Infotainment Factory: Tigers great puts blowtorch on big money recruits

Tigers legend Benny Elias believes it's time for the club's new recruits to aim up, throwing his support behind embattled coach Tim Sheens.

With the Tigers yet to secure a win this season, Sheens has come under pressure to turn things around, with fans fed up with calls for patience and claims that the club is embarking on a five-year rebuild.

While the head coach fronts the majority of responsibility, Elias is of the opinion the players need to start investing in the coach after representative stars David Klemmer, John Bateman, Isaiah Papali'i and Apisai Koroisau all joined the club in an off-season splurge.

"We've bought some very good players ... those four players have come to the club and they've backed them," Elias told Wide World of Sports.

Apisai Koroisau celebrates with Tigers teammates after scoring a try during their round four NRL match against the Melbourne Storm.

"It's time these players mould together, and become one unit, it's very frustrating not watching them play like that.

"You've got to pull together, we've got four different players, from four different backgrounds ... it doesn't work overnight but you need to invest in the coach and believe in what he has to offer."

Elias says the timeframe for when the newly acquired players become comfortable under Sheens' coaching is solely up to them.

"They're all professionals, I'm trying to make excuses for them but at the same time how long is a very good question - it's as long as you want, it's up to the player themselves," he said.

"As a team and unit, you need to know my left hand knows what your right hand is doing. Once they get to know all that, until such time, it isn't going to work."

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Having led the Tigers to its last premiership in 2005, and last finals appearance in 2011, Sheens is the last coach to have delivered any sort of success to the club.

With that in mind, Elias believes there's no better person to lead them out of this season's predicament.

"He's very experienced at being the champion coach he has been, he's up there with Jack Gibson and Wayne Bennett when you talk about legendary coaches, his experience and knowledge is second to none," Elias said.

"I think players need to believe in Tim Sheens ... it's like trying to make a million dollars overnight, you've got to be patient and tactical and shrewd of the macro position of where we're at.

"The micro position is the Eels next week, and the only way of putting out the fire is by doing something extraordinary by knocking off a grand finalist in Parramatta.

"You've got to believe in yourself, Sheens is loyal to the players and won't make drastic changes, but players need to respect and reward the bloke doing the hard yards."

The start of the season has been a nightmare for all Tigers fans, with plenty of promise in pre-season off the back of new signings and the club's unveiling of a $78 million Centre of Excellence.

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A 46-12 loss to Brisbane Broncos in round five was arguably the Tigers' worst performance of the season. The fallout has been brutal with Pascoe criticised in some quarters for scrolling on his phone in the dressing room at half-time, adding further insult to injury.

Elias believes the criticism of the Tigers' performances would be no different to what Sheens is saying behind closed doors.

"There's no excuses for that (match against Brisbane), for professional players and the money they're getting and expectation from new recruits, you've got to be better than that, and I'm sure Tim Sheens is saying this," he said.

"You can can protect (in players), and you can invest, but it's like a bad investment if you keep on investing in a bad investment you'll lose everything.

"The product I think is to believe and learn and follow the great man Tim Sheens, that's our greatest asset, he's done it all.

"You've got a bloke with all the experience, but you've got to believe in him or you've got to find people that do believe in him until such time."

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