Bye, Bye, Benji

D

delpy

New member
Some memories and a final good bye to Benji Marshall.

http://delpysword.com/2013/10/17/bye-bye-benji

Feel free to leave your comments or memories.
 
Very nice, Delpy. I think your tribute has captured what many of us think and feel about Benji's time with Wests Tigers and his premature departure, under not so great circumstances - well done.
 
Yep - that's about how it was with me too. I have never seen a guy who could do what Marshall could do on a footy field. Those moments were diamonds. But I've never seen a class player do as many stupid things either - 'rocks'.
But that's a nice tribute mate. Well done.
 
For me personally when i think of Benji it's a sense of disapointment. When he arrived and throughout his time with us he could have become anything, i'd go so far as to say in 2010, 2011 he was in contention as being the world's best back. But he squandered it all by begining to focus on his media and brand image instead of focusing on his football. The rest is history, it's just hard to see someone with unlimited potential in anything squander it by becoming distracted by other influences around them.
 
@liltiger said:
For me personally when i think of Benji it's a sense of disapointment. When he arrived and throughout his time with us he could have become anything, i'd go so far as to say in 2010, 2011 he was in contention as being the world's best back. But he squandered it all by begining to focus on his media and brand image instead of focusing on his football. The rest is history, it's just hard to see someone with unlimited potential in anything squander it by becoming distracted by other influences around them.
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Interesting point. I agree, there is a lot of disappointment. He had the potential to perhaps be an immortal but only really played a few seasons at his best. I think it's a bit tough to attribute this his focus on media and his brand, though. He spent far more time training and playing than he did on the TV.

There was similar comments made regarding Beau after he became a regular on the Footy Show, but I think his best season was the last one he played with us.
 
We should all be disappointed to be losing Benji… He is one of the best names to play for our club.

Its time to put personal opinions about this years events aside and simply appreciate what he bought to the club.

_Posted using RoarFEED 2013_
 
Nice work delpy.

Benji will always be one of my favourite Tigers. Loved watching him. Unfortunately it was far more watching him 'just in case' as time went on.

If we want to lay blame for the disappointment though I think Benji's problems are almost entirely the fault of sheens trying to make him something he wasn't. sheens' ego was far more detrimental to Benji than Benji's ego was.
 
Great tribute that, brings back some great memories.

Really wish Benji stayed on for another couple of years, imagine the potential of his combination with brooks! I think their natural games would have really complimented each other, ie. the dragons game.

Wish him all the best in rugby tho, I'll be tuning in to watch his games when I can.

_Posted using RoarFEED 2013_
 
Benji was one of the best backs in the world as long as he had a decent half next to him.

Sadly between the club, Tim Sheens and a destructive Lui he only had perhaps 3 years overall with a form half.
 
My first post - would like to add my thanks for the tribute. He was a great player for us over the years. A step like no other and changed the way other people played the game which is a sign of a champion. I do not use the word lightly.
I now look forward after 63 years of support (50 for Balmain and 13 for West Tigers) to a whole stack of future champions (I hope) assembled together to begin in 2014 where we left off in 2005\. eeeh! ya!!!! go you Tigers.
 
@underdog said:
@innsaneink said:
It will be strange without him

I respectfully disagree.

It will be refreshing.
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I agree with both of you actually. Eleven seasons. Some of us have grown up with him. But having said that, it will be a new and hopefully exciting phase for the team.

_Posted using RoarFEED 2013_
 
I'm excited for post benji. But i don't think he was lazy, fat, arrogant or any of that in his last 2 years. I wasn't sure halfway through 2013 but I honestly think he gave it his all, but in a team coming 2nd last no half and a risky method of play it didn't work out for him. All the best in your future endeavours benj.
 
@Cultured Bogan said:
@underdog said:
@innsaneink said:
It will be strange without him

I respectfully disagree.

It will be refreshing.

I agree with both of you actually. Eleven seasons. Some of us have grown up with him. But having said that, it will be a new and hopefully exciting phase for the team.

_Posted using RoarFEED 2013_
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i have to say for me he was years of frustration and i am glad he has left.

its so much more exciting having the prospect of a promising new core and how the team develops (positively hopefully!) than eternally hoping marshall would be more pro than con.
 
Benji Marshalls departure upsets and disappoints me in a similar way to the departure of Taniela Tuaiki and Simon Dwyer. They are all players that I really enjoyed watching and was sad to see them leave.
 
It was time for a change for both parties

Hopefully both Benji and the WT's can grow from this experience

Benji needed this , he had to understand that non performance couldn't be constantly acceptable

The Tigers side as a whole needed this so every player at the club now understands that no one person is bigger than the team or the club
 
@delpy said:
@liltiger said:
For me personally when i think of Benji it's a sense of disapointment. When he arrived and throughout his time with us he could have become anything, i'd go so far as to say in 2010, 2011 he was in contention as being the world's best back. But he squandered it all by begining to focus on his media and brand image instead of focusing on his football. The rest is history, it's just hard to see someone with unlimited potential in anything squander it by becoming distracted by other influences around them.

I think it's a bit tough to attribute this his focus on media and his brand, though. He spent far more time training and playing than he did on the TV.

There was similar comments made regarding Beau after he became a regular on the Footy Show, but I think his best season was the last one he played with us.
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I also disagree about the media commitments. It's an easy aspect to blame but I really doubt Benji's lack of form can be attributed to something as simple as that.

As Softlaw and Defiant have pointed out the lack of a half-back and Sheens continually wanting him to be the ball player more than the ball runner cruelled his career, and has left me thinking "What if?"
 
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