Benji Marshall involved in late-night incident

@hammertime said:
@happy tiger said:
@Chris said:
She's on holidays in Switzerland at the moment. What doesn't sit well with me is according to the SMH she took time out of her holidays to specially write an e-mail to David Gallop about this incident. So obviously she was that offended a month later to take time out of her holiday to e-mail David Gallop, why didn't she make a complaint on the spot?

Another thing that I dont understand, how did she know who to send her e-mail if she wasn't a rugby league fan??

Lets hope border security doesn't let her back in to country

Maybe we can get her on the watch list after this act of terrorism?
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Well she is trying to terrorize OUR team Does anyone know anyone who works at Brisbane airport She's from Townsville probably lying about being a fan still living with 2005 nightmare for them Actually talking about Cowboys ,seeing i live in Cowboy country one of my favourite presents for 2005 Xmas to Cowboys fans was discs with the first 19 minutes of 2005 GF on it Gee it got a reaction
 
The article said that the cow was 2 rows back. How the he'll did she recognize Benji by seeing him on the tv. Just another person trying to jump on the blame Benji bandwagon.
 
If it was such a big deal, why didn't she make a complaint to the flight crew on board that flight at the time who could of voiced her concern to the accused passenger OR why didn't she file a complaint with Qantas after her flight?

You also have to question why she sent her complaint to media outlets at the same time as sending it to the NRL? Sure, if there was an incident then let the NRL investigate it and process report in due course, but sending it to the media only creates a mountain out of a mole hill.
 
@thinkbig said:
Disappointing.. when are these boys going to learn a bit of respect!!!
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They were not doing anything wrong, hence the apology from the NRL after investigating and finding no substance to the complaint.
 
RUGBY league star Benji Marshall punched the wrong man when he reacted to racial taunts, police will allege in court.
>
The alleged case of mistaken identity has emerged since Marshall was charged last week with assaulting a 24-year-old man on the crowded footpath outside a McDonald's restaurant on George Street.
>
Marshall had attended a charity fund-raiser after being promoted as this season's ''face of the NRL'' and was returning to a nearby hotel where he was staying.
Advertisement: Story continues below
>
Police sources have told The Sun-Herald that a punch, which allegedly split the lip of the man, followed racial taunts towards Marshall.
>
One man allegedly called Marshall a ''black c–-'' and another person allegedly said ''Darren Lockyer is a better player than you''.
>
But when the case comes before the Downing Centre Local Court on April 20 police will allege the victim denies being the source of the offensive slurs made to Marshall while his back was turned.
>
Marshall's manager, Martin Tauber, when told yesterday of the mistaken identity claim, expressed surprise.
>
''There you go,'' he said, ''That's news to me. I can't help you. It's in the hands of the lawyers and that is the first I've heard of it.''
>
At the time of the alleged attack Marshall was mobbed by fans, some of whom wanted to pose in photographs with him.
>
He was returning to the Four Seasons Hotel at 3.20am.
>
He allegedly turned around and walked over to a man, who was standing in the crowd.
>
Marshall then grabbed the man and punched him in the face, police will allege.
>
The Sun-Herald has also learnt that the alleged victim, who walked to The Rocks police station and reported the assault after Marshall had left the scene, has expressed fear of reprisals from Wests Tigers fans and sought to have the charge of assault causing actual bodily harm against the league star withdrawn.
>
However, police refused the request.
>
The Sun-Herald has also established that no security camera footage of the incident was found by police, and that video from a phone camera on YouTube showing a relaxed Marshall with fans outside the restaurant before the incident does not show his alleged victim.
>
The West Tigers club, including Marshall, has denied that the Kiwi captain and five-eighth was intoxicated after having a few drinks at the nearby Establishment nightclub, which he went to after the charity event.
>
Mr Tauber said earlier in the week that the footballer was crowded, felt intimidated by some of the people who flocked around him and had weathered a series of racist slurs.
>
He did not want to say any more yesterday.
>
''On legal instructions there is nothing more to be said. Oh, well, let's see what happens.''

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/benji-punch-off-target-20110312-1bs3d.html
 
@scott2478 said:
If it was such a big deal, why didn't she make a complaint to the flight crew on board that flight at the time who could of voiced her concern to the accused passenger OR why didn't she file a complaint with Qantas after her flight?

