Marshall dropped

[TrueTiger]

I have said a fair bit about the last game etc etc..but now I will have a say about Benji..

Firstly he is a club stalwart and legend,and it was fitting they gave him the opportunity to play 1 more year at the club he loves....

Secondly apart from the feel good last year playing,he still has to perform to NRL standard as he knows he has too for the benefit of the team..

Thirdly he has been a halves playmaker for a very long time and should know what it takes to close a game or to control it (after all he is supposed to be tutoring Brooks) to do the same...

Fourthly he has spent enough time with Brooks to let him know its his team to run and let him do his job not overrule him because he is Benji..

Finally,I support Madge in the changes he has made to this side because it needed doing and as far a Benji goes for all of his brilliance over the years he has some deficiencies in his defense that doesn't go unnoticed..I really think that this dropping is awake up call to let others have ago and to take a backseat while they learn their craft..
Benji HAS been great and he should realise he cant keep going...this break could give him a rest and think about finishing this season on a good note,he still has good footy in him but needs to let others play theirs...

 

[Russell]

Jennings didnt have a great game but is normally sound defensively just one of those nights.
Nofo's side leaks points week after week
Jennings mat be back sometime throughout the year you never know he is still ok depth to have if need be

Well lets hope not. I pray every night he never sees first grade with us again.

A rock at the bottom of the Pacific is ok depth too. Probably would play better than Jennings.

 

[Jedi_Tiger]

haha a bit harsh Russell but hopefully the changes work this week and we dont get thumped by raiders

 

[TrueTiger]

haha a bit harsh Russell but hopefully the changes work this week and we dont get thumped by raiders

Russ is passionate.....

 

[GNR4LIFE]

Benji sitting on 245 games for the club. Will he reach 250?

 

[TrueTiger]

Benji sitting on 245 games for the club. Will he reach 250?

they will make sure he does...

 

[innsaneink]

Benji sitting on 245 games for the club. Will he reach 250?

they will make sure he does...

Probably... And that's one of the problems with this club

 

[gallagher]

Benji sitting on 245 games for the club. Will he reach 250?

they will make sure he does...

No doubt!

 

[851]

Benji sitting on 245 games for the club. Will he reach 250?

they will make sure he does...

Probably... And that's one of the problems with this club

Spot on, in all honesty, I hope he doesn't, that means Brooks has finally stood up, and the team is winning or at least having a red hot crack

 

[TrueTiger]

Benji sitting on 245 games for the club. Will he reach 250?

they will make sure he does...

Probably... And that's one of the problems with this club

Spot on, in all honesty, I hope he doesn't, that means Brooks has finally stood up, and the team is winning or at least having a red hot crack

851,I think Benji deserves to finish his career well,however he has to let Brooks own this side even if he makes mistakes....that's how we all learn,not by making excuses week in week out..

 

[NT_Tiger]

nuther reason to put reynolds in, the niggle, get up canberras noses

 

[851]

Benji sitting on 245 games for the club. Will he reach 250?

they will make sure he does...

Probably... And that's one of the problems with this club

Spot on, in all honesty, I hope he doesn't, that means Brooks has finally stood up, and the team is winning or at least having a red hot crack

851,I think Benji deserves to finish his career well,however he has to let Brooks own this side even if he makes mistakes....that's how we all learn,not by making excuses week in week out..

The problem is, Benji came for 1 year, he has stayed for 3 and wants to keep staying, he needs to be finished up, he obviously doesn't know when it's time, if he he said I am retiring or going to the ESL then maybe send him out in top grade, but the team should come first

 

[Tiger5150]

Benji has been hard done by to be dropped. He usually causes trouble for the Raiders' defence. He has Reynolds covered and imo bringing him into the team is a retrograde step. Energy does not make up for the lack of polish in a half. Josh should be paying Benji half his contract.


Totally agree with this. Josh will bring "*energy*" but we need organisation and poise, implementing a game plan.

My prediction is that Reynolds bursts into the game buzzing to show how much "*energy*" he has and he will run when he should have passed and stifle our backline. If we need someone to close out a game, Reynolds is the guy you want?


If thats your main concern, then we'll be ok. Benji as an alternative to close out a game is laughable.

Well I can at least remember Benji doing it two weeks ago against Sharks, Im sure there were others over the years, my recollection of Reynolds is barren.

 

[Harvey]

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/wests-tigers-bombshell-maguire-drops-marshall-after-titans-shocker-20200609-p550vh.html


Benji Marshall has been Michael Maguire's right-hand man since the coach arrived at the club last year. The coach's pet, to some degree. He's involved in team selections, recruitment and retention plans and all leadership meetings.

It's why, when news of Marshall's pending axing started spreading around the club's Concord headquarters after the pair met on Tuesday morning, Tigers players were stunned. None more so than Marshall, who was bemused when letting his frustrations be known to the coach.

