Wests Tigers to pay attention to Sandow
Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens will order his forwards to target South Sydney halfback Chris Sandow in Sunday's NRL match in a bid to break the rookie's soaring confidence.
The Rabbitohs are on a five-game winning streak, with the form of Sandow playing a huge part in their dramatic turnaround from a dismal start to the season.
With the 19-year-old continuing to earn praise each week, Sheens said on Thursday it was time opposition teams focussed more on limiting his impact in the game.
"I think young Sandow has got under the radar a little bit and I think and all of a sudden everyone's saying, `oh hang on, this kid can play' in respect to his kicking game and those sort of things," Sheens said on Thursday.
"He's got a good little leg speed and he scores a try if you don't pay him the respect.
"So I think sides will now, as we have to, start to put him a little bit under the pump as far as pressuring his kicking game and pressuring his ball-playing game.
"As a young bloke he's very confident at the moment but you've got to kill that confidence in him."
The ANZ Stadium match looms as a crucial one for both sides' finals hopes with the Tigers sitting just outside the top eight and the Rabbitohs making a charge towards it.
The Rabbitohs can join Wests on 18 competition points with a win on Sunday while Sheens' team could move back into the top eight with victory.
Sheens has named Robbie Farah at halfback for the clash in place of injured Mathew Head, with John Morris to share the hooking role with Stuart Flanagan.
The coach was excited at the prospect of Farah linking up with Kiwi superstar Benji Marshall in the halves.
"It does (excite me) because the two boys are best of mates and they understand the game very well, they're very intelligent players," Sheens said.
Tigers skipper Brett Hodgson is in doubt for the match due to a leg strain suffered in Monday's loss to Melbourne.
Sheens is likely to give Hodgson right up until game day to prove his fitness, with young utility Tim Moltzen on standby in case he is ruled out.
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