Benji Marshall

[TurnStyle]

There were more of you and probably you were one of the least delusional supporters.

Get on board the rest of you and admit how dumb you were. I think there was moth / turnstyle and a couple more.

Sorry guys but a man admits his mistakes.

**yeh, it was me… and im GLAD i did it! GLAD i tells ya! MWAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!!!**

he he... yes, i have been a massive 'benji basher' on here for the last few years, and (as a 'man' does) stand by what i wrote at the time. i believed, and still do, that he was a liability for a long time.
in this regard, i dont accept i was dumb, as i dont think at the time i was wrong - he should have been dropped like any other player when he was playing so badly, but was given so long to "regain touch/fitness/confidence, etc.".
what i do admit wouldve been dumb would have been getting rid of him; i can just imagine if he had played like he did tonight _against_ the tigers!! :blush:

watching tonight i was reminded of my infamous "we need to get rid of benji" topic and right now i am very happy to admit i was very wrong.

in my defense, though, i have said that since around the back half of last season he has dramatically reduced the errors in his game and not only has _he_ improved, but the team has greatly benefited as a result. in this regard, i think i was actually proven correct in that now he is again playing great, mistake free rugby the tigers are soaring. or roaring..

my main points were always how much his errors cost the team with attacking sets ending with his poor passing or kicking and his terrible defensive game.
at the moment he is as mistake free as anyone could hope for and is no longer the defensive turnstile (see, i can spell it!) he was.

all throughout i have said i would happily eat my words should he change and prove me wrong and i stand by that.

nom nom nom... ooh, the taste of humble pie is so bittersweet! :laughing:

i thought he was just amazing tonight and am as happy as anyone he is playing so well. he he... i still have a smile now thinking about the game. :smiley:

 

[TurnStyle]

… the best thing about the 2010 Benji is there are no Q;s over his defense and he is taking the correct option 9 out of 10 plays - the man is a freak

exactly. :sunglasses:

 

[Bismark]

OK, I;m just going to throw this out there. I remember in 2005, when things were going his way and everything was merry and jolly.

And then we played the Warriors. And everything he did just went wrong.

Like I think of tonight. Flick passing our 10 metre line. It paid off and we think he's brilliant, but if there is a day that that goes wrong and gets intercepted, by god I'd be furious at him.

I just think there's going to be a game where nothing will go his way, and then we'll see if he really is no. 1.

 

[TurnStyle]

OK, I;m just going to throw this out there. I remember in 2005, when things were going his way and everything was merry and jolly.

And then we played the Warriors. And everything he did just went wrong.

Like I think of tonight. Flick passing our 10 metre line. It paid off and we think he's brilliant, but if there is a day that that goes wrong and gets intercepted, by god I'd be furious at him.

I just think there's going to be a game where nothing will go his way, and then we'll see if he really is no. 1.

very valid point. i asked in the past if people could imagine if pat richards had not been so alert with the famous GF pass.. .

no one should expect he is _never_ going to make mistakes, but what i am happy about is that at the moment they are few and far between, not costing valuable possession and 'yardage', which means tigers dont have to constantly defend, which means they go well, which means happy us!
:wahoo:

i can also recall a game he played (around 07/08 i think - very sketchy…) that was probably the worst game i have ever seen _anyone_ play!!
right now he is playing at a great standard. we can only hope he maintains this level and doesnt lose it should he have a bad game....

fair dues. he has stuck with it through tough times and thankfully it looks like the tigers are finally getting their moneys worth.

but agreed - there is still a ways to go before handing him the mantle of best in the game...

 

[fainty]

One thing that stands out to me now about god…oh sorry I mean benji, is his defence. You can tell he now has the confidance, and his teammates confidence in his defence. No need to hide him now.

 

[beachtiger]

Outstanding player that I wouldnt swap for anyone, I have always been a massive fan and even through his dark times I knew he would come good again, cream always rises to the top.