You also have to question why she sent her complaint to media outlets at the same time as sending it to the NRL? Sure, if there was an incident then let the NRL investigate it and process report in due course, but sending it to the media only creates a mountain out of a mole hill.
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This. If she was that upset by it, complain to a flight attendant who will in turn tell the loudmouths to shut up. The fact she goes to the media screams cash grab to me.
 
@Kul said:
RUGBY league star Benji Marshall punched the wrong man when he reacted to racial taunts, police will allege in court.
>
The alleged case of mistaken identity has emerged since Marshall was charged last week with assaulting a 24-year-old man on the crowded footpath outside a McDonald's restaurant on George Street.
>
Marshall had attended a charity fund-raiser after being promoted as this season's ''face of the NRL'' and was returning to a nearby hotel where he was staying.
Advertisement: Story continues below
>
Police sources have told The Sun-Herald that a punch, which allegedly split the lip of the man, followed racial taunts towards Marshall.
>
One man allegedly called Marshall a ''black c–-'' and another person allegedly said ''Darren Lockyer is a better player than you''.
>
But when the case comes before the Downing Centre Local Court on April 20 police will allege the victim denies being the source of the offensive slurs made to Marshall while his back was turned.
>
Marshall's manager, Martin Tauber, when told yesterday of the mistaken identity claim, expressed surprise.
>
''There you go,'' he said, ''That's news to me. I can't help you. It's in the hands of the lawyers and that is the first I've heard of it.''
>
At the time of the alleged attack Marshall was mobbed by fans, some of whom wanted to pose in photographs with him.
>
He was returning to the Four Seasons Hotel at 3.20am.
>
He allegedly turned around and walked over to a man, who was standing in the crowd.
>
Marshall then grabbed the man and punched him in the face, police will allege.
>
The Sun-Herald has also learnt that the alleged victim, who walked to The Rocks police station and reported the assault after Marshall had left the scene, has expressed fear of reprisals from Wests Tigers fans and sought to have the charge of assault causing actual bodily harm against the league star withdrawn.
>
However, police refused the request.
>
The Sun-Herald has also established that no security camera footage of the incident was found by police, and that video from a phone camera on YouTube showing a relaxed Marshall with fans outside the restaurant before the incident does not show his alleged victim.
>
The West Tigers club, including Marshall, has denied that the Kiwi captain and five-eighth was intoxicated after having a few drinks at the nearby Establishment nightclub, which he went to after the charity event.
>
Mr Tauber said earlier in the week that the footballer was crowded, felt intimidated by some of the people who flocked around him and had weathered a series of racist slurs.
>
He did not want to say any more yesterday.
>
''On legal instructions there is nothing more to be said. Oh, well, let's see what happens.''

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/benji-punch-off-target-20110312-1bs3d.html
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Three things….

1 Tauber comes across as very very amateur, at least he's learnt to shut his trap, somewhat.
\
\
\
2.....no going back now

.......and sought to have the charge of assault causing actual bodily harm against the league star withdrawn.
>
However, police refused the request.

3 :laughing: LMBFGAO! I can just picture WesTAHger, Knuckle and Tiger gran hunting this guy down with pitchforks seeking rvenge

The Sun-Herald has also learnt that the alleged victim, who walked to The Rocks police station and reported the assault after Marshall had left the scene, has expressed fear of reprisals from Wests Tigers fans
 
