G
Guest
Guest
Benji Marshall on track to be Immortal
Brent Read From: The Australian September 22, 2010 12:00AM I
BENJI Marshall, Immortal. A tad premature perhaps, but Marshall's teammates claim there is no limit to the Wests Tigers star's potential.
"The world is his oyster," second-rower Gareth Ellis said.
"He can be anything, Benji. He's one of those people who can do anything, whether it's playing the piano, playing the guitar, playing the drums.
"He can do it all. He does a Rubik's cube in 30 seconds. He's one of those guys who is naturally gifted. Where he will be in five years, who knows?
"But I tell you what, if he carries on improving the way he's improving, he will be the best player in our game."
Plenty of people would argue Marshall is already the game's numero uno. The one thing standing between the New Zealand captain and that honour was his well-documented injury problems.
But Marshall has missed only a handful of games over the past two seasons.
He's been more consistent than Greg Inglis and Jarryd Hayne; more destructive than Johnathan Thurston and more potent than Darren Lockyer.
"He's good," Ellis said.
"Before I knew Benji as a person, you saw him as this flair player who can win you games and throw flick passes. Just getting to know him, he's really helped me settle in because he's a fun guy and really down to earth.
"As a player he's developed massively. He's a leader in our team. He guides us around the park. He still has obviously that flair and creativity, but he's got a more disciplined side to him now."
Winger Lote Tuqiri, who played with Lockyer at the Broncos before switching codes at the end of 2002, claimed Marshall was among the top five players he had played with in either rugby league or union.
"I haven't really thought about it to be honest with you," Tuqiri said.
"He's gone ahead in leaps and bounds since I have played with him. When you watch from afar and on TV, you look at a bloke's frailties.
"You could have said a few years ago his defence was not that good. But he's close to playing every game this year and he's been a lot more consistent. That's what's been good for the team."
Former New Zealand halfback and captain Gary Freeman added: "I think for the guy to come through so many injuries, to go out and play like he did against Canberra . . . the experience he has is starting to show.
"He is being more selective. That's the sign of a player who will turn out to be one of the greats, not only for the Wests Tigers but for New Zealand.
"If you use a Darren Lockyer or Alfie Langer or Geoff Toovey as an example, they had their A game all the time. That's what you need to be the best."
Perhaps the only thing standing between Marshall and immortality is time. If he maintains his current rate of improvement, Marshall will be in another constellation by the end of his career.
Asked whether Marshall could one day be rated alongside the Lockyers of the world, Tuqiri said: "I definitely think so. Darren Lockyer has done it for a good 10 years. Benji has got that potential. He will be great. He's already a legend for New Zealand. He's got a lot of footy left in him. If he can stay injury free he can certainly be up on that pedestal."
Brent Read From: The Australian September 22, 2010 12:00AM I
BENJI Marshall, Immortal. A tad premature perhaps, but Marshall's teammates claim there is no limit to the Wests Tigers star's potential.
"The world is his oyster," second-rower Gareth Ellis said.
"He can be anything, Benji. He's one of those people who can do anything, whether it's playing the piano, playing the guitar, playing the drums.
"He can do it all. He does a Rubik's cube in 30 seconds. He's one of those guys who is naturally gifted. Where he will be in five years, who knows?
"But I tell you what, if he carries on improving the way he's improving, he will be the best player in our game."
Plenty of people would argue Marshall is already the game's numero uno. The one thing standing between the New Zealand captain and that honour was his well-documented injury problems.
But Marshall has missed only a handful of games over the past two seasons.
He's been more consistent than Greg Inglis and Jarryd Hayne; more destructive than Johnathan Thurston and more potent than Darren Lockyer.
"He's good," Ellis said.
"Before I knew Benji as a person, you saw him as this flair player who can win you games and throw flick passes. Just getting to know him, he's really helped me settle in because he's a fun guy and really down to earth.
"As a player he's developed massively. He's a leader in our team. He guides us around the park. He still has obviously that flair and creativity, but he's got a more disciplined side to him now."
Winger Lote Tuqiri, who played with Lockyer at the Broncos before switching codes at the end of 2002, claimed Marshall was among the top five players he had played with in either rugby league or union.
"I haven't really thought about it to be honest with you," Tuqiri said.
"He's gone ahead in leaps and bounds since I have played with him. When you watch from afar and on TV, you look at a bloke's frailties.
"You could have said a few years ago his defence was not that good. But he's close to playing every game this year and he's been a lot more consistent. That's what's been good for the team."
Former New Zealand halfback and captain Gary Freeman added: "I think for the guy to come through so many injuries, to go out and play like he did against Canberra . . . the experience he has is starting to show.
"He is being more selective. That's the sign of a player who will turn out to be one of the greats, not only for the Wests Tigers but for New Zealand.
"If you use a Darren Lockyer or Alfie Langer or Geoff Toovey as an example, they had their A game all the time. That's what you need to be the best."
Perhaps the only thing standing between Marshall and immortality is time. If he maintains his current rate of improvement, Marshall will be in another constellation by the end of his career.
Asked whether Marshall could one day be rated alongside the Lockyers of the world, Tuqiri said: "I definitely think so. Darren Lockyer has done it for a good 10 years. Benji has got that potential. He will be great. He's already a legend for New Zealand. He's got a lot of footy left in him. If he can stay injury free he can certainly be up on that pedestal."
