Four Nations: Tim Sheens must pay the price for arrogant, lacklustre displays

There is an expectation in Australian rugby league that anything but victory is unacceptable.

Part arrogance, part truism, part a reflection on the dire state the international game found itself in throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, there is no second prize.

Since 1984, Australia have played 146 Tests for 123 wins, three draws and just 20 defeats, a win rate of 84.2%. They have won seven of the eight World Cups since 1972 as well as five of the eight Tri Nations/Four Nations tournaments.

Australia’s dominance has not helped the international game. But having the best available side play the best footy is a far better option than seeing the value of the green and gold diluted by fielding weakened sides in order to manufacture a more competitive game. It is up to the likes of England and New Zealand to reach Australia’s level, not for Australia to drop their standard.

And that is why the Australian Rugby League have little option but to move on from Tim Sheens after a Kangaroos Four Nations campaign that at best can be described as a disappointment and at worst can be labelled a debacle.

Australia endured its worst tournament of the last four decades. For the first time since 1953, the Kangaroos lost consecutive Tests against New Zealand. It was the third major tournament final Australia has lost in its last six. Australia suffered two Test losses in a single year for just the second time since the 1978/79 Kangaroo Tour.

There is no doubt the elevation in play from all of Australia’s competitors throughout the tournament played a significant role in Australia’s downfall. New Zealand have typically thrived in tournament play down under and showed they could finish the job even without the liberation of underdog status. England played some tremendous Rugby League – particularly in tight – that suggests they are on the verge of once again being considered a legitimate threat. And Samoa exceeded all expectations to nearly defeat both New Zealand and England.

From the moment the squad was announced though, Australia were poor. Squad selection reeked of arrogance and Tim Sheens did little to assuage those fears with some perplexing line-ups. Australia’s play seemed lacklustre and deficient of the ruthlessness we are accustomed too. Teamwork was almost non-existent with Australia relying more on individual brilliance than they have in a long time.

If one selection has come to summarise the almost-unbelievable it was the call-up of Newcastle rookie Sione Mata’utia. There is no doubt Mata’utia is a supreme talent with an incredibly bright future, a potential superstar. But after just seven NRL appearances – the first of which came on the last weekend in July – he did not deserve to wear the green and gold and further, he simply wasn’t ready. To have him play in a side with likely three debutants among the four three-quarters seemed extremely odd and a totally unnecessary risk. It wasn’t like he was coming into the usual three-quarter line with Inglis, Hodges and Morris. And it wasn’t like most experienced options weren’t overlooked for the squad.

Sheens then played Mata’utia in three Tests outside fellow debutant Dylan Walker ahead of Alex Johnston, also a rookie but one who topped the premiership in tryscoring and who plays with Walker at the Rabbitohs.

Mata’utia was consistently exposed defensively. His opposite Manu Vatuvei scored two tries in the final. Ryan Hall scored when Australia played England. He was reportedly left in tears after the final.

He simply wasn’t ready. And it could have a significantly negative impact on his career, both at club and rep levels.

The selection of David Klemmer also stank of rigidity, a selection based not on form or ability but on template, some ridiculous notion that a big body is required. As Australia got mauled up front in nearly every contest the likes of Aiden Tolman, Tim Mannah and Jacob Lillyman were watching from home despite averaging more metres per game in 2014 than Klemmer.

And Sheens was central to the whole selection misread. He plays a significant role in squad selection and he has sole power to pick the team in-tournament.

And it is he who must take responsibility for the tournament failure.

Sheens is already the only coach to lose a major tournament or series and keep the top job in over three decades. Clive Churchill is the last coach to drop two major series and keep the top job. When Australia lost the 2008 World Cup, Ricky Stuart resigned. Wayne Bennett did the same after the 2005 Tri-Nations loss. Chris Anderson won a World Cup and never even lost a series but was still forced out after a close-run and somewhat controversial 2003 Ashes Series.

The Australian coaching position is held to an extraordinarily high standard. Sheens has fallen well short of it and as a result it is time the reins are passed to someone else.