Coach Benji đź‘‘

How well do you recall “his second stint”? Was he ever really an autonomous head coach under the Marshall plan? If you saw him as that at any point in his “second stint” then give me dates?
I remember Pascoe’s announcement which was a bit cloudy with no talk of his responsibilities or goals, only that he was to work with pathways.

he was the head coach …and paid accordingly ,,,the buck stops with him
 
I'm starting to have a bit of a problem with Benji Marshall as our coach. I think he likes to be a friend with the "boys" rather than a coach. I've always thought that he needed an experienced coach around him, once again he seems to prefer to have his old mates from the 2005 GF.... helping out.
Sandra Sully with the late news here.
 
Benji is friends with Foran.
Might be worth a discussion, how to get the best out of the squad.

He's also very close with Shaun Johnson, might be worth a day a week, chatting to the spine.

Not sure who else he's friends with, he can call in some favours from. Maybe Wayne and Farah?

If Morris, Heino and Hodgo aren't good enough.
They should go.
Just no point if we're replacing em with Patrick Herbert and Tim Moltzen.
Agree , we need to bring in some outside help as assistance , S Johnson not sure where he is located but if Sydney yes , NZ no , to much travel , but I’ve banged on about A Johns and C Cronk as guys to fix our attack , both would be great 2 days a week , then a hard edge prop JWH doing fox but who knows 2 days with our engine room could be good , we just can’t attack properly close in ( 10/15 mtr out ) and defence teams run through our middle if api is out , others like Shane Webkey ( Brisbane ) or similar , outside is the key for me , Benji can still play Benji ball but Cronk and Johns probably just add the missing polish , it’s needed , Dragons game and warriors game both those sides were average and the game was there to win , we should have won both , if it’s money Benji should just hit HBG up simple , it’s we do this we win more , we don’t we look like crap team always
 
I'm genuinely interested how people come to the conclusion that Benji needs better coaching staff?

Unless you've been a player or a coach and have observed the existing coaching staff doing their 9-5 job, how on earth could you know?

Vibes? ESP? Hidden cameras? Please explain!

My gut feel would be …I’m assuming people want change of some sort with the coaching staff ..given the play we have observed over the past few months ..

I think there is very little chance of Benji being replaced next year ..so people are moving on to the assistants … how much change this will actually result in remains to be seen ..
 
All coaches have people around them that they trust. The only time it becomes an issue is when the team is losing and people look for reasons why - and we are perennial losers.

Maguire was accused of the same and he had Ben Gardner who he bought to the club and then we moved him on with Maguire. He goes to Penrith in their system just like Webster and hasn't looked back. Todd Payten - an 05 - got accused of white anting Potter because he wanted a crack at the role goes to Cowboys.

You can keep finding scapegoats and but nothing will change.
 
we’re a huge chance to beat the dogs.
Our last 2 games were winnable. Our centres let us down both times. One is leaving for a new club and the other is still a teenager. (That was no time for the tap on pass).
Good onya Benji for recognising we desperately need an experienced try scoring centre with strong defensive ability. Sure some resilience is lacking but that can be changed.
I agree with what you have said here; but our biggest deficiency is wearing the No 7 at the moment. Possibly he is trying too hard but his defensive and attacking efforts over the last two weeks in particular have been insipid.

If he is to remain in the 7 he has to stop trying to solve our problems on both sides of the pill. He is back to his true defensive form of arm grabbing and shooting out of theline completely pulling apart the defensive structure. In attack his pass selection and execution ranges from average to poor with the odd good one thrown in to keep people interested. His kicking game is as variable, but the dink chips are woeful and his ability to find the grass is poor.

I seriouly hope that we are not considering him to be part of the halves solution in 27 or we are cooked. We have a centre depth problem and we have a surplus of halves. Time for Benji to make hard and morally right decision and sit AD down to discuss how poor his preformances have been of late.

Fortunately for AD I don't hold the clipboard or he would be introducing himself to the KoE team this week, with clear instructions on what he needs to fix defensively to get himself back in the mix as a 13 in support of Twal.

I fully expect him to play 7 - but Benji needs to make sure he understands how his self centred approach is cruelling the team.
 
Last edited:
I'm genuinely interested how people come to the conclusion that Benji needs better coaching staff?

Unless you've been a player or a coach and have observed the existing coaching staff doing their 9-5 job, how on earth could you know?

Vibes? ESP? Hidden cameras? Please explain!
Results maybe? Are you telling me the best possible candidates for those roles are his 05 teammates. Is it just a coincidence?
 
Benji with a full squad had the team playing well. 3rd year coach is unlikely to lift a second grade squad to great heights. We have had too many injuries and players playing that should be rested. Big job in the offseason. We need depth.
A full squad at the start of the season. We’ve jumped out of the blocks a dozen times the last 25 years. It’s nothing remarkable. What separates the men from the boys is when Origin hits and the run home. And we fall off the pace every single year. Without fail. Can anyone remember a season we were cooking on the run home? Even if it was a case where we just came up short? When was the last time we played our best footy at the back end of a season? But we played well between round 1 and 10. BFD.
 
