tigersrule4life
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Brent Read
From:The Australian
June 22, 201312:00AM
BENJI Marshall's long-term future at the Wests Tigers may be in doubt but there was some good news for the club's supporters yesterday - Aaron Woods has declared his desire to stay for the long haul.
Woods is off contract at the end of next season and will be one of the most coveted players in the game should he put himself on the open market.
However, the NSW front-rower told The Weekend Australian he had no plans to leave the club that gave him a shot at first grade in 2011.
"I want to stay at the club," Woods said.
"I love the club. I have no intention of going anywhere. Hopefully they come to me and want me to stay because that's what I want to do."
The Tigers have some other contractual issues to sort out before then, chief among them being Marshall.
As part of a previous agreement, the club had agreed to revise the final two years of his contract to cater for increases in the salary cap.
It is understood that revised offer was sent to Marshall's manager, Martin Tauber, yesterday and, despite speculation he could be offered an extension, none was forthcoming.
The next step will be the most interesting. If, as expected, the offer was below what Tauber desired, he could seek to take Marshall elsewhere at the end of the season.
Marshall himself was tight-lipped on his future yesterday.
"It's why I have a manager, so I can just focus on playing. My contract negotiations have been the furthest thing from my mind at the moment," Marshall said.
"My priority is to try and play good for the team and that's my focus. My manager can take care of that side and I'll just be worrying about playing.
"I'm pretty sure the club is trying to do something to renegotiate my contract. This week is a big game for us and I've just been focusing on that.
"After the game, I'm sure I will be able to sit down and talk about what is happening in the future but for now, it is about this game.
"I signed a deal for five years two years ago. I'd love to be here for life and if the club sees it that way I'm sure I would be."
The contract discussions come amid criticism of Marshall's form for his club. The New Zealand international is coming off one of his worst performances in first grade – a defeat against Brisbane which included nine missed tackles.
"You just get used to it, but it doesn't affect the way I play," he said of the criticism.
"If anything, it makes you want to play better. We are back at home at Campbelltown and I'm looking forward to putting in a good performance for our team.
"My form has been a bit patchy lately, a bit up and down. I'd like to be playing better. No one likes to be embarrassed in defence and your ego takes a hit a little bit. You just have to go back to the drawing board and work hard."
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/nrl/aaron-woods-is-content-to-stay-with-struggling-wests-tigers/story-fnca0von-1226667827345
From:The Australian
June 22, 201312:00AM
BENJI Marshall's long-term future at the Wests Tigers may be in doubt but there was some good news for the club's supporters yesterday - Aaron Woods has declared his desire to stay for the long haul.
Woods is off contract at the end of next season and will be one of the most coveted players in the game should he put himself on the open market.
However, the NSW front-rower told The Weekend Australian he had no plans to leave the club that gave him a shot at first grade in 2011.
"I want to stay at the club," Woods said.
"I love the club. I have no intention of going anywhere. Hopefully they come to me and want me to stay because that's what I want to do."
The Tigers have some other contractual issues to sort out before then, chief among them being Marshall.
As part of a previous agreement, the club had agreed to revise the final two years of his contract to cater for increases in the salary cap.
It is understood that revised offer was sent to Marshall's manager, Martin Tauber, yesterday and, despite speculation he could be offered an extension, none was forthcoming.
The next step will be the most interesting. If, as expected, the offer was below what Tauber desired, he could seek to take Marshall elsewhere at the end of the season.
Marshall himself was tight-lipped on his future yesterday.
"It's why I have a manager, so I can just focus on playing. My contract negotiations have been the furthest thing from my mind at the moment," Marshall said.
"My priority is to try and play good for the team and that's my focus. My manager can take care of that side and I'll just be worrying about playing.
"I'm pretty sure the club is trying to do something to renegotiate my contract. This week is a big game for us and I've just been focusing on that.
"After the game, I'm sure I will be able to sit down and talk about what is happening in the future but for now, it is about this game.
"I signed a deal for five years two years ago. I'd love to be here for life and if the club sees it that way I'm sure I would be."
The contract discussions come amid criticism of Marshall's form for his club. The New Zealand international is coming off one of his worst performances in first grade – a defeat against Brisbane which included nine missed tackles.
"You just get used to it, but it doesn't affect the way I play," he said of the criticism.
"If anything, it makes you want to play better. We are back at home at Campbelltown and I'm looking forward to putting in a good performance for our team.
"My form has been a bit patchy lately, a bit up and down. I'd like to be playing better. No one likes to be embarrassed in defence and your ego takes a hit a little bit. You just have to go back to the drawing board and work hard."
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/nrl/aaron-woods-is-content-to-stay-with-struggling-wests-tigers/story-fnca0von-1226667827345
