Walking through the halls of the Wests Tigers shiny new Centre of Excellence, it's impossible not to feel something of a 2005 vibe.

The walls of the impressive multi-million-dollar facility are adorned with photos of the club's most famous side. 

There's commemoration for the history of Wests and Balmain, but when it comes to Wests Tigers it's almost all about '05 — and why wouldn't it be?

No premiership team of this century is more beloved, not just by their own fans but by the game itself.

The players are still here. John Skandalis works in the corporate department. Chris Heighington has been helping out with strength and conditioning. Robbie Farah's an assistant coach, and so is Benji Marshall.

They're all retired, but part of a team that stays young forever. At 38, Marshall still runs around on the training paddock sometimes, seeing things nobody else can see and throwing passes nobody else could even consider.

Even now, if you squint, he looks like the guy who threw the flick pass. There were so many in his long career but you know the one we mean.

Tim Sheens is back in the middle, with a clipboard in his hand and set plays on his mind, ready to try and do it all again.

The club sacked him 10 years ago but when it comes to the '05 crew, the Tigers are all about second chances.

Marshall and Farah both had nasty splits that forced them out, the details of which were forgotten once they both came back home again.

After finishing dead last for the first time in club history, all the Tigers can do is look forward. But to do this, they've looked back to the only glory days they've ever really had and done everything but fire the DeLorean up to 88 miles an hour.

Recapturing the past is a tall order. But they faced worse odds in 2005 and won, and besides, with the longest finals drought in the NRL getting longer every day, what have they got to lose?

Sheens is one of the greatest coaches of modern times and as a rugby league mind he may have no equal. Winning four premierships, three in different decades, is a testament to his ability to change with the times and stay on the cutting edge of the sport.

But that doesn't mean his return to the Tigers is without risk. It's been a lean decade for Sheens, who hasn't coached a successful side at the top level since he piloted Australia to World Cup glory in 2013.

After losing three matches in a row to New Zealand in 2014-15, including the 2014 Four Nations final, he lost his position as Kangaroos coach.

He took Hull KR from the second division to Super League in 2017, but was sacked 18 months later after a run of poor performances, before a short run with Widnes in 2020 was ended after just six matches due to COVID-19.

The knowledge Sheens has is something you don't ever lose, but he is a coach who made his bones in another era. Will Smith is the oldest player on the Tigers' roster and when he was born, Sheens had already won half his premierships.

Aside from Wayne Bennett, no other coach can boast such longevity. But where Bennett is most renowned as a motivator and man-manager, Sheens is still a detail-oriented, technical wizard who remains consumed with the nuts and bolts of the game itself.

Some coach through inspiration, and Sheens can do that as well, but his strength is his work as an attacking mechanic. According to new hooker Api Koroisau, that's exactly what the 72-year-old has stressed all summer. 

"He loves his attack. That attacking mentality with Sheensy, I haven't come across that too often in my time, and he loves his one-percenters," said Koroisau. 

"He really keeps on top of that, it's not something he hands off to someone else, he asks the boys himself.

"That's been really impressive to see; sometimes coaches let that go to other coaches or other people, but he's been running that himself.

"To see him have his finger on the pulse and be really hands on, that's been great."

Sheens has coached many teams with many varying strengths and weaknesses, but his best teams have always boasted a rare attacking class.

In part, that's why the 2005 Tigers enjoy such a fine reputation. Coming from nowhere to win a premiership is one thing, but doing it the way they did it is what made them immortal.

If you're looking to waste some time the easy way, switch your phone to "do not disturb", tell the boss you're on a call and dial up some of their best work. Almost two decades on, nobody's played like this before or since.

Sheens' Tigers were still gorgeous to watch until the day he left in 2012, even if things never quite worked out as well as they did in their premiership year. Times change and so does the game.

Things can't ever be the exact same as they used to be and wanting the 2023 Tigers to run around exactly like the old boys did is asking for something that can't be done.

But what can is attacking with the same spirit, maybe with a couple of similar moves. It doesn't have to be identical — more of a modern spin on a classic.

Ask any of the Tigers what kind of football Sheens wants them to play and they're unanimous – they're going to be letting the ball do the work.

"It's always within reason and he always has a reason why we throw this pass or run this angle or whatever you do," said five-eighth Adam Doueihi.

"He's big on everyone having the capability to catch and pass, the 17 who run out every week all have to be able to throw a pass and not just tuck it under their wing and make a tackle.