Farah and benjis positions in this team have to questioned

[Tiger_Watto]

Wt seem to have that "fat kid" mentality where they are just happy that anyone will play with us instead of going out and pushing for the huge name players.

we signed robbie and benji up on long deals based on what? FEAR, fear that we couldnt lure players better then them to our club. We have never managed to attract a huge name inform player from another club so we settle for what we have and happy to pick up star players from years past.

and i agree thaat they produce good corperate dollars off the field…but mate...make the finals every year and it doesnt matter who the hell our players are or what they look like the corperate dollars ill flow in ten fold

Like Newtown in the early 80's & the GC Chargers of the late 90's…..

Ron, we signed a WINGER to attract $$$'s to the club, possibly worth 15m over 3 years??!!!

 

[AndTheKungFoSing]

Benji Marshall is one of the BEST players I have seen in a very long time, he's a natural talent and injury free now. He'll mature through this season and into the next one I have no doubt. He played poorly, particularly in his defense against the Dragons i admit… but he hasn't had the luxury this season of having a consistent halves partner! His consistency will come when we can start playing a halves pairing longer than 4 weeks! IMO THERE IS NO BETTER 6 IN THE GAME!

Robbie Farah has played some pretty average games by his standard this season no doubt... but with that I can hardly say terrible. The most frustrating thing about Farah is he can be a VERY selfish player at times and it costs us points more often than not... IMO THERE IS NO BETTER 9 IN THE GAME!

Saying the club panicked into their long term deals is ludicrous! Any club would KILL for both blokes, especially Farah.

 

[Cat_amp_Fiddle]

I for one love the fact the Wests Tigers do not go out and buy big name established stars to enhance the team's Grand Final prospects.
It is great that the first grade side fields so many juniors - and that includes not only Farah (Leichhardt Wanderers) but IMO Marshall too through the Keebra Park connection.
Even Tuqiri brings a local flavour to the side. He lives in Balmain and even sat on the hill at Leichhardt to watch the Wests Tigers when he was back playing for the Waratahs.
Farah and Benji are the Wests Tigers.
Bagging them in the way that some WT "fans" do is to me incomprehensible. :supporter:

 

[Guest]

This thread truly does baffle me. Marshall played poorly against the Dragons, he had a stinker…we've seen it all before but you know what, some of the good things he can do when he's on his game no one else can do, and after such an ordinary effort against Saints, I'm sure he'll be aiming up for a big one against the Broncos.

 

[system]

Ron you seem to forget that a NRL Club is also a business as well.

The length and security of contract of a clubs marquee stars plays a massive role in stability and volume of the sponsorship dollar.

As many have said both are capable of stinkers. There is no footballer who isn't.

Do we lack a rudder in the big games sometimes? Yes. But we are by no means a basket case just yet.

Take the two first choice halves and the best up and coming prop out of any side and play them against the Dragons and see what happens

But we do need a stabilising influence in the playmaking positions. If we cannot get it consistantly by end of season from what we have maybe an old head may be the way to proceed as we do sometimes seem to lack a Plan C for when the firsttwo are not working

 

[crouching_tiger]

This thread truly does baffle me. Marshall played poorly against the Dragons, he had a stinker…we've seen it all before but you know what, some of the good things he can do when he's on his game no one else can do, and after such an ordinary effort against Saints, I'm sure he'll be aiming up for a big one against the Broncos.

Marshall played worse against the Raiders than he did against the Dragons. WT were just lucky Campese played even worse than Marshall.
Nobody can doubt that Marshall has freakish talents as you suggest that no one else can do. But he needs to do something about his gameplay in general to rope in his errors to give the teammates a more stable chance of building a platform and reduce their frustration. It is easy for all of Farah's hard work to be brought undone through one silly unnecessary pushed pass from the halves.

 

[ron_burgandy]

This thread truly does baffle me. Marshall played poorly against the Dragons, he had a stinker…we've seen it all before but you know what, some of the good things he can do when he's on his game no one else can do, **<big>and after such an ordinary effort against Saints, I'm sure he'll be aiming up for a big one against the Broncos</big>**.

and that geo is exactly my point….1 good game 2-3 bad games a flash of brilliance in another game then crap the game after....... thats benji and of late thats been farah aswell....

