This issue will be put to bed by tomorrow morning. The Telecrap will probably try and sensationalise it because of Benji's rel'ship with the Herald. Bottom line is that it was nothing and if that person who called in 2KY goes in to bat for Benji then his image will remain squeaky clean.
Benji Marshall involved in late-night incident
- Thread starter tigh
- Start date
hammertime
Well-known member
I just heard on 2gb that Barry O'Farrell has gone into bat for Benji!! Great work Bazza!!
one-eyed-tiger
New member
Forget the impact on Rugby League and the Wests Tigers. It is a national travesty whenever a young man is targeted and repeatedly abused based on his race by a large group of ignorant drunken louts. I hope the coward at the centre of this story gets what he deserves and that Benji is cleared of all wrongdoing. Bloody shameful. Makes me sick to the stomach. Good luck Benji - you have our full support mate!!!
one-eyed-tiger
New member
http://onehd.com.au/nrl-a-modern-day-parable.htm
ONE HD's Dean McLachlan regales us with the tale of the Tiger and the Gnats.
>
As a child I poked and goaded a family friend’s beautifully-natured labrador until frustration and anger finally took over and it nipped me. When I cried to my mother she told me I was the author of my own misfortune and deserved the love bite.
>
It was an Aesop’s Fables moment - the annoying gnat received a wake-up call and vowed to take responsibility for his actions in the future, thankful the family pet was a dog and not a tiger.
>
I hope Benji Marshall’s tormentors have the same epiphany.
>
The West Tigers and Kiwi stand-off is not only the best player on the planet, he is a credit to his sport, his club and his countries of birth and residence.
>
I’ve met him just once - in December for a photo shoot to publicise the 2011 Weet-Bix Kids TRYathlon, now into its 13th year of encouraging Aussie kids to get active in a fun and supportive environment. He was there at the request of Asics, an event sponsor.
>
It was one of Benji’s few days off as training ramped up in preparation for the new NRL season. But that didn’t worry him: “Hey, it’s for the kids,” he said, shrugging his reconstructed shoulders.
>
“What can we have you doing?” the Daily Telegraph photographer asked. “Anything mate, whatever makes the best shot,” Benji replied.
>
During the next hour Benji marshalled the group of eleven kids, aged between seven and fifteen, in a variety of activities to capture cool photographs – stretching, running, forward rolling, high-fiving.
>
Midway through the shoot a parent turned to me, stunned. “Are you hearing this? He’s calling all these kids by name. He knows their names already!”
>
When the photographer called for a shot with one of the kids on a bike it was Benji who politely pointed out the rider needed her helmet. What a dude!
>
When he finally sat down, he was approached for a photo – “No worries”. Then another. Then another. A queue formed, like going to sit on Santa’s knee at the local mall pre-Xmas. Parents wanted to get in the photographs with their children. Again “no problems”.
>
When the last request was fulfilled he went up to the photographer and shook the snapper’s hand in thanks. He did the same for the photo shoot coordinators. Then he quietly waved and headed to his car.
>
Oh, I forgot to mention, he drove himself to the event, arrived 20 minutes early and had read – and memorised – his briefing notes. He was unbelievably professional.
>
In an era where we hear so much about footy players behaving badly it was refreshing to meet a league legend at the other end of the scale.
>
Despite not knowing the full facts of the altercation that followed his latest fundraising effort for kids with cancer, Benji Marshall has my unequivocal support.
>
He is a labrador in tiger’s clothing. And the gnats would do society a favour by emulating him rather than bugging him
ONE HD's Dean McLachlan regales us with the tale of the Tiger and the Gnats.
>
As a child I poked and goaded a family friend’s beautifully-natured labrador until frustration and anger finally took over and it nipped me. When I cried to my mother she told me I was the author of my own misfortune and deserved the love bite.
>
It was an Aesop’s Fables moment - the annoying gnat received a wake-up call and vowed to take responsibility for his actions in the future, thankful the family pet was a dog and not a tiger.
>
I hope Benji Marshall’s tormentors have the same epiphany.
>
The West Tigers and Kiwi stand-off is not only the best player on the planet, he is a credit to his sport, his club and his countries of birth and residence.
>
I’ve met him just once - in December for a photo shoot to publicise the 2011 Weet-Bix Kids TRYathlon, now into its 13th year of encouraging Aussie kids to get active in a fun and supportive environment. He was there at the request of Asics, an event sponsor.
>
It was one of Benji’s few days off as training ramped up in preparation for the new NRL season. But that didn’t worry him: “Hey, it’s for the kids,” he said, shrugging his reconstructed shoulders.
>
“What can we have you doing?” the Daily Telegraph photographer asked. “Anything mate, whatever makes the best shot,” Benji replied.
>
During the next hour Benji marshalled the group of eleven kids, aged between seven and fifteen, in a variety of activities to capture cool photographs – stretching, running, forward rolling, high-fiving.
>
Midway through the shoot a parent turned to me, stunned. “Are you hearing this? He’s calling all these kids by name. He knows their names already!”
>
When the photographer called for a shot with one of the kids on a bike it was Benji who politely pointed out the rider needed her helmet. What a dude!
>
When he finally sat down, he was approached for a photo – “No worries”. Then another. Then another. A queue formed, like going to sit on Santa’s knee at the local mall pre-Xmas. Parents wanted to get in the photographs with their children. Again “no problems”.
