Sheens happy with Tigers fullback

T

Tiger_Watto

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<big>**Sheens happy with Tigers fullbacks in NRL**</big>
Ian McCullough AAP Wed, Mar 07, 2012 - 4:28 PM

Wests Tigers NRL coach Tim Sheens denies the club's surprise decision to let Mitch Brown join Canterbury has left them short of fullback options.

The season-ending knee injury to rookie custodian James Tedesco on debut against Cronulla on Sunday means the inexperienced Tom Humble and Tim Moltzen are the only specialist No.1s at the club.

Humble, who played well after coming on to replace Tedesco, has just six first-grade appearances to his name from his spell at Parramatta.

And Sheens has earmarked Moltzen as his first-choice halfback this year following Robert Lui's departure to North Queensland.

However, the veteran coach hit back at suggestions the loss of the versatile Brown, who played at fullback, centre and on the wing during his two-year spell with the club will hinder his squad's progress.

"I don't think it has left us thin at all," Sheens said on Wednesday.

"Joel Reddy can play there, Beau Ryan can play there. I have a few kids that I could put there and I can always move Moltzen back there if I have to."

Brown was furious at being overlooked by Sheens for the season-opener at Leichhardt and demanded a move.

The 24-year-old's agent Gavin Orr approached the club about a release last Thursday and the request was accepted with the switch to Canterbury negotiated last weekend before Tedesco's injury at Leichhardt Oval.

Earlier this week, Tigers officials rubbished reports that a meeting with NRL salary cap chief Ian Schubert last Friday had anything to do with the decision to release Brown, and Orr revealed the club tried to get him to stay on Monday after Tedesco was diagnosed with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

"There was some dialogue but, in Mitch's mind, he was gone," Orr told AAP.

"He wanted to join the Bulldogs and try and secure a place in their starting line-up.

"He wants to play regularly and is targeting a permanent spot at left centre and that's what the Bulldogs can offer him."

Canterbury coach Des Hasler is delighted to have secured the signing of Brown and claimed the Tigers could rue letting him leave.

"He adds a bit of depth," Hasler said on Wednesday.

"Last weekend showed you can't have too much depth, as there were some long-term injuries to come out of the games.

"Funnily enough, the Tigers would probably like Mitch Brown back now, but that is just the way it works out sometimes."

http://www.nrl.com/sheens-happy-with-tigers-fullbacks-in-nrl/tabid/10874/newsid/66185/default.aspx
 
Whats more to it?

Brown wants a starting position, Sheens might have told him last year that he was likely our first choice fullback in 2012\. Tedesco emerges, plays in trials due to Browns injury and now Brown asks for a release to another club for a starting position.

All assumed details, but pretty standard stuff.
 
Does this mean that the club gets a salary cap exemption for Tedesco this year, does anyone know? I'd much prefer to have a fit and well Tedesco playing but due to his unfortunate injury I'm wondering whether the rules allow a free up of WTs salary cap??????
 
i just hope Reddy and Humble stay injurry free now , we should be ok for fullback , wings , centres , im still concerned with the big boys like big red come state of origin we will lose big red , woods , lawrence , ayshford , also ellis leaving end of year , sheens may turn bell into something he showed on sunday he can go well , it was his best game that ive seen him play in
 
@cunno said:
Does this mean that the club gets a salary cap exemption for Tedesco this year, does anyone know? I'd much prefer to have a fit and well Tedesco playing but due to his unfortunate injury I'm wondering whether the rules allow a free up of WTs salary cap??????
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my understanding of the Salary Cap is once a player plays a game in NRL or the clubs choice of second division, they are included in the Cap for the year… With that said, James wouldn't be on too much in this years Cap.

edit: If there is back-loading, they can be excluded from the Cap on applying for an Exemption if they have not played games for either team, but their accrual will remain.
 
Sheens on 2sm was asked about fullback & said he is happy to have Humble or he could move Moltzen back there as well & he has Reddy as well when fit which doesnt look like being this week.
 
If Brownie is dead set on a centre position, then yes he is better off looking elsewhere. Good handy reliable winger and fullback, but I see him as a rather average centre.
 