 

[tiger_tigers]

let's say we win the comp 2-3 times in the next 3-4 years, what then???? What if the sky turns green and we start getting birds flying upside down, what then????? Your whole argument is based on hypotheticals. Ron, go back to bring us scoops, you're more entertaining that way.

well said chris …..

and ronny boy .... when was the last time saints won a comp ?
ill take the tigers anytime .......

 

[ron_burgandy]

What have Hornby and Soward done over the past few years?? Made the finals and choked with a star studded lineup. Benji won us a premiership and Robbie has been our star for 3 years. They are worth the money.

well they are about to lead their team to 2 consecutive minor premierships and 3 straight finals appearences since they both played in the same team…..

 

[Guest]

This thread truly does baffle me. Marshall played poorly against the Dragons, he had a stinker…we've seen it all before but you know what, some of the good things he can do when he's on his game no one else can do, and after such an ordinary effort against Saints, I'm sure he'll be aiming up for a big one against the Broncos.

Marshall played worse against the Raiders than he did against the Dragons. WT were just lucky Campese played even worse than Marshall.
Nobody can doubt that Marshall has freakish talents as you suggest that no one else can do. But he needs to do something about his gameplay in general to rope in his errors to give the teammates a more stable chance of building a platform and reduce their frustration. It is easy for all of Farah's hard work to be brought undone through one silly unnecessary pushed pass from the halves.

I don't know what the answer is there CT. For the teams sake the wider Benji is the better. He has to play at least two wide of the ruck where he has a bit more time with the ball in hand, he's still going to make mistakes, but he'll ask more questions of the opposition. The thing with the Tigers is that they will more often than not chance their hand to come up with the very flashy (and brilliant when it comes off) low percentage play. They will always ask questions of an oppositions defence, the problem against such a well drilled side like St George, the Tigers needed to at least match, or better them in their completion rate and at least bring to the game a better kicking game than what they did.

Now the only two blokes in the club who could have possibly settled the team down at halfback is Blake Lazarus or Darren Nicholls from what I have seen of the lower grades lately, and personally I think Nicholls may well be in slightly better form than Lazo, especially in defence. The club dismiss bringing lazo back in, and I don't know where Nicholls fits into their future plans, with with Moltzen and Lui both injured, the options are limited.

Sheens did say the team went away from the gameplan too, he wanted Farah and Marshall to play more direct which I daresay would have helped, but it's history now.

 

[Eddie]

I thought I was a tough judge Ron!!. For most of the past 4 seasons Farah has carried the Tigers on his back. He has had some ordinary games like every playmaker in the NRL however he is a high class player that makes our team a lot better. Is Thurston a poor player because the Cows are down the bottom? Marshall has not been as consistently excellent as Farah. He has had his injuries and his form dips are more prolonged. However blaming all the Tigers woes (we are 8-6 at the moment right?) on those 2 is barking up the wrong tree.

I agree there have been times when they could of taken more ownership of games and of our season. However ownership of a game generally come from a number 7\. And we have barely had one in 5 seasons. Look at our record with Lui and Moltz in the 7 the past 10 games. Look at our performance with Prince in the 7.

A 5/8 and a hooker cannot take complete ownership of games. They have both played at 7 and shown they are not capable of it.

 

[tiger_tragic]

I also like the fact that we dont buy big name players and use the players that have come through they system. And when they do buy big names its someone outside the box like Tuquiri and Ellis.
The reason that Saints have done so well is the fact that Hornby and Soward have played every game together this year it certainly helps that they have had all year and last year to keep the combination going.

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

I thought I was a tough judge Ron!!. For most of the past 4 seasons Farah has carried the Tigers on his back. He has had some ordinary games like every playmaker in the NRL however he is a high class player that makes our team a lot better. Is Thurston a poor player because the Cows are down the bottom? Marshall has not been as consistently excellent as Farah. He has had his injuries and his form dips are more prolonged. However blaming all the Tigers woes (we are 8-6 at the moment right?) on those 2 is barking up the wrong tree.

I agree there have been times when they could of taken more ownership of games and of our season. However ownership of a game generally come from a number 7\. And we have barely had one in 5 seasons. Look at our record with Lui and Moltz in the 7 the past 10 games. Look at our performance with Prince in the 7.

A 5/8 and a hooker cannot take complete ownership of games. They have both played at 7 and shown they are not capable of it.

Great post Ed. You are always going to struggle without your 1st choice and 2nd choice halfbacks. We lost against the benchmark of the competition and we were in the game for 60 minutes of it. If they aim up against the Broncos next week and come away with a win and then go on to win another four straight, I'll be happy.

