Jason Taylor appointed as Wests Tigers Head Coach

Wests Tigers announce General Manager of Football Operations and NRL Head Coach

Wests Tigers have today announced that Phil Moss will be joining the Club as General Manager of Football Operations, with Jason Taylor appointed as NRL Head Coach.

Moss will take on the newly created General Manager of Football Operations role, having most recently held a similar position at the Penrith Panthers. Moss also spent eight years at the Parramatta Eels with his most recent position as Chief Operating Officer.

Moss' experience is extensive in the areas of salary cap management, development pathways, and welfare & education. Moss will oversee NRL, NYC & NSW Cup administration.

Jason Taylor has been NRL Assistant Coach at the Sydney Roosters for the past two seasons, and was an integral part of their premiership win in 2013. Having previously held NRL Head Coaching roles at both the South Sydney Rabbitohs and Parramatta Eels, Taylor has shown a strong desire to develop talented youth, and has been exceptionally impressive in his aspirations to bring through the many young talented players at the Wests Tigers. Taylor is also a strong advocate for discipline and culture, saying that the Club has strong foundations that he can build on as NRL Head Coach.

A selection committee nominated by the Wests Tigers Board for the Head Coaching role comprised of CEO Grant Mayer and three directors, with one representative from Wests, Balmain, and the Independents.

The recruitment process was thorough, with a long list of candidates for both jobs. The selection committee interviewed five candidates for the NRL Head Coach role, followed by a screening process that resulted in Jason Taylor being selected for the job.

Wests Tigers Chair Marina Go said that the appointments were important steps for the Club as it looks to the 2015 season and well beyond.

"The Wests Tigers Board is thrilled to welcome Jason Taylor and Phil Moss, two highly skilled and experienced Rugby League professionals with impressive track records," said Go. "Their appointments are key to building a new culture and setting the foundations for a successful future at Wests Tigers. This is an important step forward for our Club."

Wests Tigers CEO Grant Mayer said that the Club was looking forward to working closely with Moss and Taylor.

"Both Phil and Jason embraced all of the criteria that the club set for these roles and knowing that they have shared a strong working relationship in the past, the board and management have great confidence that they will lead the Wests Tigers forward," Mayer said.

"The partnership between Phil and Jason is imperative with both given very clear objectives. Phil will manage the entire football program, with Jason taking on the core coaching responsibilities for the NRL squad. The demands for Head Coaches these days are so diverse that having Phil in the General Manager role will allow Jason to do what he does best.

"Jason has been given full autonomy to interview and appoint his coaching staff. No doubt his first point of call will be to meet with the existing staff to understand their individual strengths. Phil will support Jason in this endeavor and will also build a structure across NYC & NSW Cup that will compliment what the club and the NRL Team," he said. "The key element for this relationship is that we have a very clear linear approach to how we develop our players from our grassroots program from Harold Matthews and SG Ball all the way to the NRL.

"In regards to our playing roster, many of our Members and fans rejoiced with the Club when we secured players such as Aaron Woods, Luke Brooks, Mitchell Moses, James Tedesco, David Nofoaluma and Tim Simona. A key part of the interview process was to ensure that Jason was comfortable with these players, and that he could build around this core group and Captain Robbie Farah, as well as club stalwarts like Chris Lawrence and Keith Galloway. Further recruitment and retention will fall into Jason's core responsibility. The Club has halted all negotiations throughout this interview process to ensure our Head Coach is given the control he deserves. This process is no different to any other NRL Club or how this Club has operated historically despite what may have been reported," Mayer said.

Both Moss and Taylor are expected to start with the club no later than October 14, which will ensure they have ample time to prepare for player's return to 2015 pre-season training on November 3.

Source: weststigers.com.au