6. Lawrence 7. Marshall

[tiger_nick]

Benji's future at No.7

By Liam Fitzgibbon
July 09, 2008 WESTS Tigers star Benji Marshall is set to make a permanent switch to halfback next NRL season under the tuition of a champion No.7 such as Andrew Johns or Stacey Jones.
Tigers coach Tim Sheens has spoken of his desire to switch the Kiwi five-eighth to half-back once he fully regains his form and confidence following off-season shoulder surgery and an early-season knee injury.

And Marshall could be playing alongside Chris Lawrence in the halves, with Sheens saying he can see the teenage centre making a switch to five-eighth as soon as next season.

Sheens resisted the temptation to switch Marshall to halfback for the NRL clash with Melbourne, despite Mathew Head being ruled out through injury, saying a mid-season switch would not do him any favours.

“I like the idea of him as a seven but you need time to make that transition happen, you just don't drop him straight in,” Sheens told AAP.

“Particularly at the moment when he's trying to regain confidence.

“I see him as a good option for that position for us down the track, he could play there easy.

“But he needs schooling and a lot of work and we'd like to see him get through this year without any problems and, as he overcomes that and gets through the end of the year and has a good off-season, I think the kid can do anything.”

Sheens said he planned to enlist the services of one of the game's great halfbacks to help Marshall make the transition.

“I'd want to get a specialist halfback to come in and do some work with him,” Sheens said.

“There's Stacey Jones and Joey Johns, that sort of player, there's a few offering their services.”

Sheens said Lawrence fitted the mould of the perfect modern five-eighth.

Lawrence burst onto the scene last year, scoring 16 tries in the centres in just 18 appearances, but the coach is also reluctant to attempt a mid-season switch with the 19-year-old.

“I think Chris Lawrence would make a very good five-eighth in the style of today's five eighths ... the likes of Feleti Mateo, John Sutton, Greg Bird ... the more running type,” Sheens said.

“He's a strong running player and there's the theory of your better players getting the ball in their hands a lot more.

“But again I wouldn't do that to a 19-year-old at this stage of the season.

“I'm not in a hurry ... but I think this time next year, don't be surprised if he is closer to there.”


------------------------------------------------

from foxsports.com

whats others peoples opinions? personally it only reinforces my thoughts on sheens losing his marbles...

 

[wittyfan]

It's a road map to a catastrophe of biblical proportions.

Fulton at 6, JMo at 7.

Easy. Fixed.

 

[Red Bear]

aargh
you have mat head, an excellent half who is really starting to return to the promise he showed in 04 before his knee injuries and you want to do this

Altho im dissapointed we dont get to see a fully fit and firing
1 - hodgeson
6 - Marshall
7 - Head
9 - Farah
for long. Easily the best footballing spine in the competition, play by far and away the best attacking football,pity the defence of the tiges is to shakey for them to benifit.

 

[NK Arsenal]

Stupid Tigers..

Benji is not a half back

Is it really that hard to move Head to HB?

FFS

 

[Vicious]

Chris Lawrence is potentially a top class footballer, but passing the football certainly isn`t one of his strong points. It`s great to have a big, strong and fast 5/8, but they still need to have some ball skills in their game. Lawrence is a centre, fullback or winger for mine and I don`t thjink Benji is suited to halfback either. He`s not a natural playmaker, he has learned to take on a bit more responsibility as his career as progressed as most halves do, but his strong point is his running game, I can`t see the point in moving him closer to the action ?

 

[Different kind of Rabbit]

I'm looking into the crystal ball right now and I can see that the following will happen in 2009

Marshall = 7
Lawrence = 6
Tigers = Spoon

 

[Ryan]

Benji is a running type player, that excels at splitting the line through the opposition centres and such. I can't see how pulling him more in field will help his game. 1/2 backs tend not to get hit in tackles and so forth as much, so maybe this is why.
He's a great player...I hope this doesn't hurt his style of play.