I'll still say I'd rather play the Dragons than any other team come the finals.

 

[tiger05]

This thread truly does baffle me. Marshall played poorly against the Dragons, he had a stinker…we've seen it all before but you know what, some of the good things he can do when he's on his game no one else can do, **<big>and after such an ordinary effort against Saints, I'm sure he'll be aiming up for a big one against the Broncos</big>**.

and that geo is exactly my point….1 good game 2-3 bad games a flash of brilliance in another game then crap the game after....... thats benji and of late thats been farah aswell....

Benji cut it all out at the backend of last season and the start of this season and looked like the best player in the game. Farah sort of just went out of form and was coming up with the dumb plays but no real good plays post SOO last year.

Farah imo is getting his mojo back whereas Benji is back to inconsistency throughout his game and the season.

We need then both to play to their ability and we can really give the comp a shake.

 

[Geo]

Benji cut it all out at the backend of last season and the start of this season and looked like the best player in the game. Farah sort of just went out of form and was coming up with the dumb plays but no real good plays post SOO last year.

Farah imo is getting his mojo back whereas Benji is back to inconsistency throughout his game and the season.

We need then both to play to their ability and we can really give the comp a shake.

Agreed…..I think we have been saying the same thing for ages tiger05...

If Farah and Marshall put it togerther at the same time....look out.....

Ron.......... that's willows point at least try and be original

 

[ron_burgandy]

Benji cut it all out at the backend of last season and the start of this season and looked like the best player in the game. Farah sort of just went out of form and was coming up with the dumb plays but no real good plays post SOO last year.

Farah imo is getting his mojo back whereas Benji is back to inconsistency throughout his game and the season.

We need then both to play to their ability and we can really give the comp a shake.

Agreed…..I think we have been saying the same thing for ages tiger05...

If Farah and Marshall put it togerther at the same time....look out.....

Ron.......... that's willows point at least try and be original

problem is they only really put it together about 2 out of every 5 games…not enough IMO for the 2 marquee players of our club

 

[izotope]

marquee for us, not sure how many other clubs would be like wow. benji is long from a superstar anymore, and farah inconsistency and probably injuries have clouded most of his status as well.

i think benji is really soft, remember the first 6 or so games this year. he would take the 2nd or 3rd hitup of the game and then played sensational from then onwards.. last 6 or so he seems to refuse to want to me tackled, he'll do anyhting not to get tackled and not to take the line on; i sense injury or something

 

[tiger05]

marquee for us, not sure how many other clubs would be like wow. benji is long from a superstar anymore, and farah inconsistency and probably injuries have clouded most of his status as well.

i think benji is really soft, remember the first 6 or so games this year. he would take the 2nd or 3rd hitup of the game and then played sensational from then onwards.. last 6 or so he seems to refuse to want to me tackled, he'll do anyhting not to get tackled and not to take the line on; i sense injury or something

I don't think he is soft. I think he simply hasn't been worked out that he has to tighten his game up. It is like in some ways he hasn't been coached correctly or he doesn't face up to his poor plays. Maybe he is soft and simply does not focus enough on his game.

He is my favourite player because when on song he is one of the best players in the game and he has always been a great supporter of the tigers.

I hope he turns it around soon.

 

[innsaneink]

Soft?!?!

You should take a long hard look at yourself

Youre talking about a bloke that played an entire 2nd half of first grade with a fractured cheekbone, and set up the match winning try to boot.
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I think most of us would be hard pressed doing anything much with a fractured cheekbone.
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Get some perspective
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This is soft…......
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[TurnStyle]

yeh, the dribble passes behind everyone are starting to creep in, but i have to say i have been happy with marshalls renewed attitude in defense all year. i saw him make quite a few tackles on friday that in years gone by he simply wouldnt have.
cant remember who it was but it was down the dragons' left side (one in i think) and benji pulled the guy down one on one where in the past he probably wouldve just gone through him and scored.
i also remember a tackle where he held someone up over the line and many others. he has done well this season and i no longer doubt his application.
i always said he COULD tackle, but simply DIDNT. this year he is.

in any case, i havent read the first 3 pages of this post, but the title has to be a joke?

sure, the grip on position 3 is tenuous at best (they will drop down dramatically following byes, wins by other teams)but after the next month or so the run home is considerably better, so dont be surprised to see the tiges on another high come september…
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