I think that most people didnt give enough thought to how much his injuries stunted his development and confidence as a player and that he started to look to his bag of tricks to get him through a lack of confidence. Now with some continuous game time under his belt he is starting to look settled and picks his time to inject himself. This was evident towards the back end of last season and even more so the start of this season. I think the stat was raised last night that he has played 42 of the last 43 Wests Tigers games.

Great work Bunji, here's hoping the injurty gods are good to you and you continue to mature as a player!!

 

[Guest]

Best five eighth in the game IMO. Hope he's right to take on the Raiders.

 

[TurnStyle]

Outstanding player that I wouldnt swap for anyone, I have always been a massive fan and even through his dark times I knew he would come good again, cream always rises to the top.

I think that most people didnt give enough thought to how much his injuries stunted his development and confidence as a player and that he started to look to his bag of tricks to get him through a lack of confidence. Now with some continuous game time under his belt he is starting to look settled and picks his time to inject himself. This was evident towards the back end of last season and even more so the start of this season. I think the stat was raised last night that he has played 42 of the last 43 Wests Tigers games.

Great work Bunji, here's hoping the injurty gods are good to you and you continue to mature as a player!!

excellent post BT.
yeh, i heard that stat about the games and to me it epitomizes the change in fortune for him and the team. i think you are spot on with the assertion he tried to fall back on the sublime to regain confidence, etc. still, it was very hard to watch him doing this in first grade.

one of the most pleasing aspects to his game now is how markedly his defense has improved. i am so glad he is now a reliable and more than capable tackler and is no longer the liability he was.

 

[weststigers]

He plays a very measured game now and it benefits the team. Nobody sits back and waits for Benji to produce something anymore and I think that has allowed him to pick his moments in attack. He's playing like a champion.

 

[towntiger]

In terms of mentiones about Benji's previous form, it is funny because i actualy think his form has never been too bad.

The thing about Benji is that he is that far ahead of any other player in our team inetrms of talent that they are not at his speed. In otherwords he reads a game so well that others in the team need to step up to his level.

When we used to bag him for the long cut out ball that would go over the sideline etc. it was actually the right pass, except thw winger didn't read it, or he would throw an inside ball and it would go to ground, because the support player wasn't ready.

Benji is that good that everyone else needs to stay with him - not Benji drop to their level.

Benji was simply brilliant last night and has been the best in all 3 games.

 

[Yossarian]

He plays a very measured game now and it benefits the team. Nobody sits back and waits for Benji to produce something anymore and I think that has allowed him to pick his moments in attack. He's playing like a champion.

That's it in a nutshell. His option selection has improved out of sight. He's always had the ability but it was one out of every 5 idea that worked and looked brilliant. Now he just seems to be able to read the play so much better and bide his time. Kick for Tuqiri was spot on, he almost put Lawrence through a few holes, the interchange with Bryce Gibbs was a superb example of how he's not trying to do it all himself, and the last try he again picks the right option. In seasons past he probably would have passed to Lote and Lote would have ended up in row 3.

At this stage of the year he looks the most dangerous player in the NRL and he looks to be relaxed and happy.

 

[Geo]

In terms of mentiones about Benji's previous form, it is funny because i actualy think his form has never been too bad.

The thing about Benji is that he is that far ahead of any other player in our team inetrms of talent that they are not at his speed. In otherwords he reads a game so well that others in the team need to step up to his level.
**When we used to bag him for the long cut out ball that would go over the sideline etc. it was actually the right pass, except thw winger didn't read it, or he would throw an inside ball and it would go to ground, because the support player wasn't ready.**

Benji is that good that everyone else needs to stay with him - not Benji drop to their level.

Benji was simply brilliant last night and has been the best in all 3 games.

Sorry towntiger …I love Benji to bits but that's BS....

Marshall developed a new dimension for mine in the reaction to his kick out on the full...not good enough he said....I agree...

 

[TurnStyle]

yeh, i have to disagree with towntiger on that one. i think it was the other way round….
interesting note is that quite often during his poor times benji himself admitted to going for too much too often. it was actually comforting to know that he never got caught up in his own hype.