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Benji Marshall re-watched all his 2018 games before deciding his future with Tigers
BENJI Marhsall took extensive measures to ensure he doesn’t let the Tigers down and play one year too many, as he chases the magic 300 game milestone in 2019.
BENJI Marshall pored over footage of himself from the 2018 season at Wests Tigers before deciding to play one more year in the NRL.
Marshall will extend his career into a 17th season in 2019 after re-signing in late August, and will pass the 300-game milestone as a 34-year-old if all goes according to plan.
After landing back at the Tigers last season from the Broncos, Marshall said he thought 2018 would be his last until the club expressed an interest for him to stay on.
“I had to look in the mirror and think realistically, and watch all my games back to see if I could warrant still playing,” he told AAP.
“And I thought I did.
“If I thought I was going to be there and not playing first grade, then I wouldn’t have played.
“We did a season review and I went through all the things I was good at and the things that needed work. And the things I was good at outweighed the things that needed work.
“I felt like I was still learning every day and with all those things together … I’m playing again.”
Marshall is enjoying his quietest off-season in years, having taken to becoming a full-time dad with wife Zoe working in radio.
Speaking at Zambrero’s Plate 4 Plate day initiative with Zoe this week, Marshall said he also factored the NRL lifestyle into his decision as it allowed the pair to juggle their commitments and parenthood.
Front of his mind along with helping the Tigers climb the ladder is also the chance to join the NRL’s 300-club with 11 more appearances - a remarkable feat considering the one-time prodigy played 20 or more games in a season just once in his first six years.
“With all the injuries I had in my career, in the first seven years I had five shoulder reconstructions,” he said.
“To be able to say I’ve played 300 games is just something I could really look back on and be proud of.”
BENJI Marhsall took extensive measures to ensure he doesn’t let the Tigers down and play one year too many, as he chases the magic 300 game milestone in 2019.
BENJI Marshall pored over footage of himself from the 2018 season at Wests Tigers before deciding to play one more year in the NRL.
Marshall will extend his career into a 17th season in 2019 after re-signing in late August, and will pass the 300-game milestone as a 34-year-old if all goes according to plan.
After landing back at the Tigers last season from the Broncos, Marshall said he thought 2018 would be his last until the club expressed an interest for him to stay on.
“I had to look in the mirror and think realistically, and watch all my games back to see if I could warrant still playing,” he told AAP.
“And I thought I did.
“If I thought I was going to be there and not playing first grade, then I wouldn’t have played.
“We did a season review and I went through all the things I was good at and the things that needed work. And the things I was good at outweighed the things that needed work.
“I felt like I was still learning every day and with all those things together … I’m playing again.”
Marshall is enjoying his quietest off-season in years, having taken to becoming a full-time dad with wife Zoe working in radio.
Speaking at Zambrero’s Plate 4 Plate day initiative with Zoe this week, Marshall said he also factored the NRL lifestyle into his decision as it allowed the pair to juggle their commitments and parenthood.
Front of his mind along with helping the Tigers climb the ladder is also the chance to join the NRL’s 300-club with 11 more appearances - a remarkable feat considering the one-time prodigy played 20 or more games in a season just once in his first six years.
“With all the injuries I had in my career, in the first seven years I had five shoulder reconstructions,” he said.
“To be able to say I’ve played 300 games is just something I could really look back on and be proud of.”
