The signing of 18-year-old Latu Fainu especially,is seen as a move toward shoring up the revolving scrumbase at Concord,but there are realistic expectations that he is still not ready for a full season of first grade from 2024.
Former Raiders halfback Aidan Sezer has since been targeted as a short-term fix from the English Super League,where his form has been middling since leaving the NRL in 2019.
Speaking on Wednesday before the Fainus had committed to the Tigers,Sheens said a board meeting at the start of the week saw he and Marshall address club powerbrokers on the club’s recruitment processes and the relationship between Marshall and Fulton.
“I don’t think there’s going to be an issue where someone can’t work with someone,” Sheens said of the backroom drama.
“We’ve all got to be professional in these sorts of situations and that’s what I would expect from both guys.
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“It’s about recruitment,that’s what we’re doing all the time is talking about our recruitment,not only from the outside in,bringing people in,or what we’ve got to do is our own juniors,our own kids,and obviously the halves situation at the club by way of experiences halves isn’t obvious.”
Marshall has taken on increasing responsibility in preparation for replacing Sheens as the veteran coach insisted once again he will not move on from the position sooner than originally planned,at the end of 2024.
He did concede though that off-contract utility Daine Laurie,who has been in talks with Penrith about a return to his junior club next season,has his own contract call to make as the Tigers have waited him to return to the paddock.
Laurie is named to partner Brandon Wakeham in the halves against fellow cellar dwellers St George Illawarra on Thursday night.
“That hasn’t been decided yet as to what[Laurie] wants to do,” Sheens said.
“He would have been playing six probably three weeks ago,except he had an injury,that head concussion then a leg injury,so we will need to see him play the next two or three games in that position and we’ll make a decision from there.”
Elsewhere,Parramatta are expected to ramp up their own search for a short-term hooker signing before the August mid-season transfer deadline after confirmation Josh Hodgson will miss the rest of the season due to a neck injury.
Hodgson underwent surgery recently and hasn’t played since mid-May,leaving the Eels short at dummy-half despite the emergence of rookie No.9 Brendan Hands.
Hodgson,33,has already taken up an option in his contract for 2024 valued at approximately $450,000.
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