Agreed

Full back is a difficult place to learn your trade. Shaul has only played a handful of first team games. Would you be better to use Shaul to replace Briscoe for a season or two and then move him to FB when McDonnell leaves?

This.

McDonnell is a far better all round full-back than Shaul ATM but Shaul is going to be something very good.

I don't think so. he's one of a few that can turn a game with a touch of class. Catalan, Wakefield, almost Wembley. Imo he's deserves his starting place at FB.

I can understand the McDonnell argument but Shaul has you out of your seat everytime he gets the ball in his hands. A bit like Briscoe of two seasons ago.

Would be a bonus if he walked away IMO as we can use shaul and save a wedge of cap to use elsewhere. Doubt he's going though. Did he sign a 2 or 3 year deal?

Yes completely torn hamstring, the worst kind. Tendons off the bone the works

4-6 month recovery period

When Shaul was trying to break into the scene Radders made it clear that he thought he was a great prospect, there was a HDM article if you recall about him being too old for 19s etc..
I expect Shaul will be first choice next season and expect McDonnell to have parted company, did a great job for us however Shaul is the future & fits the bill of local talent...

Still need experience and Shannon is the better all round full-back.

I agree he needs more experience however I disagree Shannon is an all round better full-back, Shaul is one of the most exciting offensive off the cuff f/backs this country has seen since Tomkins imho. I think he will do even better next season after a full pre-season under his belt, it would be a tragic waste to leave him on the touch line to play an Aussie and my understanding is that is not what our club is about any-more, thankfully.

True, plus we need more than one specialised fullback in the squad.

What happens if we release McDonnell and then Shaul picks up an injury?

Shhhhhh...dont state the obvious but some will want a half-back and a utility player to play there,both can do a job there but we have a very good FB and a very good back-up FB.

Hardly any teams have 2 first team f/backs! McDonnell is reported to be one of our top earners so why would the club pay him to sit on the touchline or indeed have a young talent like Shaul on the touch line. We need to spend in other areas and most certainly do not need to waste it here. We will do what other teams do if injury occurs and promote or utilise a utility player just like we do when we suffer a h/back injury or maybe we should go out and spend some cap on a 3rd h/back just in case of injury like.

Not sure why you have put the word better in bold capitals as that will not make the people who disagree with you change their minds

I am a fan of McDonnell and was when he was at KR, however I am a bigger fan of Shaul and overall I think he offers more offensively in a team who is not the best in this area. Horne has played international rugby at F/back as he has winger so he is more than capable of cover as is Whiting who has won 2 MOM awards playing there, we also have U19s coming through all the time. Teams simply do not waste their cap paying 2 specialist f/backs for 1st team! We had 2 h/backs injured at the same time and used Heremeia who did a great job!

So if we release McDonnell and Shaul gets injured then either Whiting or Horne plays full back? What if either Holdsworth or Miller is injured at the same time as Shaul? What about the fact that Whiting is at his best as a forward coming off the bench?