Frawley giving Des 'good problem to have'

Matt Frawley is starting to push Moses Mbye for the Canterbury halfback position as Des Hasler again attempts to make three go into two.

Moses Mbye of the Bulldogs

Matt Frawley is starting to push Moses Mbye (pic) for the Canterbury halfback position. (AAP)

For the second time in three years Canterbury coach Des Hasler is faced with the dilemma of trying to fit three halves into two spots.

Back-up playmaker Matt Frawley has given Hasler plenty to think about after spearheading the Bulldogs' 22-12 win over Newcastle on Friday night.

After scoring a brilliant solo try to give his side the lead early in the second half and setting up Josh Morris' decisive four-pointer, Frawley is beginning to apply the blowtorch to Moses Mbye and Josh Reynolds for a starting berth.

Coming off the bench, Frawley looked composed and classy when injected into the game in the 25th minute.

The knock on Mbye and Reynolds is that neither are accomplished organisers or ball players and both are ball runners.

Enter Frawley, who in his first two games has displayed vision, a deft kicking game and the ability to steer his side around the park.

After getting a start thanks to Mbye's one-game suspension for a shoulder charge in last week's win over Brisbane, he has shouldered his way into the 17 and set his sights on a starting spot.

When Brad Abbey went down midway through the first half against the Knights, Hasler elected to slot Frawley into the No.7 spot and push Mbye into the centres.

"It's healthy for the club and my first goal is to cement that bench spot, if I can do that I'll be stoked," said 22-year-old Frawley.

"I'm just trying to enjoy the moment and not get carried away.

"It's only two games, everyone's quick to judge. I've just got to remain focused."

Frawley is making the most of his second shot at the big time. After being told he was unwanted at Canberra he was offered a lifeline by Hasler.

He is signed to the end of next year and the possibilities are immense with Reynolds off-contract at the end of the year, giving him the rest of 2017 to prove to Hasler he can run a side.

While Frawley was doing his best to pour cold water on his rapid progress, his success speaks for itself.

This year he already has just as many try assists and tries (one each) as Mbye - even though he has only played three halves of football.

It's the same quandary Hasler found himself in in 2015 when Mbye emerged to place pressure on now-Newcastle No.7 Trent Hodkinson and Reynolds.

He spent that season mixing those three players between the starting spots and the bench and hinted he could implement the same structure this year.

When Hasler was asked whether Frawley was pushing for the starting No.7 jersey, he said: "He's putting his best foot forward.

"He got his chances again today, though we'd lost a couple of players. It's a good headache to have."


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Source: AAP


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