Benji Marshall during Sunday night's loss to the Gold Coast Titans.
Benji Marshall during Sunday night's loss to the Gold Coast Titans.CREDIT:GETTY

Marshall cut a dejected figure when Maguire addressed the playing group later in the day to inform them Josh Reynolds would be wearing the No.6 jersey against Canberra on Saturday, dropping the club's most iconic figure because he "didn't meet the standards" against the Titans.

Maguire's decision to dump Marshall was made with the intent of drawing a line in the sand at a club that has perennially underachieved, growing "sick and tired" of the inconsistency. Perhaps the controversial decision to "cut the head off the leader", as Robbie Farah described it, may prove the catalyst for change.

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But in axing Marshall, a player who received man-of-the-match honours in both the Tigers' wins, Maguire has opened the door for murmurs of discontent in the playing ranks towards the hard-nosed coach to undermine what he is trying to build.

When players have turned to Marshall with concerns about the coaching style of Maguire in the past, the veteran has defended him to the hilt. There's no greater supporter of Maguire at the club than Marshall, who was last year also appointed as New Zealand captain by his club coach.

Benji Marshall training with Josh Reynolds.
Benji Marshall training with Josh Reynolds.CREDIT:GETTY

It's why the decision to drop him sends a very strong message to the rest of the team that, if the co-captain and the coach's favourite can be dropped, everyone is on notice.

"I was little bit shocked and disappointed that I got dropped," Marshall said on NRL 360.

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"Any player would be in that position. If you’re competitive and you want to be part of the team, of course you are going to be disappointed ... what the coach has done has really put everyone on notice that we're looking for consistency, so you can't go up one week and down the next week."

There's also a fear internally at the club that it may backfire on Maguire, who has relied so heavily on Marshall to be the conduit between him and his players. That, perhaps the man who played the role as the coach's eyes and ears within the squad, might no longer be watching and listening if the veteran feels disrespected by Maguire's decision.

Wests Tigers coach Michael Maguire barking instructions.
Wests Tigers coach Michael Maguire barking instructions.

Since arriving at Tigers headquarters in 2019, Maguire has ruffled some feathers - including that of Ryan Matterson, who walked out on the club to link with Parramatta because he didn't want to work under Maguire.

The Tigers, concerned with welfare issues around the players in regards to Maguire's intense training regime, brought in highly regarded high performance manager Andrew Gray in the offseason to control the training workload. Sources at the club say it has done little to change things.

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"He's made some massive calls," retired club legend Farah said of Maguire's host of changes on NRL Teams.

"I think Benji has been our best player in the two wins we've had. I think there are some other players in that side that can count themselves quite lucky, to be honest, because they've been going a lot worse than Benji has.

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"Is Madge looking for a reaction? He's cut the head off the leader, pretty much. So does everyone look at that and say if he's done that, I'm next? He's put everyone on notice by doing this, I just hope he's made the right call because Benji is a leader and this is a club ... that doesn't have any leaders this year."

The decision to drop Marshall is puzzling considering he currently sits equal second alongside Mitchell Moses, Tom Trbojevic and Clint Gutherson on the Dally M leaderboard with six points, one off pace-setter Jason Taumalolo.

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Marshall was famously benched by former Wests Tigers coach Mick Potter back in 2013, which ultimately led to the five-eighth's departure to rugby union and fractured the club given the treatment of the much-loved playmaker.

He is off contract at the end of the year. Many, judging by his performances the last 12 months, thought he would run around again for the Tigers next season. He has also attracted interest from clubs in the Super League, appointing new manager Matt Desira to seek out options. But what Marshall does next year will hinge on how he responds to Maguire's axing. Perhaps history may be repeating itself.

Love the quotes, is this Robbie taking up his ambassador role? At least this time he is undermining the coach from the outside and now able to be quoted rather than sending his manager and other stooges out to leak stories to the media.

 

[Geo]

Benji has been hard done by to be dropped. He usually causes trouble for the Raiders' defence. He has Reynolds covered and imo bringing him into the team is a retrograde step. Energy does not make up for the lack of polish in a half. Josh should be paying Benji half his contract.


Totally agree with this. Josh will bring "*energy*" but we need organisation and poise, implementing a game plan.

My prediction is that Reynolds bursts into the game buzzing to show how much "*energy*" he has and he will run when he should have passed and stifle our backline. If we need someone to close out a game, Reynolds is the guy you want?


If thats your main concern, then we'll be ok. Benji as an alternative to close out a game is laughable.


Well I can at least remember Benji doing it two weeks ago against Sharks, Im sure there were others over the years, my recollection of Reynolds is barren.

