Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens says the GWS Giants will be flat-out trying to top struggling AFL new boys Gold Coast, let alone challenging the NRL's western Sydney clubs.

Sheens has taken a swing at claims the AFL's expansion in 2012 signals a crisis for the NRL's underperforming Tigers, Canterbury, Penrith and Parramatta sides.

The Test coach said the AFL could expect to do it tough on their new frontier, as shown by the Suns' foray into Queensland which has yielded just three wins.

"AFL hasn't got an edge, they haven't done anything in western Sydney yet," Sheens told reporters on Thursday.

"Based on what the Gold Coast are doing, I think AFL western Sydney might find it a little bit difficult going next year.

"And from what I've heard they're not travelling that well in some of the results they're getting."

Sheens said he'd heard all the doomsday predictions before, when the Sydney Swans arrived in the 1980s.

"I can remember everyone saying the same thing about the Swans in the middle of Sydney," he said.

"I think we've cohabited with the Swans, they've won a premiership the same year we did.

"I don't see them taking over in Sydney, I don't see AFL taking over in western Sydney.

"That's not to say we can't be on our guard and work hard."

Asked for more of his thoughts, Sheens attempted to soften his comments, suggesting he would retract them if they were turned into a big issue by the media.

But he sought to emphasise that the fact the Tigers, Bulldogs, Panthers and Eels had performed well on the field in recent years stood them in good stead.

"Canterbury (in 2009) had a big season, Parramatta made the grand final, we ran third last year ... Penrith last year finished second," he said.

"So with six rounds to go (this year) you don't write off anyone just yet and I don't think the four teams have performed that badly in the last two years."

The Tigers are the only western Sydney team in the top eight, while the joint-venture club, Canterbury, Penrith and Parramatta have all had their share of off-field issues in 2011.

The latest is a cleanout of Eels' support staff Rod Reddy and Peter Sharp.

Sheens' club will move on big names including Bryce Gibbs, Andrew Fifita and Tim Moltzen after this season.

NRL boss David Gallop said rugby league should be more self-assured about its dominance of the massive western Sydney market.

"We can't rest on our laurels but rugby league is a success story in western Sydney," he said.

"We saturate the market with NRL teams, we saturate the market with junior teams and our participation numbers are rising.

"Sometimes the game needs to be more self-confident about how it's going in western Sydney."

Gallop dismissed a recent Rugby League Week poll result showing 25 per cent of players would consider switching to AFL.

"It's a high number and probably an inflated one in terms of what the reality is," he said.

"The AFL have taken a big punt on a couple of our players (Karmichael Hunt and Israel Folau) - let's see how that works out for them.

"The vast majority of our guys are going to stick to rugby league."

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