer in that every team's a chance.
โAt the Sharks we got the wooden spoon in 2014, made the semis the next year and then won the comp. It's a process. Improvement game after game. You can turn yourselves around quickly.
โMy biggest asset is probably working one-on-one with players and trying to create a better person and better player.โ
The former Wests Tigers player also spoke about the prospect of working with his 2005 premiership-winning teammates and the newly arrived John Morris from the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Between 2007 and 2009, the quartet would be a part of the Tigers' first-grade squad.
It will also be the first time in his career he will work as part of any coaching staff, having only retired in 2018, five years ago.
โBenji's unreal,โ he added.
โHe's going to be an unbelievable coach over a long period of time.
โRobbie's footy knowledge is next level. And Johnny Morris has had heaps of experience. Plus we've all learnt a lot from Tim Sheens over the years.โ
