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In short:
Wests Tigers enter round 20 of the NRL on the bottom of the ladder, after earning the wooden spoon in each of the past two seasons.
Former NSW Blues winger Josh Mansour has told the ABC News Daily podcast that issues off field for the Tigers have ruined any chance of success in 2024.
What's next?
Wests Tigers will face the South Sydney Rabbitohs in Gosford on Saturday afternoon in round 20.
With Origin now complete the NRL's run home shifts into focus.
Once again for Wests fans, the Tigers reach the home stretch of the campaign effectively out of contention.
It is a familiar feeling for the players and fan base, having not played September football since 2011.
ABC Sport is live blogging every round of the AFL and NRL seasons in 2024.
The finals drought is a league-high 13 years, while the premiership drought will reach year 20 next season.
Things are a little different this year, though.
Loading...While the results echo years past, new personnel are in the driver's seat.
This is Benji Marshall's first full season as head coach while Shane Richardson is now the face of the administration, succeeding Justin Pascoe as CEO.
Richardson took over as interim chief executive in December, before it was made official earlier this year.
He has found himself central to heavy scrutiny that's resurfaced following the Tigers' heavy 58-6 defeat to the Sharks last week.
Former NRL player Josh Mansour has joined a growing chorus of experts questioning the trajectory of the club and, specifically, a move Richardson made during the club's bye in Round 13.
It came to light that Richardson took a trip over to the UK, in a bid to not only land a potential recruit — or two — from the Super League, but also potentially offload players from the current squad to rejig the roster and ease salary cap concerns going forward.
Mansour has suggested Richardson's trip has directly impacted the team's performances since their bye.
"I'm picking (the Tigers) for the spoon," he said on the ABC NRL Daily podcast.
"It's the same rhetoric. The playing group has to take responsibility as well, but (also) the management, the hierarchy, the CEO.
"I don't think he (Shane Richardson) did anyone (any) favours by announcing he was going to go to England and start shopping players around. As a player, if I hear that, why the hell would I play good football for this club? What loyalty have they shown me?
"I reckon, after that trip, it's really derailed the Wests Tigers of any hope of having any success this season, to be totally honest with you."
Benji Marshall, simultaneously, was questioned for the optics of spending time off with his family in Fiji, during the club's bye.
Not long after that there were reports star rookie Lachlan Galvin was agitating for a release.
Mansour suggested that dramas at the club have created a snowball effect in recent weeks, which has culminated in yet another season to forget.
"There have been circuses left, right and centre … fires to put out everywhere at the Wests Tigers," he said.
"But hopefully this is a lesson learned and going into next season — hopefully it's upwards for them."
The Tigers will look to bounce back from their 52-point loss to Cronulla when they face the Rabbitohs in Gosford on Saturday.
The side enters Round 20 in last position, looking to avoid a third-consecutive wooden spoon.
The Tigers are locked in a battle with the Eels to avoid last place, both sitting on 12 competition points with four wins and 13 losses.
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