Updated April 03, 2017 16:49:17

Photo: Ivan Cleary is back in the coaching seat with the task of resurrecting the Wests Tigers' awful season. (AAP: Paul Miller)

The struggling Wests Tigers have announced Ivan Cleary as their new coach.

Cleary, who has been signed until 2020, becomes the Tigers' fifth head coach in as many years after Jason Taylor's recent sacking, with the club on a four-match losing streak.

Relegated to the bottom of the NRL ladder, the Tigers will look to defy history under new coach Cleary with no side in the past decade having made the finals from last spot after five rounds.

"There's clearly some blockages in the program currently at the Wests Tigers and that's coming out on the field at the moment," Cleary said.

"Once I spend some time in the four walls of the Wests Tigers I'll be in a better position to see what path we're going to take.

"I'm confident that the program I can help deliver will get results in time. How long that's going to take I'll find out over the next weeks and months."

He took the Warriors to the grand final in 2011 and returned the Panthers to the finals for the first time in four years in 2014 before being sacked the following season.

His arrival means the focus will switch to the team's plethora of off-contract players, including high-profile names in skipper Aaron Woods and full-back James Tedesco.

Halves Mitchell Moses and Luke Brooks are also without a deal beyond this season, as are first-grade regulars Kevin Naiqama, David Nofoaluma, Ava Seumanufagai and Tim Grant.

ABC/AAP

Topics: nrl, rugby-league, sport, balmain-2041, sydney-2000, nsw, australia

First posted April 03, 2017 16:02:08