Chris Lawrence

[madunit]

Let's try and be constructive here.

He has lost his pace. This is a common issue for a lot of centres, albeit not at such a young age and his injuries have impacted him in this department.

However the good centres can modify their style and gameplay to make up for the loss of pace.

Lawrence has attempted to be more of a ball playing centre, but his passing is poorly timed, weak and generally late. He doesn't give his winger any chances, space or opportunity.

If ball playing duties were taken from him and he played a similar style to 2010-11 Ayshford - just run at gaps, could he be turned into a useful player?

I guess this would mean he would have to be pushed into the back row.

He wouldn't require much bulking up, but would need to improve his defensive technique a little so that his first contact in the tackle was more dominant.

Honestly people, could he become an NRL quality back-rower?

 

[Radical Rat]

Let's try and be constructive here.

He has lost his pace. This is a common issue for a lot of centres, albeit not at such a young age and his injuries have impacted him in this department.

However the good centres can modify their style and gameplay to make up for the loss of pace.

Lawrence has attempted to be more of a ball playing centre, but his passing is poorly timed, weak and generally late. He doesn't give his winger any chances, space or opportunity.

If ball playing duties were taken from him and he played a similar style to 2010-11 Ayshford - just run at gaps, could he be turned into a useful player?

I guess this would mean he would have to be pushed into the back row.

He wouldn't require much bulking up, but would need to improve his defensive technique a little so that his first contact in the tackle was more dominant.

Honestly people, could he become an NRL quality back-rower?

He has no future in the centres so it's either backrow or nothing. The problem is we already have a small, agile backrow. I don't think we can have a backrow of Bodene, Lawrence and Siro. Then there is Blair to consider.

I still think Bodene runs too hot and cold, tends to go missing a bit. Siro is still a work in progress.

The coming years are supposed to be when we become a legitimate threat. Can we really afford to be trying to teach Lawrence how to be a backrower in that time?

Lawrence has always been one of my favourite players and I'd love to see him stay and succeed, but it might be too unrealistic an expectation.

 

[FootynRacing]

He may be able to transform into an ok back rower. Not the type of back rower we need though.

 

[gronkathon]

I don't know whether he can laterally cover back row. Combine that with his poor reads and it makes it a difficult proposition.

Also weighing in his contract value it makes him a massive risk on the roster in any slot.

Surely Salford would want he and Moltzen

 

[BrotherJim05]

I still think Bodene runs too hot and cold, tends to go missing a bit.

I strongly disagree. Bodene shoulders a huge workload, plays 80 minutes and makes a shitload of tackles. I think he made 45 on Sunday. When you're making that many tackles for 80 mins straight you will miss a few.

As for Lawrence, he could possibly become a quality back rower but he would have to re-invent himself in NSW Cup. No way we can just slot him straight into FG Back Rower.

 

[Shanghai Charlie]

He is under contract and no longer can play centre.
Got nothing to lose.

Needs 5kg and improve his first up contact and wrestle.
Could surprise.

 

[madunit]

I say give him the entire off-season to get his bulk up and make him work almost entirely on defence.

the in drills, have him run straight and hard lines. teach him to hit and spin so he can draw some defenders and get offloads away.

Simplest yet most devastating facet of a backrowers game.

 

[Fordy20]

I'm more concerned with his ball handling at the moment and I don't see a shift to backrow helping with that. We all know that Lawrence is better than how he's playing at the moment and we don't seem to have depth at centre, so maybe a sports psychologist or something like that is in order. Also Lawrence and Brooks don't appear to have gelled well, so I'd like to see how he goes over the last six rounds playing outside Austin.

 

[ucantseeme]

Agreed. Just focus on catching the ball. Too many handling errors in his game.

 

[TYGA]

Such a weak link costs you games he is letting his team mates down. Has to be dropped the coach is letting him embarrass himself this is disgraceful.

 

[benched tiger]

I dont think he deserves to be in the team as a centre,neither does Lulia for that matter.So that leaves the backrow via NSW cup or just move him on.

 

[69-05-41]

Sell him to the highest bidder, if no interest give him the 'job' that was created for Sheens. Lawrence would be a liability in State Cup, First Grade is no longer an option.

 

[MadPie]

Let's hope Ricky Stuart will poach him.

I can see him becoming a back rower, that's probably were his future is, noting what others have said re bulking up and improving first contact etc. maybe not a first choice back rower, (depending on the other options) but one of those versatile back rowers off the bench, who can fill in at centre in case team needs a reshuffle due to injury during a game.

It's a shame how he's been going, seems like an truly good guy and gentleman.

 

[God-King Dean]

England.

 

[Sunshine Coast Tiger]

He was a great player before that horrible hip injury. Many people I know said he would never play again, so I admire Chris and his determination for coming back. He is however nowhere near the same player. The injury cost him his great explosive pace over 5-50 metres, he is nowhere near as quick as he used to be. He is not an NRL standard centre anymore.

His defence is lacking week in and week out as he can not move quick enough laterally to make the tackles that need to be made in the centres. His ball skills are not good enough either.

He has another two years left I believe after this year, the club has to make a decision on what to do with him but going forward they can't keep picking him in the centres if we want to win matches.

 

[benched tiger]

They should of kept Koro and moved Lawrence on !

 

[gronkathon]

Someone had to want him at what we are paying him (or even near it) first

 

[super_coach]

Someone had to want him at what we are paying him (or even near it) first

So true--you can only sell a commodity that another person wants and the only way that could happen is the NRL decided to add another couple of teams, and that is not going to happen anytime soon

 

[Matchball]

It's more than likely that we back end his 5 year deal so he is probably one of the highest paid out there.
Sickening.

 

[Pezz70]

Physically there is nothing wrong with this lad, he is as quick as ever, but he is in a bad head space, He
looks unhappy and will not commit himself to ball or defense. You can see it in defense he just plants his feet and hopes for the best. He looks like he needs some time out of the game. He is in a really vicious cycle at the moment, his negativity gets compounded with every mistake he makes would be a good thing to give him a spell away from footy for the rest of the season IMO. At 25 he still has a lot to give as a centre, he ain't cut out for the pack! I expect there'll be some improvement with improved service from inside him. I hope so anyway seems like a genuine bloke. He needs to relax!