@innsaneink said:
@Kul said:
RUGBY league star Benji Marshall punched the wrong man when he reacted to racial taunts, police will allege in court.
>
The alleged case of mistaken identity has emerged since Marshall was charged last week with assaulting a 24-year-old man on the crowded footpath outside a McDonald's restaurant on George Street.
>
Marshall had attended a charity fund-raiser after being promoted as this season's ''face of the NRL'' and was returning to a nearby hotel where he was staying.
Advertisement: Story continues below
>
Police sources have told The Sun-Herald that a punch, which allegedly split the lip of the man, followed racial taunts towards Marshall.
>
One man allegedly called Marshall a ''black c–-'' and another person allegedly said ''Darren Lockyer is a better player than you''.
>
But when the case comes before the Downing Centre Local Court on April 20 police will allege the victim denies being the source of the offensive slurs made to Marshall while his back was turned.
>
Marshall's manager, Martin Tauber, when told yesterday of the mistaken identity claim, expressed surprise.
>
''There you go,'' he said, ''That's news to me. I can't help you. It's in the hands of the lawyers and that is the first I've heard of it.''
>
At the time of the alleged attack Marshall was mobbed by fans, some of whom wanted to pose in photographs with him.
>
He was returning to the Four Seasons Hotel at 3.20am.
>
He allegedly turned around and walked over to a man, who was standing in the crowd.
>
Marshall then grabbed the man and punched him in the face, police will allege.
>
The Sun-Herald has also learnt that the alleged victim, who walked to The Rocks police station and reported the assault after Marshall had left the scene, has expressed fear of reprisals from Wests Tigers fans and sought to have the charge of assault causing actual bodily harm against the league star withdrawn.
>
However, police refused the request.
>
The Sun-Herald has also established that no security camera footage of the incident was found by police, and that video from a phone camera on YouTube showing a relaxed Marshall with fans outside the restaurant before the incident does not show his alleged victim.
>
The West Tigers club, including Marshall, has denied that the Kiwi captain and five-eighth was intoxicated after having a few drinks at the nearby Establishment nightclub, which he went to after the charity event.
>
Mr Tauber said earlier in the week that the footballer was crowded, felt intimidated by some of the people who flocked around him and had weathered a series of racist slurs.
>
He did not want to say any more yesterday.
>
''On legal instructions there is nothing more to be said. Oh, well, let's see what happens.''

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/benji-punch-off-target-20110312-1bs3d.html

Three things….

1 Tauber comes across as very very amateur, at least he's learnt to shut his trap, somewhat.
\
\
\
2.....no going back now

.......and sought to have the charge of assault causing actual bodily harm against the league star withdrawn.
>
However, police refused the request.

3 :laughing: LMBFGAO! I can just picture WesTAHger, Knuckle and Tiger gran hunting this guy down with pitchforks seeking rvenge

The Sun-Herald has also learnt that the alleged victim, who walked to The Rocks police station and reported the assault after Marshall had left the scene, has expressed fear of reprisals from Wests Tigers fans
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It should not be a fear of reprisals It should be a guarantee of reprisals once we see your face sook
 
@Marshall_magic said:
@scott2478 said:
If it was such a big deal, why didn't she make a complaint to the flight crew on board that flight at the time who could of voiced her concern to the accused passenger OR why didn't she file a complaint with Qantas after her flight?

You also have to question why she sent her complaint to media outlets at the same time as sending it to the NRL? Sure, if there was an incident then let the NRL investigate it and process report in due course, but sending it to the media only creates a mountain out of a mole hill.

This. If she was that upset by it, complain to a flight attendant who will in turn tell the loudmouths to shut up. The fact she goes to the media **screams cash grab to me**.
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Maybe to pay for their next overseas holiday? Hope they weren't planning on going to New Zealand any time soon!!
 
Benji's secret love

* J.Mo & Elle
* From: The Sunday Telegraph
* March 13, 2011 12:00AM

IT was a week that NRL star Benji Marshall would no doubt rather forget, but we can reveal the mystery woman sticking by the embattled Wests Tigers player.

Marshall has been secretly dating Zoe Balbi, the former finacee of Olympic runner John Steffensen, for more than a year.

Marshall, who was charged with assault after allegedly punching a man at a CBD McDonald's eight days ago, has gone to great lengths to hide his relationship.

He even told press last October he was single and looking for a girlfriend.

Balbi was Marshall's guest at the Footy Rocks charity event last weekend, which he attended hours before the alleged assault.

But the couple entered the venue separately, and didn't sit next to each other.

Friends say the American Honey Bourbon calendar girl does not want to be considered a WAG before her television career takes off.

The 26-year-old Sydneysider last week began filming episodes of Nine show Eclipse Music TV. Marshall's manager, Martin Tauber, replied with a curt "no comment" when asked about the relationship.
 
Benji Marshall pays for NRL instinct

* Ricky Stuart
* From: The Sunday Telegraph
* March 13, 2011 12:00AM

MANY things go into making an NRL player.

We want speed and intellect, a player with low skin folds and high thresholds. We want a player that is good with his hands and better with his eyes and with the kind of legs that keep on getting up and keep on going.

We want a player who will follow the coach's instructions but know when it is time to deviate from the game plan.

And we want a player who enjoys the confrontation.

A player who, when somebody gets up in front of him, is prepared to give as good as he gets - if not a little more.

Rugby league is a confrontational game, which is the problem for the game at the moment.

Benji Marshall was MC at an event that raised a six-figure sum for charity, a night spent without a drink.