>
When the last request was fulfilled he went up to the photographer and shook the snapper’s hand in thanks. He did the same for the photo shoot coordinators. Then he quietly waved and headed to his car.
>
Oh, I forgot to mention, he drove himself to the event, arrived 20 minutes early and had read – and memorised – his briefing notes. He was unbelievably professional.
>
In an era where we hear so much about footy players behaving badly it was refreshing to meet a league legend at the other end of the scale.
>
Despite not knowing the full facts of the altercation that followed his latest fundraising effort for kids with cancer, Benji Marshall has my unequivocal support.
>
He is a labrador in tiger’s clothing. And the gnats would do society a favour by emulating him rather than bugging him
redemption
New member
Some of the comments in this thread have been hysterical nonsense!!!
This is a non-issue aside from minor PR implications (that pale into comparison with all the great PR Benji has brought to our club & the game as a whole)!
The kid did nothing wrong at all & has full support of the club and all true supporters (incl many fair minded supporters from other clubs)!!! Everyone knows there must have been an extreme level of provocation for Benji to bite back - as he is level-headed & not the sort of bloke who has ever thrown his weight around!!
Let it rest - and it will go away sooner rather than later!!!
This is a non-issue aside from minor PR implications (that pale into comparison with all the great PR Benji has brought to our club & the game as a whole)!
The kid did nothing wrong at all & has full support of the club and all true supporters (incl many fair minded supporters from other clubs)!!! Everyone knows there must have been an extreme level of provocation for Benji to bite back - as he is level-headed & not the sort of bloke who has ever thrown his weight around!!
Let it rest - and it will go away sooner rather than later!!!
Team_Tiger
New member
It annoys me that the headlines are "Benji involved in late night assault", rather than "Drunken lout charged with racial vilification".
@southerntiger said:
You've got me wrong, i'm not blaming him for defending himself but players these days are well aware of the situations they can get themselves in when out at these times. If i'm not mistaken Benji has been in this situation before as have many other players and they know that being out at that hour is not on anymore.
Your deluded if you think we live in a free society and in a perfect world yes anyone should feel safe to go out and enjoy themselves at whatever hour you want but unfortunately we all know that isn't the case, and it doesn't matter what city or town you visit if your out at 3am on a weekend then your very likely to find yourself in the company of idiots behaving like idiots and quite possibly under the influence and looking for trouble or simply frustrated at whatever and looking to take that out on somebody or something.
What i'm saying is it's highly unlikely he would of got himself into this tangle if he was heading to the fruit shop on a tuesday arvo at 3pm to buy some bananas.
It's sad that these young men have to alter their social life once they become first grade rugby league players but they just have to find alternative ways to have a night out if they want to keep their name out of the headlines.
This story is starting to transform into another issue.
I've been reading social / commentary sites most of the day and people are commentating on the racist attitudes of Anglo Aussies. People who do not even know who Benji is are making comments about it.
There's a bigger story here. Benji i think will come out even more popular out of this.
I've been reading social / commentary sites most of the day and people are commentating on the racist attitudes of Anglo Aussies. People who do not even know who Benji is are making comments about it.
There's a bigger story here. Benji i think will come out even more popular out of this.
redemption
New member
@Icon said:
I have no doubts it will not in any way tarnish his or the Wests Tigers brand!!!
happy_tiger
Well-known member
@Swannie47 said:
I think NRL will strongly oppose racism but they won't support his actions as if they do then every footballer may then think they have the right to belt someone that's annoying them they might say they understand though in this circumstance
hammertime
Well-known member
@Swannie47 said:
I agree. I think there will be a barrage of stories about his charity and people will come to realize just how much this kid does for the community.
redemption
New member
The NRL won't sanction him!!!
There is zero precedent for punishing players accused of assault (especially one as minor as this alleged altercation)!!
They kept Tallis on the Board when he threw a glass at a bartender while in a drunken state!!
There is zero precedent for punishing players accused of assault (especially one as minor as this alleged altercation)!!
They kept Tallis on the Board when he threw a glass at a bartender while in a drunken state!!
Properossi
Well-known member
He has been charged????
They are saying on fox sports that he has been charged with assault occasioning bodily harm on foxsports. Very sad day for Benji and everyone who loves this club. Very worried this will disrupt our season.
Properossi
Well-known member
Does the club now stand him down from all duties??
If any fine comes out of this I'll be donating money to the tigers to pay for it, and I reckon if everybody here chucks some cash in we can show our united support for our player.
As for the weak coward who started it then sooked after he was embarrassed, have a good look at yourself champion. Such a victory to let the whole world know what a douche you are after being unable to finish what you started.
As for the weak coward who started it then sooked after he was embarrassed, have a good look at yourself champion. Such a victory to let the whole world know what a douche you are after being unable to finish what you started.
KingOvKingz09
New member
If he's been charged this is complete BS….
.... yeah he shouldve walked away... but he was right to stick up for himself...
#$&$@#$^ BS @#%@#$^@&@&#$^^.....ARRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
.... yeah he shouldve walked away... but he was right to stick up for himself...
#$&$@#$^ BS @#%@#$^@&@&#$^^.....ARRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
