Jason Schirnack...

[Guest]

He is in the top 25 with a year remaining on his contract! I hope he will stay if given some top grade opportunities in 2011!

Sheensy played a major role in his recruitment from Newcastle and I know he does rate him highly. 2010 was a stilted year for Jason with injury - and our regular back-rowers stayed relatively injury-free which did not help his cause when he came back!

I believe Sheensy is looking at BMM and Dwyer as part-time props - that allows Jason to come-in & be mentored as Heighno's long-term replacement (as he previously did by/for Galea)!!!

I don't understand Sheens fascination with turning backrowers into props. He should leave Dwyer and BMM where they are best suited and that's wreaking havoc wide of the ruck where they can break tackles and get offloads away. He's got Fifita, Woods, Begovich and Roqica as understudy props in development.

As for young Schirnack, hopefully he has a good off-season and is given a go in the trials. At this stage I feel he would only be considered for a bench spot if Ellis and Heighno were both injured at the same time.

 

[redemption]

The size of Dwyer and BMM - compared to Bronson & Danny Galea - suggest there is more justification in such a move than the previous desperation!

You mentioned Roqica as a future prop willow - but (despite his size - a tad smaller than Simon & Ben) don't forget he played centre/wing for both NYC & BRET in 2009!

Turning an outside back into a prop is a much bigger call than turning a back-rower into one!

However - I don't believe Sheens plans for the boys to be full-time props - but rather keep them adaptable for the prop rotation given our back-rowers are 70-80 minute players! BMM played most of the season as a bench prop for the NYC team.

Flanagan managed to get games off the bench in 2010 despite Ellis/Heighno being available. I hope Jason can usurp Mark for a similiar spot in 2011! Nothing against Flanno - but I'd take the Bash Bro anyday!