Magpies coach to spend week with top NRL team

SHANE HURNDELL
A week-long stint in Australia with NRL champions Wests Tigers ... no it isn't a prize in a raffle.
It's one of next month's assignments for Kelt Capital Magpies coach Brendon Ratcliffe and his assistant, George Konia. The trip is part of their build-up to the Magpies debut in this season's Air New Zealand NPC Cup.
"There are so many parallels between what they have done and what we are attempting to do with the Magpies," Ratcliffe said.
"Three years ago they were the bottom side in the NRL. Last year they won it. They adopted a policy of promoting their youth and they adopted an expansive style of play," he said.
Ratcliffe was rapt with the response he received from Tigers coach Tim Sheens when he rang him.
"I didn't know him. I just rang him and he said 'yeah come on over'," Ratcliffe said.
Sheens has coached four NRL-winning teams - last year's Tigers side and three with Canberra Raiders in 1989, '90 and '94. The former Penrith frontrower also coached New South Wales in 1991.
"We mustn't forget there's a strong 'Magpies'connection too," Ratcliffe said, referring to the fact the Tigers were formed as a result of a merger between two former Australian NRL clubs - the Western Suburbs Magpies and the Balmain Tigers.
Ratcliffe and Konia will spend their week with Sheens and his team from February 20-25. During this week the Tigers will play an NRL warm-up match against Manly.
On February 3 Wests Tigers will play in the world rugby league club final against the Bradford Bulls.