Benji not into drugs

[tigersrule4life]

11/2/2013 3:57 PM
Steve Orme
Sportal

Wests Tigers superstar Benji Marshall admits he's disappointed the entire Australian sporting community has been tarnished following last week's allegations of widespread doping at the elite level.
While the AFL have confirmed Essendon and one other club came under scrutiny during the Australian Crime Commission's 12-month investigation, it has not yet been revealed which NRL clubs – if any – were targeted.

Manly, Cronulla and Penrith have already had their supplement supply records audited following last Thursday's dramatic press conference.

However, the clubs and rugby league fans are yet to be told which teams were investigated, leaving a cloud of suspicion hovering over all 16 clubs.

"That's probably the worst thing to come of it, not just for rugby league but every sport," Marshall told reporters at a school visit in Sydney on Monday.

"Basically what they've come out and said is Australian sport so that's every sport that's involved in this country, and I suppose anyone that's involved in sport can feel the same way.

"I can only speak for myself, I can't really speak for other people, but I know at the Wests Tigers we've never been involved in any of that sort of stuff and we'll never be.

"I'm a big believer since I've grown up that drugs is a big no, and performance-enhancing is a bigger no, and we don't want that in our game."

The ARL Commission has sought permission from the ACC to notify club's who were targeted during the investigation.

Asked if clubs should pass that information on to their fans and the media, Marshall replied: "That doesn't really bother me to be honest. The truth's the truth and then that's going to come out eventually whether they come out or whether someone else brings it out doesn't bother me.

"All I can say is at the Wests Tigers we've never been involved in that and we never will be.

"In my eyes everyone's innocent at the moment because nothing's been said, so until proven guilty they're innocent.

"I'm clean, I've never been involved in that sort of stuff and I just do my job for the Wests Tigers and that's to try and win."

http://www.sportal.com.au/league-news-display/benji-not-into-drugs-221633?utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=twitterfeed

 

[stryker]

Yeah I hate that all sportsmen and women in Australia have been tarnished like this by a couple of big noting polliticians - I hope they are proven wrong and then flayed alive publically.

 

[Defiant]

Couldn't agree more. Badly handled by the gov't or ACC ?

Thankfully we look in the clear.

 

[Guest]

We don't want drugs in our game, says Benji
February 12, 2013
Michael Chammas - SMH
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WESTS TIGERS five-eighth Benji Marshall insists he wouldn't stand for illegal drug or supplement use at his club, adamant the Tigers aren't embroiled in the scandal that has rocked Australian sport.

The Tigers are the latest club to pledge their innocence in the Australian Crime Commission's investigations into the use of illicit supplements and organised crime in sport.

Marshall, who said he had never been offered any performance-enhancing drugs throughout his career, guaranteed the Tigers were not in any trouble.

''I can only speak for myself, I can't really speak for other people, I know at Wests Tigers we've never been involved in any of that sort of stuff and we'll never be,'' he said.

''As far as I'm concerned I'd never let that happen anyway.

''I'm a big believer since I've grown up that drugs is a big no and performance-enhancing is a bigger no. We don't want that in our game.''

While most clubs and players want the offenders to be named and shamed before the start of the season, Marshall doesn't see it as a distraction.

''It doesn't really both me, the truth's the truth, it's going to come out eventually, so whether they come out or someone else brings it out, it doesn't bother me,'' Marshall said. ''In my eyes, everyone's innocent at the moment because nothing's been said. Until proven guilty, innocent.''

Marshall has vowed to take on the line a lot more this season in a bid to recapture his old form.

While it was Marshall who put his hand up to play at No. 7 last year to fill a void, he is relishing the move back to the jersey he made famous for the most part of the last decade.

Former Tigers coach Tim Sheens backed Marshall's transition from the team's creator to the organiser last year, but the move didn't pay off with the Tigers missing the semi-finals.

But with new coach Mick Potter set to take a punt on Jacob Miller at halfback, Marshall is excited about his move back to five-eighth.

The Kiwi captain said he will have a different role to play at the Tigers this year. ''I want to run the ball a bit more - last year my running game was down a bit, I was probably trying to ball play a bit too much,'' Marshall said.

''I set up a few tries but I want to score a few this year. [Mick] just wants me to play my game, which is pretty much running the ball and getting me away from being the guy who guides the team around the field and just concentrate on being wider and giving me a bit more space.''

The Tigers were unable to settle on a halves combination last year, with Chris Lawrence, Blake Ayshford, Curtis Sironen, Tim Moltzen, Liam Fulton, Tom Humble and Miller all used in the halves alongside Marshall.

The 27-year-old, who made the move to halfback in round nine last year, admitted he wasn't comfortable playing in the unfamiliar role.

''It's something that's probably not as suited to my game,'' he said.

''If I had to say there was a certain style that suited me, it's playing wider with a bit more space and a bit more room to move.

''Last year we didn't really have another choice at halfback, someone had to put their hand up and that was me. I was still getting the boys over the line, I just couldn't get over the line myself as much.''

The break on the international calendar last season provided most clubs with their most consistent pre-season in recent years.

While it meant Marshall had to return to training in November for the first time in five years, he believes it will benefit his game.

''It's been the first pre-season I've had in five years because there's no tour between [the seasons],'' Marshall said. ''To get that pre-season behind me under a new coach, where we've been training so hard, I'm just looking forward to playing. Mick Potter's brought back that old school mentality of 'run until you collapse' or 'run until you vomit' - that's been the case for us.

At this time last year the Tigers were pre-season premiership favourites. There has been a huge drop in expectation given their disappointing campaign, but Marshall is enjoying being out of the spotlight.

''It's great - you don't have that pressure of expectation and all the media talking about it,'' he said. ''We can just go about our business and worry about playing footy.''