Lazarus facing selection crisis

Lee Gaskin | 18th November 2009

Ipswich Jets hooker Michael Ryan is set to miss most of the 2010 Queensland Cup season due to work commitments.

GLENN Lazarus has a selection dilemma on his hands and it all has to do with the troublesome No. 6 and No. 7 jerseys.

Just who will steer the Ipswich Jets around the park for the 2010 Queensland Cup campaign is anyone’s guess, with coach Lazarus admitting the club’s playmaking stocks are at dangerously low levels.

It’s all come about following news crafty hooker and reigning best and fairest Michael Ryan will miss the majority, if not all, of next season due to work commitments.

The Jets have a ready-made replacement in former Brisbane Broncos utility Ian Lacey, who spent most of his NRL career at dummy-half.

However, moving Lacey creates a sizeable hole in the halves, considering this year’s five-eighth Matt Srama is expected to see plenty of game time with the Gold Coast Titans’ under-20s.

“I’d be a lot happier if we had more halves in the club,” Lazarus said.

“If Lacey goes to hooker it means we’ll have a new halves combination to what we had this year.

“We’d love to get a quality No. 7 but there’s not an awful lot around.”

Ipswich’s main option appears to be English recruit Paul Mennell, who arrives with big wraps from second division side Batley Bulldogs.

Having been burnt by several new signings last season, Lazarus didn’t want to lump any pressure on the young playmaker.

“Paul Mennell is a bit of an unknown quantity... we’re not expecting him to set the world on fire this year,” Lazarus said.

Lacey could yet remain the team’s general after the Jets secured the services of Tweed Heads forward Geoff Holcombe earlier this week.

Holcombe is no stranger to Jets fans, having made his Queensland Cup debut under then coach Trevor Gillmeister in 2006.

Club stalwart and FOGS Cup player of the year Todd Riggs and veteran utility Brendan Marshall appear the likely challengers for the five-eighth spot.

“After that we’re a little light on,” Lazarus warned.

The Jets have continued their end of season signing splurge, acquiring former Manly lower grader, second rower Cameron Woo, and North Queensland Cowboys under-20s outside back Sam Bowie.

Several of the club’s top-grade squad have had their pre-season delayed due to injuries, including props Paul Stephenson and Warren Schillings, backrower Leigh Coghill, Riggs and South Sydney recruit Junior Seumanutafa.

Lacey and skipper Danny Coburn have also been given a couple of weeks off before joining the main squad, which kicked off training last week.