@andrew 474 said:
im still concerned with the big boys like big red come state of origin we will lose big red , woods , lawrence , ayshford
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We'll only be missing Lawrence come State of Origin. The others are no chance.
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_Posted using RoarFEED 2012_
 
Personally I don't think there's much more to this story. Brown couldn't get a starting centre position in BRET so it's perfectly understandable that he asked for a release given he wants to play centre. I would have liked to have seen him stay, but not at the expense of not being a regular starter in FG.
 
@Tiger Watto said:
@cunno said:
Does this mean that the club gets a salary cap exemption for Tedesco this year, does anyone know? I'd much prefer to have a fit and well Tedesco playing but due to his unfortunate injury I'm wondering whether the rules allow a free up of WTs salary cap??????

my understanding of the Salary Cap is once a player plays a game in NRL or the clubs choice of second division, they are included in the Cap for the year… With that said, James wouldn't be on too much in this years Cap.

edit: If there is back-loading, they can be excluded from the Cap on applying for an Exemption if they have not played games for either team, but their accrual will remain.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

Thanks for the feedback Watto, here's hoping on a speedy recovery for Tedesco.
 
@andrew 474 said:
i just hope Reddy and Humble stay injurry free now , we should be ok for fullback , wings , centres , im still concerned with the big boys like big red come state of origin we will lose big red , woods , lawrence , ayshford , also ellis leaving end of year , sheens may turn bell into something he showed on sunday he can go well , it was his best game that ive seen him play in
Click to expand...

Thats pretty optimistic thinking. Big red is supposedly out for the next 5 or 6 weeks, so thats not going to do his chances any good. And the chances of the Blues having an all-Tigers centre pairing is slim to none, i'll make that prediction right now. We aren't the Dragons unfortunately
 
@tigerbenji said:
Sheens on 2sm was asked about fullback & said he is happy to have Humble or he could move Moltzen back there as well & he has Reddy as well when fit which doesnt look like being this week.
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I heard him as well. He seemed to indicate there were a couple of young guys in the club they were happy with and by mid year one of them may be ready for first grade fullback. He also said Ryan can play there as well. I thought Sheens was hinting that some player may be purchased for this year with Brown going. He said they had some options.
 
seem to imply that they were working on a prop of some sorts…at least how i interpreted what Sheens was saying
 
You would think with all this talk about Mason something will happen - usually where there's smoke there's fire.
Oops , forgot was on this forum where there are a hundred rumours a day :laughing:
Seriously though - we could use him.
He would kill it for the Tigers off the bench.
 
@sunshine coast tiger said:
@tigerbenji said:
Sheens on 2sm was asked about fullback & said he is happy to have Humble or he could move Moltzen back there as well & he has Reddy as well when fit which doesnt look like being this week.

I heard him as well. He seemed to indicate there were a couple of young guys in the club they were happy with and by mid year one of them may be ready for first grade fullback. He also said Ryan can play there as well. I thought Sheens was hinting that some player may be purchased for this year with Brown going. He said they had some options.
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Click to expand...

If there are any other young fullbacks in the club capable of stepping, Kurtis Rowe would be the guy as Payten still has Jordan Marshall to fall back on in NYC fullback position. Rowe is not as big as Tedesco, but he's another Australian Schoolboy coming out of Keebra Park and like Tedesco he has excellent pace and is very sharp in attack, picked up two try assists against Cronulla last week. If he can put on another 5kg he'll be better prepared if he gets thrown in the deep end.

Hopefully we get some stability with Humble at fullback though.
 
It honestly wouldn't suprise me to see Sheens trial young Sironen at fullback mid year.

Simona could also be looked at as he has the skill set
 
@smeghead said:
It honestly wouldn't suprise me to see Sheens trial young Sironen at fullback mid year.

Simona could also be looked at as he has the skill set
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Simona would be dangerous - from the limited chances i've seen him have attacking from left centre, If we could give the guy some space he'd be hard to bring down.
 
Simona might be a good option at centre if Ashyford plays like he did last week. He had a shocker.

Lawrence will play SOO so Simona or Reddy will need to fill in.

Humble is a talent and would like him to be first choice at full back.

As a lot of people have aluded to we do need another prop whether it will be Mason or the out of favour prop from Newcastle (sorry I can't think of his name).

Good on Brown for asking for a release. He would only be a bit player at WT.
 
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