Benji never wanted to play rugby: Farah

[Guest]

Benji never wanted to play rugby: Farah

April 24, 2014 - 6:
Darren Walton - SMH

Benji Marshall's closest ally in rugby league says the former Golden Boot winner never truly wanted to play rugby union in the first place.

Marshall is on the hunt for an NRL club after being granted a release from his Super Rugby contract with the Blues on Wednesday after just two months in the 15-man code.

Although he won't be reuniting with him, Wests Tigers captain Robbie Farah believes his 2005 premiership-winning teammate has made the right call.

"I truly don't think that he wanted to go to rugby in the first place," Farah said on NRL 360 on Fox Sports.

"But the way things worked out for him last year at the Tigers, whether he got some bad advice or not, I'm not too sure.

"But I think he was kind of backed into a corner and felt like he had no other option.

"There's no doubt, in my opinion, that Benji wanted to play out his career with the Tigers, but things didn't work out that way.

"He's got a second chance now, albeit with another club unfortunately, but hopefully - that old saying, you don't know what you've got til it's gone - I think he appreciates rugby league more now and hopefully he can make the most of his second coming."

Already with several ex-Tigers players on their books including Marshall's close friend Beau Ryan, plus Blake Ayshford, John Morris, Bryce Gibbs, Chris Heighington and Andrew Fifita, Cronulla are favoured to pick up Marshall.

Marshall on Wednesday denied a deal had been struck with the Sharks, but Farah said no matter where he ended up, the former New Zealand Test captain belonged back in rugby league after swallowing his pride and admitting he was a rugby flop.

"And that would have hurt him too," Farah said.

"I know Benji probably better than anyone knows Benji and they don't come much prouder than him and for him to come out and admit that it just wasn't working for him in rugby is a massive call and a massive thing for him to do.

"There's no doubt, I think, he's a rugby league player through and through. His heart is still in rugby league and having him back in our game, albeit not with the Tigers - it's going to be weird seeing him play for another club - but he belongs in our game."

 

[foreveratiger]

Greed denied him the chance to be a one club man, as Farah said " you don't know how good you have it till it's gone".

 

[Tigerdave]

Most were saying it appeared he was listening to bad advice.

I feel it's worked out best for us, but I do feel sorry for Benji

 

[happy_tiger]

Basically Benji wasn't prepared to change what he was doing

Same as he did when he was here

As Paul Kent said last night , we've all heard Benji say he will turn it around and nothing changes

 

[laufoofan]

Benjiis still concern about getting injured as he plays the game. This could be a deterrent to his way of playing.
He has slowed down, thus his options are limited.It is more difficult for him to play against the youngster and his only way now is to use his guile to overcome his weakness.

 

[H-Tozza]

Robbie's spot on…...He hardly left WT last year with any gusto about his next job.....It was kind of like 'I really want to leave WT and yeh I'll just play it by ear and take the next job available' which happened to be the Blues....

He narrowed his options at the time by saying he never wanted to play against WT because of the sheer emotion of the situation and that fact that he'd echoed this sentiment over a number of years when he and the club were on good terms.....The fact is, his heart wasn't in Rugby from the outset and he knew it'd take a couple of years minimum to thrive in such a technical game and one which was foreign to him which he's since shown he was never up to doing....

Had he not rushed into a deal with such haste I think we'd find the decision he's about the make would've been the one he'd made 6 months and the right one for him at this stage of his career....

But I can certainly understand his predicament, it would've been very raw and not quite right had he immediately signed with another NRL club immediately after seeking a release here...

 

[eyewonder]

Kent said that he felt benji had been playing in a dinner suit the last couple of years- which is exactly how supporters felt about benji's play- not prepared to do the hard yards.

whichevever team he settles at,Kent believes benji will have to fit in with the culture of the new club - not create it as he did at the tigers.

I wish benji every success,but he has to be determined and take that dinner suit off.

its up to benji now.

 

[Tiger_Watto]

"But the way things worked out for him last year at the Tigers, whether he got some bad advice or not, I'm not too sure"

Love his line… Ayoub should be paying Farah as his recruitment manager!