All coaches have people around them that they trust. The only time it becomes an issue is when the team is losing and people look for reasons why - and we are perennial losers.

Maguire was accused of the same and he had Ben Gardner who he bought to the club and then we moved him on with Maguire. He goes to Penrith in their system just like Webster and hasn't looked back. Todd Payten - an 05 - got accused of white anting Potter because he wanted a crack at the role goes to Cowboys.

You can keep finding scapegoats and but nothing will change.

Let’s be honest ..Benji didn’t want someone here who the fans and media can start pointing to and saying he should take over the head job…. Little chance that’s happening with anyone here now …

I think Benji is about in a strong a position then he is ever going to be in … he should back himself and bring in someone better that might not be a “mate”… they need some fresh ideas … it’s not really working now is it ?
 
Last edited:
I agree with what you have said here; but our biggest deficiency is wearingthe No 7 at the moment. Possibly he is trying too hard but his defensive and attacking efforts over the last two weeks in particular have been insipid.

If he is to remain in the 7 he has to stop trying to solve our problems on both sides of the pill. He is back to his true defensive form of arm grabbing and shooting out of theline completely pulling apart the defensive structure. In attack his pass selection and execution ranges from average to poor with the odd good one thrown in to keep people interested. His kicking game is as variable, but the dink chips are woeful and his ability to find the grass is poor.

I seriouly hope that we are not considering him to be part of the halves solution in 27 or we are cooked. We have a centre depth problem and we have a surplus of halves. Time for Benji to make hard and morally right decision and sit AD down to discuss how poor his preformances have been of late.

Fortunately for AD I don't hold the clipboard to he would be introducing himself to the KoE team this week, with clear instructions on what he needs to fix defensively to get himself back in the mix as a 13 in support of Twal.

I fully expect him to play 7 - but he Benji needs to make sure he undersatands how his self centred approach is cruelling the team.
Agree 100%. Unfortunately for AD he tries too hard. Because Benji has persisted in playing him a couple of passes wide is possibly also creating more confusion for our outside backs than it does the oppositions?
I would much prefer Madden in the roll. He squares up and gives his outside backs some space. And has a kick to our wingers.
 
Let’s be honest ..Benji didn’t want someone here who the fans and media can start pointing to and saying he should take over the head job…. Little chance that’s happening with anyone here now …

I think Benji is about in a strong a position then he is ever going to be in … he should back himself and bring in someone better that might be a “mate”… they need some fresh ideas … it’s not really working now is it ?
Maguire was accused of the same BS. Todd Payten was accused of trying to take Potters job
It's scapegoating. No player or coach can be ever fairly measured at this club because too many leave it and find success at better managed and run clubs
He will live and die by his results here they all do but it means jack in regard to whether any of them can do a job successfully elsewhere and is exactly why this club will never improve under its current leadership because they are content to bring in the next guy to deal with the same issues and we allow them to by supporting the club.
 
Maguire was accused of the same BS. Todd Payten was accused of trying to take Potters job
and both were out the door anyway..because they couldn’t win enough games
It's scapegoating. No player or coach can be ever fairly measured at this club because too many leave it and find success at better manage

Plenty of coaches secure in their skin have outstanding assistants
He will live and die by his results here they all do but it means jack in regard to whether any of them can do a job successfully elsewhere and is exactly why this club will never improve under its current leadership because they are content to bring in the next guy to deal with the same issues and we allow them to by supporting the club.

Benji is still happy to be paid a million bucks a year to win football games ..he needs to be doing everything he can to fulfill that.. including bringing in better coaching talent to the club
 
and both were out the door anyway..because they couldn’t win enough games


Plenty of coaches secure in their skin have outstanding assistants


Benji is still happy to be paid a million bucks a year to win football games ..he needs to be doing everything he can to fulfill that.. including bringing in better coaching talent to the club
Every coach we have had some with "good "assistants re Ben Gardiner Andrew Webster have never won enough games - doesn't mean that they couldn't coach.
Havnt we learned that yet?
What we should be asking is why Melbourne can identify talent in our nursery and develop it and we can't ?
What is the point of investing in areas when other clubs travel to identify players and then pick the best of them. Who was the last forward that we developed who reached anything other than FG?
A coach can only be successful with the resources they have got to work with and the club is the first barrier for every coach that takes it on
All clubs have ex players running water bottles and assisting at training they are the essence of every club.
No one wants success more for this club than Benji if he fails it won't be because of him or his assistants.
 
A full squad at the start of the season. We’ve jumped out of the blocks a dozen times the last 25 years. It’s nothing remarkable. What separates the men from the boys is when Origin hits and the run home. And we fall off the pace every single year. Without fail. Can anyone remember a season we were cooking on the run home? Even if it was a case where we just came up short? When was the last time we played our best footy at the back end of a season? But we played well between round 1 and 10. BFD.
05
 
Back
Top