It is the selection headache Wests Tigers NYC Coach Todd Payten enjoys having.
Where do you play exciting young talents Kurtis Rowe, Manaia Rudolph and Jordan Marshall-King? It is a nice problem to have for Payten whose outstanding young side have won 5 of their 7 matches to sit in second place on the U20s ladder.
Rowe had been impressive at full-back early on in the season but missed last Sunday’s 40-24 win over Penrith through illness.
His absence saw Payten move goal-kicking five-eighth Rudolph to full-back, resulting in Marshall-King starting at five-eighth after a few weeks of coming off the interchange bench.
Rudolph has also been impressive with the boot, kicking at 71 per cent.
He converted 6 from 7 goals against the Panthers and is the competition’s leading points scorer.
“I thought Jordan (pictured right) would provide a bit more direction playing at five-eighth than Manaia (pictured left). He is probably a little bit more assertive in talking the boys around the field,’’ Payten said.
“It is why I have Manaia and Jordan in the side. I’ve been asking Kurtis to sniff around the ruck a bit more and he been very strong in some games.
“Jordan is probably a little bit more of an experienced player when it comes to structure than Manaia. That’s why I put him in the side.
“The good thing is all three of them can only improve.”
Payten will have to do some more deep thinking with news the very talented five-eighth Curtis Sironen is set to return from a shoulder injury in coming weeks.
Irrespective of who plays five-eighth, one thing is certain – this is a very serious Wests Tigers U20s side with talent to burn right across the park.
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_Posted using RoarFEED 2012_
Where do you play exciting young talents Kurtis Rowe, Manaia Rudolph and Jordan Marshall-King? It is a nice problem to have for Payten whose outstanding young side have won 5 of their 7 matches to sit in second place on the U20s ladder.
Rowe had been impressive at full-back early on in the season but missed last Sunday’s 40-24 win over Penrith through illness.
His absence saw Payten move goal-kicking five-eighth Rudolph to full-back, resulting in Marshall-King starting at five-eighth after a few weeks of coming off the interchange bench.
Rudolph has also been impressive with the boot, kicking at 71 per cent.
He converted 6 from 7 goals against the Panthers and is the competition’s leading points scorer.
“I thought Jordan (pictured right) would provide a bit more direction playing at five-eighth than Manaia (pictured left). He is probably a little bit more assertive in talking the boys around the field,’’ Payten said.
“It is why I have Manaia and Jordan in the side. I’ve been asking Kurtis to sniff around the ruck a bit more and he been very strong in some games.
“Jordan is probably a little bit more of an experienced player when it comes to structure than Manaia. That’s why I put him in the side.
“The good thing is all three of them can only improve.”
Payten will have to do some more deep thinking with news the very talented five-eighth Curtis Sironen is set to return from a shoulder injury in coming weeks.
Irrespective of who plays five-eighth, one thing is certain – this is a very serious Wests Tigers U20s side with talent to burn right across the park.
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_Posted using RoarFEED 2012_
