hahaha benji is named injury-prone, interesting article though but i dont think chris lawrence will be able to handle the position of 5/8
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Wests Tigers will test teenage sensation Chris Lawrence's suitability as a long-term five-eighth understudy to injury-prone Benji Marshall in Sunday's NRL clash with Newcastle.
The 18-year-old, who is in scorching attacking form with six tries in his past five games, has played a key role for the Tigers off the interchange bench this season.
But coach Tim Sheens is ready to give Lawrence a chance in the halves after relegating Liam Fulton to the bench following Monday's 38-8 loss to Parramatta, which ended a six-match winning streak.
"I think we need to groom another option in that area for us for down the track," Sheens said.
"We're going to experiment with Chris there and see whether or not he'll become another option there for us in the event of injury to our key (number) seven and six."
Sheens said Lawrence would bring the Tigers much-needed speed in the middle of the park with Fulton, who has played at five eighth since Marshall's shoulder injury against Melbourne in round eight, hitting a form slump.
"Liam's game is down a bit," said Sheens. "He's been a bit hot and cold this year. He's been trying to regain the form of `05.
"There were a number of things I wasn't happy about (in his game).
"Chris is a lot quicker on that edge, much quicker, and I think Liam is more a second row or lock."
"He's not slow but he's not quick as in Marshall or Lawrence quick and I think the extra speed on the edge is what we were looking for (against Parramatta)."
Sheens has not yet named a captain for Sunday's match at EnergyAustralia Stadium with news regular skipper Brett Hodgson will miss at least eight weeks and undergo surgery on cheekbone and eye socket fractures suffered against the Eels.
With the Tigers missing both Hodgson and Marshall, Sheens was looking for his players to step up even more.
"A key player like Brett is a big loss to the team so it falls on the other guys to step and do a bit more work," Sheens said.
"There's a leadership group in the team, it's the (Robbie) Farahs and (Todd) Paytens, (John) Morris and that sort of player - there's plenty of them and we're not rookies.
"But leadership is not about telling people what to do, it's about leading by example and taking a bit more responsibility, lifting their own effort five per cent.
"If a get a five per cent lift from everyone I'll be happy with that."
Sheens said Marshall was about to enter the next phase of his recovery from shoulder surgery.
"He's out of the sling tomorrow and then it's just a matter of time and healing ... but I'm not putting a time frame on it," he said.
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Wests Tigers will test teenage sensation Chris Lawrence's suitability as a long-term five-eighth understudy to injury-prone Benji Marshall in Sunday's NRL clash with Newcastle.
The 18-year-old, who is in scorching attacking form with six tries in his past five games, has played a key role for the Tigers off the interchange bench this season.
But coach Tim Sheens is ready to give Lawrence a chance in the halves after relegating Liam Fulton to the bench following Monday's 38-8 loss to Parramatta, which ended a six-match winning streak.
"I think we need to groom another option in that area for us for down the track," Sheens said.
"We're going to experiment with Chris there and see whether or not he'll become another option there for us in the event of injury to our key (number) seven and six."
Sheens said Lawrence would bring the Tigers much-needed speed in the middle of the park with Fulton, who has played at five eighth since Marshall's shoulder injury against Melbourne in round eight, hitting a form slump.
"Liam's game is down a bit," said Sheens. "He's been a bit hot and cold this year. He's been trying to regain the form of `05.
"There were a number of things I wasn't happy about (in his game).
"Chris is a lot quicker on that edge, much quicker, and I think Liam is more a second row or lock."
"He's not slow but he's not quick as in Marshall or Lawrence quick and I think the extra speed on the edge is what we were looking for (against Parramatta)."
Sheens has not yet named a captain for Sunday's match at EnergyAustralia Stadium with news regular skipper Brett Hodgson will miss at least eight weeks and undergo surgery on cheekbone and eye socket fractures suffered against the Eels.
With the Tigers missing both Hodgson and Marshall, Sheens was looking for his players to step up even more.
"A key player like Brett is a big loss to the team so it falls on the other guys to step and do a bit more work," Sheens said.
"There's a leadership group in the team, it's the (Robbie) Farahs and (Todd) Paytens, (John) Morris and that sort of player - there's plenty of them and we're not rookies.
"But leadership is not about telling people what to do, it's about leading by example and taking a bit more responsibility, lifting their own effort five per cent.
"If a get a five per cent lift from everyone I'll be happy with that."
Sheens said Marshall was about to enter the next phase of his recovery from shoulder surgery.
"He's out of the sling tomorrow and then it's just a matter of time and healing ... but I'm not putting a time frame on it," he said.
