biggest_tigers_fan
New member
THERE are plans at Wests Tigers to turn the world's best five-eighth Benji Marshall into a fullback and blood the son of club legend Paul Sironen.
Four-time premiership-winning coach Tim Sheens rates schoolboy five-eighth Curtis Sironen so highly that the teenager may even get a taste of NRL before the end of the year.
At 17, Sironen is 193cm and 92kg and has been a standout in the Toyota Cup under-20s side for 12 months.
But there has been talk about playing Sironen, who turns 18 on July 31, at five-eighth and putting Marshall at fullback.
If any coach knows when to test a teenager, it's Sheens. He unearthed Laurie Daley and Bradley Clyde at Canberra as 18-year-olds and picked Kangaroo centre Chris Lawrence as a schoolboy.
With Wade McKinnon and back-up Tim Moltzen both leaving the Tigers next season, moving Marshall to fullback and elevating Sironen may solve two problems.
Tigers chief executive Stephen Humphreys confirmed that Sironen was one of six outstanding prospects identified from the Toyota Cup side.
"Curtis may become a No. 6 in first grade and Benji moving back to fullback is kind of like a fireside conversation. There are lots of contingencies there," Humphreys said.
"But you're not going to move Benji without a lot of thought. I would suggest it's highly unlikely, but you never know. Sometimes kids just develop so quickly they demand selection and attention. There's no doubt if Curtis continues to work hard and stay disciplined, he'll have a long first-grade career.
"He's a John Sutton-type five-eighth in terms of his size, he's a good defender, has good hands, can make a break and kick goals.
"We think we've got at least six of our guys in the under-20s who will have long first-grade careers."
The son of Test back-rower Paul Sironen, Curtis made his debut in the Toyota Cup last August.
The Holy Cross Ryde student is signed with the Tigers until the end of 2013.
He has been selected for the NSW under-18s and will represent Combined Catholic Colleges at the Australian Schoolboys Carnival in St Mary's starting tomorrow.
But father Paul was cautious about the hype.
"He's taller than me, so he's a good size for a five-eighth and he's still got plenty of growing to do," Sironen said. "He's surrounded by a lot of good blokes at the Tigers and he'll make a good fist of it.
"He's going along OK, but he's still learning and it's only early days. He's giving himself every possible chance."
source http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/wests-tigers-to-shift-benji-marshall-in-to-custodians-role/story-e6frexnr-1226091374403
Four-time premiership-winning coach Tim Sheens rates schoolboy five-eighth Curtis Sironen so highly that the teenager may even get a taste of NRL before the end of the year.
At 17, Sironen is 193cm and 92kg and has been a standout in the Toyota Cup under-20s side for 12 months.
But there has been talk about playing Sironen, who turns 18 on July 31, at five-eighth and putting Marshall at fullback.
If any coach knows when to test a teenager, it's Sheens. He unearthed Laurie Daley and Bradley Clyde at Canberra as 18-year-olds and picked Kangaroo centre Chris Lawrence as a schoolboy.
With Wade McKinnon and back-up Tim Moltzen both leaving the Tigers next season, moving Marshall to fullback and elevating Sironen may solve two problems.
Tigers chief executive Stephen Humphreys confirmed that Sironen was one of six outstanding prospects identified from the Toyota Cup side.
"Curtis may become a No. 6 in first grade and Benji moving back to fullback is kind of like a fireside conversation. There are lots of contingencies there," Humphreys said.
"But you're not going to move Benji without a lot of thought. I would suggest it's highly unlikely, but you never know. Sometimes kids just develop so quickly they demand selection and attention. There's no doubt if Curtis continues to work hard and stay disciplined, he'll have a long first-grade career.
"He's a John Sutton-type five-eighth in terms of his size, he's a good defender, has good hands, can make a break and kick goals.
"We think we've got at least six of our guys in the under-20s who will have long first-grade careers."
The son of Test back-rower Paul Sironen, Curtis made his debut in the Toyota Cup last August.
The Holy Cross Ryde student is signed with the Tigers until the end of 2013.
He has been selected for the NSW under-18s and will represent Combined Catholic Colleges at the Australian Schoolboys Carnival in St Mary's starting tomorrow.
But father Paul was cautious about the hype.
"He's taller than me, so he's a good size for a five-eighth and he's still got plenty of growing to do," Sironen said. "He's surrounded by a lot of good blokes at the Tigers and he'll make a good fist of it.
"He's going along OK, but he's still learning and it's only early days. He's giving himself every possible chance."
source http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/wests-tigers-to-shift-benji-marshall-in-to-custodians-role/story-e6frexnr-1226091374403