He did everything required from the modern NRL footballer and a lot more than is required from Joe Average.

Then after the function, he went for a couple of beers at a nearby club, then began walking back to his hotel room where he stepped in for a late night snack at McDonald's.

He signed autographs and was said to be in good spirits until someone started heckling him. The insults may, or may not, have degenerated into racial slurs.

That is for the courts to decide, along with the alleged assault that occurred shortly afterwards.

You can see the problem we have. Everything Benji is trained for in rugby league is geared towards him not backing down to someone who might be looking to make a reputation on the back of a high-profile player.

Yet that is what he must do.

Criticism is quick in this game if a player shies away from confrontation on the field. Yet, off the field, that is what a footballer must do.

The Wests Tigers-Bulldogs game tomorrow night is potentially the best of the round.

Wests finished with a flourish last season and Canterbury have rebuilt terrifically over the off-season.

A lot of people wonder how Benji will go after the past week. He'll be fine.

You don't go through four shoulder reconstructions and not be able to handle adversity.

Tim Sheens has seen it all before and, believe me, he has seen a lot worse than what has allegedly happened this time. He never lets outside influences affect team performance and, if he believes it will, then he won't select the player. The true price of this latest incident will be paid at another time.

One of the great strengths of NRL players is their accessibility.

Go to England and you will quickly see that the Premier League players socialise in private rooms or behind velvet ropes in sealed off sections of clubs. Soccer players across Europe do the same.

So do NFL, baseball players and basketballers in the US. If you find yourself out in this town, though, and an NRL player walks into a bar, anyone can buy him a beer or have a chat next to him while they're buying their shout.

That is one of our game's strengths.

Yet if events similar to what happened last week continue to occur then players will have no choice but to protect their own welfare, which would be to go the way of the players overseas and zone themselves off from the public.

Of course, then they risk being labelled big-heads, guys who think they are too good for the rest of the public, and you won't get situations like Benji standing on the footpath outside McDonald's signing autographs.

We need to be careful how we treat this because, once it happens, it can't be turned back.
 
Benji Marshall's accuser denies racist taunt
EXCLUSIVE by Clementine Cuneo and Tim Vollmer From: The Daily Telegraph March 16, 2011 12:00AM

THE man allegedly punched in the face by NRL pin-up boy Benji Marshall has denied he racially taunted the Wests Tigers star.

Soliman Naimey, 24, was allegedly struck in the mouth by Marshall during an early-morning altercation in the Sydney CBD.

The assistant accountant, who is of Sri Lankan descent, yesterday broke his silence, telling The Daily Telegraph that claims he racially vilified Marshall were "laughable".

"Look at my skin colour - what do you think," Mr Naimey said. He said no one involved in the altercation had made any comments about race or nationality.

"It wasn't like that at all; there was nothing racist said by anyone," Mr Naimey said.

Marshall, 26, was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm over the alleged assault in McDonald's.

Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.
The incident occurred four days after the rugby league superstar officially launched the 2011 NRL season.

Police allege Marshall struck Mr Naimey outside the McDonald's restaurant on George St at 3.20am on March 4\. Marshall's manager Martin Tauber claimed his client only retaliated after being racially taunted by a group of men.

"One of them started to shout at him and said, 'Go back to New Zealand you black c … '," Mr Tauber said, a day after Marshall was charged. The New Zealand-born star had spent the earlier part of the night speaking at a black-tie charity fundraiser for the Children's Cancer Institute of Australia event along with his girlfriend, Zoe Balbi.

The couple and a friend of Marshall's then made their way to the Establishment Hotel after the function and later went on to McDonald's.

Police allege that once outside the fast-food outlet Mr Naimey began sledging Marshall, saying Darren Lockyer was a better player.

Mr Naimey said he did make the "Lockyer's better than you" comment, but it was said with no malice.

"It's all in a police statement, exactly what I said - but it wasn't anything more," Mr Naimey said.

He suffered a cut lip as a result of the alleged hit by Marshall and reported the incident to The Rocks police that night because he said it was the "right thing to do".

"I'm not after fame, I'm not after publicity, I just want justice," Mr Naimey said.

Asked whether he was intoxicated when the alleged altercation erupted, Mr Naimey said, "No comment".

Younger brother Roman said their family was of ethnic origin and in view of that, they were unlikely to be making racial slurs. He said: "If you look at us, why would we say that to someone else?

