Benji our future? You have GOT to be kidding me!!!!

[happy_tiger]

hybrid maybe the coach doesn't want to get sacked for dropping him or getting him offside.

sick of the excuses that some make for him.

ink exactly look at other players on his money and see what they are doing for their club week in week out

From what I have heard , Potter has his hands full with Farah and they have had a few major disagreements on everything ranging from Miller to our playing style

Every team these days can virtually read what Benji will do in any situation , we have become so predictable in attack

 

[wtfl1981]

Marshall is hot and cold… Bit like the rest of the team except for perhaps woods and farah

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[strrretch]

He is still capable of turning his season around, for sure. Last night he actually showed some restraint re not so smart plays, but sure he had a very ordinary game , same as quite a few of our guys.
If the management threw big bucks at him at the moment I reckon it's a poor decision and reflects poorly upon them…..Big bucks for Benji (at the moment) would make the more rabid supporters bring out the knives and calling for blood I think

 

[The_Phantom]

I am starting to be swayed that Benji, might have to go.
He is a ageing footballer who does not add a lot to our side these days .
Other sides know his defence is weak and getting worse.He is not the play maker we all want him to be. Worse of all , he could stop one of the young halves that seem to be coming through a first grade spot.
By all means re sign him, but don't pay overs.

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[tigsta]

The upcoming couple of weeks will be very telling about mick potter. He has talked the talk over players positions not secured. Lets see if he can walk the walk.

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[bp_tiger]

If the club resign benji past 2015 they have rocks in there head. We had a mountain of ball last night in the 1st half and he had no idea how to get us a try. put that with his hugh mistackles i believe about 8-10 and he is not what we need sorry BENJI its time to go.

 

[stevetiger]

hybrid I agree and dont forget the passes to nobody…every fundamental mistake you can make he does it better then anyone else in the comp...

And he does it consistently. Week after week, like clockwork.

What he needs is Potter to pull out the tape and say "pull this s*** again and you'll be playing NSW Cup next week". It's that simple. And while he's at it, Marshall should also be banned from ever kicking the ball, whether its in general play or into touch from a penalty.

For too long he has been able to get away with murder and nobody has pulled him up on it.

He has not improved as a player in the last five years. For all the talent he has, his career is looking like a huge waste.

I love Benji and I think he offers a lot on the field. His short passing game is consistent. His long passing game is basically terrible yet it can be good. I have no problems with his kicking game other than he does it on the 3rd tackle. I wonder if this is a plan ?

My take is that Benji needs to play 7 and he needs to play a controlled game and be strictly managed/coached. He needs to be playing in tight with Robbie and Tedesco and ball playing to forwards. When there is half a gap he needs to run it. After that he can worry about learning how to throw a long ball. He also needs to learn how to tackle.

Basically he needs to completely remake himself as a controlled mistake free player.

I think he can do it but I think he needs to get away from being a free-reigned player or whatever everyone here and in the media calls him. I'm starting to think coaches must state this to him as well - Benji just play it as you see it. He needs to do the complete opposite.

 

[Black_Orange_White]

I can't believe this clown is getting a contract extension. He's part of the reason we suck, players like him, Blair, Anasta, Lawrence, Moltzen take so much room when none of them would make any other first grade team.

Marshall is absolutely terrible. He can't kick accurately, he is impatient and ruins the attack, his defense is pathetic, he is slow, he can't pass and make right decisions, he can't command respect from his team, he has favourites who always play, he can't organise the team, he goes missing and never shows up against good teams.

Please let him go. Please. End the Benji Marshall era before he ruins the Tigers.

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[watersider]

Benji is fine and he is one of the better playmakers in the game. He has had two problems for the last couple years:

1\. He has put on too much weight, which has impacted on his previously excellent acceleration.
2\. He is wasted in the middle of the field. Marshall is very good playing inside the centre or outside second rower. With decoy runners around him on the edge of the attack his slight of hand baffles defenses. In the middle, as an organiser, he makes terrible decisions and is too easily contained because he cannot threaten the edge of the defensive line, thus he ends up running across the field or throwing stupid long balls or kicking poorly because there is no one outside him to create an attacking threat.

The wests tigers need to go back to a traditional halfback and 5/8 role where the half distributes to the 5/8\. This nonsense of playmakers on each side hasn't worked for us. Once Benji gets moved to the edge of the attack he can start playing to his strengths.

So, if the tigers want Benji to be a halfback for the next four years then I agree with everyone else. However, if they play him in his best position out wide and get a decent organising halfback (Walsh, Mullen, Wallace, Hodkinson, even Keating might work) then Marshall will improve. I think it is that simple.

 

[NT_Tiger]

Sadly, I agree with almost all of the above, including watersider.
Unfortunately, for me at the moment, Benji Marshall defines Wests Tigers Football. Is it WTF or WTF? Last night it was WTF? when, a few minutes into the game with good field position, Benji kicks straight to Barba on the 2nd tackle. WTF?
If Marshall had been prepared to have a solid dig, play smart and develop pressure they might have scored, or at least put the Dogs on the back foot early and set the tone for the 1st half. NUP!
A team of juniors tried their guts out, with Captain Robbie Farrar along with Aaron Woods and Matt Utai leading by example and putting in the hard yards. Where’s Marshall? Oh, there he is and…WTF? A team of juniors made some junior errors but Marshall does not deserve the same benefit of the doubt. I really don’t like what I’m seeing.
Last night reminded me of a post I read here in the forum a few weeks back after Marshall had kicked through a grubber in mid field but failed to regather and then made no attempt to cover the ball. To me, when I watched that play, I read Marshalls body language as “oh well I had a bit of a go, bad luck”. No ‘dig deep’ desperation of the kind demonstrated week in and out by Farrar (and others).
That said, to give him the benefit of the doubt, I do think Marshall tries hard and has a desperation to perform, he is just motivated differently. I think he’s motivated by the spotlight and the need to maintain the “05 flick pass” aka ‘Benji Magic’ mistique. The bigger the presure situation, the more pressure he puts on himself to come up with the magical result. The double edge to the sword is when he sees a magical opportunity he doesn’t hesitate, he takes it and percentage play doesn’t come into consideration. I think it’s honest I just don’t think it’s good football.
If it is his motivation and attitude it can’t be coached out of his game. It’s who he is. Taking the pressure off him with a solid halfback e.g. Prince or Lui may allow him to regain his game but there also needs to be some team stability so that all of the players around him know what he’s up to and not stand and watch as the cut out pass flies past and over the sideline. I can’t see this happening in the short term.
Last night the ‘Benji Magic’ mistique was exposed. The good news is Coach Potter saw what we saw. He couldn’t avoid seeing what we saw. Now we find out what kind of coach he is. Hopefully the ‘Benji Magic’ mythology and resulting background politics does not colour the necessary decision making too much.
I’d like to see the coaching staff produce a statistically balanced Benji Marshall highlights vs lowlights reel and show that to Benji Marshall and to senior decision makers. I think it would be informative.
As for Benji Marshall’s marketing power, I’d rather see Robbie Farrar & Aaron Woods marketing the WTF brand rather than the WTF? brand we’re getting now.