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Lawrence tipped to shine
01/07/2010 2:45 PM
Steve Orme
Sportal
Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens believes young-gun Chris Lawrence has the potential to follow in the footsteps of Blues great Laurie Daley after naming the star centre at five-eighth ahead of Friday's clash against Brisbane.
Lawrence, who was controversially overlooked for Origin III despite being widely tipped to make his NSW debut in the centres, will partner Benji Marshall in the halves for the first time this weekend.
With Blues skipper Trent Barrett almost certain to walk away from the representative scene at the end of the current series, the clamour for his No.6 jumper has already begun.
And the Tigers coach has handed 21-year-old Lawrence - already a veteran of 79 first-grad games - the perfect chance to showcase his skills and hopefully catch the eye of NSW selectors for next season.
"We've sort of had that in the back of our minds for the last 18 months to two years but we've given Chrissy a chance to find his feet in the centres in the NRL," Tigers assistant coach Peter Gentle said on Thursday.
"And now he's missed his State of Origin jumper for the centres … it's a good opportunity to show the selectors he can also play (at) six."
"He's only young and he's taken it (his non-selection) well and he's going to go out there to show selectors he hasn't dropped his bundle and he's still ready to play."
"Tim likens him to Laurie Daley. NSW is crying out for a No.6 and Trent Barrett (could be) retiring so it's a good opportunity for Chris for the rest of the year, or for the next few weeks anyway, to show what he's got at six."
"And we're very confident ... he'll handle it real well."
The continued absence of half-back Robert Lui means Marshall will wear the No.7 jersey for the second straight week, with Geoff Daniela moving into the centres to cover for Lawrence.
Meanwhile, Tigers skipper Robbie Farah insists he and his fellow high-profile team-mates have 'no point to prove' after again being overlooked for Origin.
"We're obviously all disappointed not being there," Farah conceded in reference to fellow Blues hopefuls Chris Heighington and Lawrence as well as Queensland veteran Lote Tuqiri.
"I thought we were a fair chance, especially the two Chris's ... I know they're disappointed as I am so I guess all we can do now is keep playing good footy here and try to prove people wrong by winning footy games."
"We've been playing decent footy and we'll just look to keep doing it. State of Origin's gone this year for us now so we've just got to focus on our season here at the Tigers and making sure we're there come semi-finals time."
Asked to rate his chances of an Origin recall next season, a confused Farah replied: "Hopefully come next year I'm playing good footy and if I am I'd like to think I'm still a chance, although this year I thought I was playing decent footy and they didn't pick me. I'm not too sure what they're thinking or whether I'm in their plans or not."
Meanwhile, the skipper is adamant complacency won't be a factor against a Broncos side missing Origin stars Darren Lockyer, Israel Folau and Sam Thaiday on Friday night.
"We've had a look at them and they're still a pretty decent side and the last time they played without their Origin players they put 50 past Souths, so we know it's not going to be an easy game by any means," he said.
01/07/2010 2:45 PM
Steve Orme
Sportal
Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens believes young-gun Chris Lawrence has the potential to follow in the footsteps of Blues great Laurie Daley after naming the star centre at five-eighth ahead of Friday's clash against Brisbane.
Lawrence, who was controversially overlooked for Origin III despite being widely tipped to make his NSW debut in the centres, will partner Benji Marshall in the halves for the first time this weekend.
With Blues skipper Trent Barrett almost certain to walk away from the representative scene at the end of the current series, the clamour for his No.6 jumper has already begun.
And the Tigers coach has handed 21-year-old Lawrence - already a veteran of 79 first-grad games - the perfect chance to showcase his skills and hopefully catch the eye of NSW selectors for next season.
"We've sort of had that in the back of our minds for the last 18 months to two years but we've given Chrissy a chance to find his feet in the centres in the NRL," Tigers assistant coach Peter Gentle said on Thursday.
"And now he's missed his State of Origin jumper for the centres … it's a good opportunity to show the selectors he can also play (at) six."
"He's only young and he's taken it (his non-selection) well and he's going to go out there to show selectors he hasn't dropped his bundle and he's still ready to play."
"Tim likens him to Laurie Daley. NSW is crying out for a No.6 and Trent Barrett (could be) retiring so it's a good opportunity for Chris for the rest of the year, or for the next few weeks anyway, to show what he's got at six."
"And we're very confident ... he'll handle it real well."
The continued absence of half-back Robert Lui means Marshall will wear the No.7 jersey for the second straight week, with Geoff Daniela moving into the centres to cover for Lawrence.
Meanwhile, Tigers skipper Robbie Farah insists he and his fellow high-profile team-mates have 'no point to prove' after again being overlooked for Origin.
"We're obviously all disappointed not being there," Farah conceded in reference to fellow Blues hopefuls Chris Heighington and Lawrence as well as Queensland veteran Lote Tuqiri.
"I thought we were a fair chance, especially the two Chris's ... I know they're disappointed as I am so I guess all we can do now is keep playing good footy here and try to prove people wrong by winning footy games."
"We've been playing decent footy and we'll just look to keep doing it. State of Origin's gone this year for us now so we've just got to focus on our season here at the Tigers and making sure we're there come semi-finals time."
Asked to rate his chances of an Origin recall next season, a confused Farah replied: "Hopefully come next year I'm playing good footy and if I am I'd like to think I'm still a chance, although this year I thought I was playing decent footy and they didn't pick me. I'm not too sure what they're thinking or whether I'm in their plans or not."
Meanwhile, the skipper is adamant complacency won't be a factor against a Broncos side missing Origin stars Darren Lockyer, Israel Folau and Sam Thaiday on Friday night.
"We've had a look at them and they're still a pretty decent side and the last time they played without their Origin players they put 50 past Souths, so we know it's not going to be an easy game by any means," he said.