 

[madunit]

I like the idea of him as a seven but you need time to make that transition happen, you just don't drop him straight in"

Pity he didn't use the same logic with John Morris.

 

[RainMan]

2 defensive dynamos in the halves there.

 

[madunit]

lol, the only defnsive half we've ever had was lincoln withers.

Mind you, all he did was defend, he had no attack.

 

[851]

The 1 and only good point is that Morris wasn't mentioned in the equation.:?

 

[mxlegend99]

I'm looking into the crystal ball right now and I can see that the following will happen in 2009

Marshall = 7
Lawrence = 6
Tigers = Spoon

How is that wooden spoon worthy?

Panthers have had Luke Lewis, Jarrod Sammut and Joe Williams at halfback... and we're clear of the spoon by a fair bit. I think Benji Marshall would do a better job in the #7 then all 3 of them.

Chris Lawrence at 5/8 wouldn't hurt too much as Robbie Farah is there to pick up the slack in the halves. Chris Lawrence can just focus on his running game.

 

[madunit]

Chris Lawrence at 5/8 wouldn't hurt too much as Robbie Farah is there to pick up the slack in the halves. Chris Lawrence can just focus on his running game.

See this is the problem now.

Marshall's strong point is his running game, how often do you see it?

Lawrence being shifted to 6 means his running game will be shot and he'll be left making sh*t passes. There'll be no go forward originating from the halves at all.

Benji couldn't organise a piss-up in a vat of beer, and Lawrence can't pass wind, let alone a footy.

Then there's their kicking games, which are both hopeless.

 

[cb4]

im all for it
there is alot of atttacking falir in those players
u never no if u never try

 

[westie]

Sheens obviously took notice of the blues' success with the idea of not selecting ball players in the halves.

 

[Different kind of Rabbit]

How is that wooden spoon worthy?

Panthers have had Luke Lewis, Jarrod Sammut and Joe Williams at halfback... and we're clear of the spoon by a fair bit. I think Benji Marshall would do a better job in the #7 then all 3 of them.

Chris Lawrence at 5/8 wouldn't hurt too much as Robbie Farah is there to pick up the slack in the halves. Chris Lawrence can just focus on his running game.

Because a flick pass and a step don't make a good half back. A half needs to have some sort of organisational ability. A 5/8 that can't pass is also a liability. These two in the halves would severely hamper the Tigers attack and we already know that they are a liability in defence. Robbie Farah will need much broader shoulders if he is going to carry these two around.

 

[mxlegend99]

I think Benji Marshall will do a good job in the #7. Chris Lawrence will probably fail miserably in te #6... but atleast Sheens is looking to fix the issue of Morris in the halves.

I wish Matt Elliott would look at putting a playmaker in our #7, or getting someone in to teach Luke Lewis.

 

[Joker's Wild]

aargh
you have mat head, an excellent half who is really starting to return to the promise he showed in 04 before his knee injuries and you want to do this

Altho im dissapointed we dont get to see a fully fit and firing
1 - hodgeson
6 - Marshall
7 - Head
9 - Farah
for long. Easily the best footballing spine in the competition, play by far and away the best attacking football,pity the defence of the tiges is to shakey for them to benifit.

Can think of at least 3 that are better:

1. Slater
6. Inglis
7. Cronk
9. Smith

or

1. Kearney
6. Seymor
7. Kimmorley
9. De Gois

or

1. Stewart
6. Lyon
7. Orford
9. Le'strange

 

[Perth Tiger]

I think Benji Marshall will do a good job in the #7. Chris Lawrence will probably fail miserably in te #6... but atleast Sheens is looking to fix the issue of Morris in the halves.

I wish Matt Elliott would look at putting a playmaker in our #7, or getting someone in to teach Luke Lewis.

The simple way of fixing the problem of Morris in the Halves is Mat Head. Failing that we have a couple of junior Kangaroos in the U20s who play in the halves.

A Marshell/Lawerance Combo causes more problems that it solves

 

[Azkatro]

Tim Sheens is mad. What sane man would refuse Head if it was available?