"His mate that was there with him, he's Sri Lankan - he's black as well."
 
Brand Benji & The Fairfax Bandwagon
by Rebel Rabbitohs on Saturday, March 19, 2011 at 11:19pm

**The Face Of The NRL**

Benji Marshall is the face of the NRL. He is the richest player in the game. His brand is big and growing exponentially.

Marshall has more than 11 third-party personal sponsorships reaping $500,000 plus a season. He is also on a playing contract for around half a million dollars a year with the Tigers. So marketable is Benji, all his clothes are supplied by his sponsors. The sponsors blog and tweet every time Benji appears on television wearing their clobber.

A couple of years ago, Benji launched his own brand, Benji Sports, but the label was a flop. His manager, Martin Tauber, who has looked after Benji for 10 years, ditched that idea before re-marketing his star. The results are exceptional.

Tauber told the media: "Benji has become a brand in himself. We would get on average three or four inquiries on sponsorship proposals for him per week. We're selective in products and we give each product exclusivity in product catergory." According to Tauber, Benji had rejected about 40 potential endorsement deals.

So, Benji Marshall is big money. Not only for himself, but for those around him. Which is why the recent 'assault occasion actual bodily harm' charge is so potentially catastrophic. The issue needs to be adeptly managed so that it doesn't harm Benji's corporate reputation.

And that brings us to how Fairfax press has reported the issue. You'll have to stay with it until the end of this story to understand what we mean, but hopefully it will be worth the wait…

**The Assault Charge**

We don't know whether Benji is guilty and that is not what this story is about. But, as soon as the incident was reported in the media, the yarn was spun that Benji was taking a brave stand against racism.

His manager, who hadn't witnessed the alleged assault, told the media that a group of 8 - 10 men had racially taunted Marshall, calling him a "black c..t". Benji couldn't tolerate it any longer, the story went, and he snapped before punching the racist in his big mouth.

(Of course, since then, the alleged victim of the assault, says that he is darker-skinned than Benji and he compellingly denies that he racially sledged anyone.)

**Defending Benji**

Enter Glenn Jackson of The Sydney Morning Herald. On 7 March, he wrote a story titled 'My Friend & I Took A Photo With Him 40 Seconds Before The Fight.'

The story glorified Benji Marshall while trying to diminish the damage to his reputation. Jackson quoted someone named Angus Kingsmill as to Benji's admirable behaviour earlier that evening:

"We had a table of 10 on the night," said Angus Kingsmill, the managing director of the Mambo Clothing Company. "Us and the surrounding tables, we were all just blown away by how compassionate and caring Benji was...He seemed incredibly giving of his time. And what his mother said the other day touched me - this is not even the country of his birth, yet he's supporting Australian kids. There were a few on our table who stood and cheered him."

It's what the journalist Glenn Jackson doesn't say that makes this story interesting.
**The Journalist**

Glenn Jackson didn't tell us that he is ghost-writing Benji's biography. The book is titled 'The First Step' and is due for release in October this year.

Clearly, the book is expected to be a hit as Sony has purchased the rights to the DVD version.

So, while Jackson didn't say so in his story glorifying Benji, he has a commercial interest in the Tiger's star.

**The Publisher**

Fairfax is the publisher of the story Jackson wrote glorifying Benji Marshall. In January this year, Fairfax extended media deals it has with Benji Marshall. It, too, has a commercial interest in Benji.

**The Sponsor**

Angus Kingsmill is the witness quoted in Jackson's story. Kingsmill is gushing in his praise of Benji. He related how everyone at his table "stood and cheered" Benji on the night.

Readers of Jackson's story weren't told that the Mambo Clothing Company, of which Kingsmill is managing director, is a third-party sponsor of Benji Marshall. Kingsmill also has a commercial interest in Benji.

Of course, there's nothing wrong with any of this. No-one is being accused of anything. But the reader of Jackson's story should have been told of the commercial relationships that exist between Benji and Jackson, Fairfax, and Angus Kingsmill.

http://www.facebook.com/notes/rebel-rabbitohs/brand-benji-the-fairfax-bandwagon/211960565487424
 
That's hilarious. News Limited accusing Fairfax Media of non-disclosure. Until News sells off all of it's interests in the NRL they really shouldn't be making any kind of accusation. Of course the fact Benji has a deal with Fairfax and not News didn't have anything to do with it lol
 
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