Yeah but we won that game with both Brooks and Marshall each finding the touchline in the final stages...something they never ever do..

 

[rustycage]

Benji has been hard done by to be dropped. He usually causes trouble for the Raiders' defence. He has Reynolds covered and imo bringing him into the team is a retrograde step. Energy does not make up for the lack of polish in a half. Josh should be paying Benji half his contract.


Totally agree with this. Josh will bring "*energy*" but we need organisation and poise, implementing a game plan.

My prediction is that Reynolds bursts into the game buzzing to show how much "*energy*" he has and he will run when he should have passed and stifle our backline. If we need someone to close out a game, Reynolds is the guy you want?


If thats your main concern, then we'll be ok. Benji as an alternative to close out a game is laughable.


Well I can at least remember Benji doing it two weeks ago against Sharks, Im sure there were others over the years, my recollection of Reynolds is barren.

You're absolutely right. He did against the sharks. He had a very good game. That is the only instance in his career that he has guided the team to a controlled victory in my opinion. I wish you all the luck in the world in finding another. He is probably the most uncontrolled bloke in his position in the history of the game. He's like my dog which I swear has issues with self control. He's always on edge and makes dumb decisions when it matters. For years and years, we've either lost the unlosable after leading by a huge amount or come from behind to grab a ridiculously unexpected win. That's how he rolls. Park footy for him. I've said it before - Until he leaves, we will continue to never make the finals.

 

[Tiger5150]

Benji has been hard done by to be dropped. He usually causes trouble for the Raiders' defence. He has Reynolds covered and imo bringing him into the team is a retrograde step. Energy does not make up for the lack of polish in a half. Josh should be paying Benji half his contract.


Totally agree with this. Josh will bring "*energy*" but we need organisation and poise, implementing a game plan.

My prediction is that Reynolds bursts into the game buzzing to show how much "*energy*" he has and he will run when he should have passed and stifle our backline. If we need someone to close out a game, Reynolds is the guy you want?


If thats your main concern, then we'll be ok. Benji as an alternative to close out a game is laughable.


Well I can at least remember Benji doing it two weeks ago against Sharks, Im sure there were others over the years, my recollection of Reynolds is barren.

Yeah but we won that game with both Brooks and Marshall each finding the touchline in the final stages...something they never ever do..

But they dont get credit when they do do it?

 

[Tiger5150]

Benji has been hard done by to be dropped. He usually causes trouble for the Raiders' defence. He has Reynolds covered and imo bringing him into the team is a retrograde step. Energy does not make up for the lack of polish in a half. Josh should be paying Benji half his contract.


Totally agree with this. Josh will bring "*energy*" but we need organisation and poise, implementing a game plan.

My prediction is that Reynolds bursts into the game buzzing to show how much "*energy*" he has and he will run when he should have passed and stifle our backline. If we need someone to close out a game, Reynolds is the guy you want?


If thats your main concern, then we'll be ok. Benji as an alternative to close out a game is laughable.


Well I can at least remember Benji doing it two weeks ago against Sharks, Im sure there were others over the years, my recollection of Reynolds is barren.


You're absolutely right. He did against the sharks. He had a very good game. That is the only instance in his career that he has guided the team to a controlled victory in my opinion. I wish you all the luck in the world in finding another. He is probably the most uncontrolled bloke in his position in the history of the game. He's like my dog which I swear has issues with self control. He's always on edge and makes dumb decisions when it matters. For years and years, we've either lost the unlosable after leading by a huge amount or come from behind to grab a ridiculously unexpected win. That's how he rolls. Park footy for him. I've said it before - Until he leaves, we will continue to never make the finals.

Two weeks ago.

Ok...now,,,your example of REynolds doing it?

 

[rustycage]

Benji has been hard done by to be dropped. He usually causes trouble for the Raiders' defence. He has Reynolds covered and imo bringing him into the team is a retrograde step. Energy does not make up for the lack of polish in a half. Josh should be paying Benji half his contract.


Totally agree with this. Josh will bring "*energy*" but we need organisation and poise, implementing a game plan.

My prediction is that Reynolds bursts into the game buzzing to show how much "*energy*" he has and he will run when he should have passed and stifle our backline. If we need someone to close out a game, Reynolds is the guy you want?


If thats your main concern, then we'll be ok. Benji as an alternative to close out a game is laughable.


Well I can at least remember Benji doing it two weeks ago against Sharks, Im sure there were others over the years, my recollection of Reynolds is barren.


You're absolutely right. He did against the sharks. He had a very good game. That is the only instance in his career that he has guided the team to a controlled victory in my opinion. I wish you all the luck in the world in finding another. He is probably the most uncontrolled bloke in his position in the history of the game. He's like my dog which I swear has issues with self control. He's always on edge and makes dumb decisions when it matters. For years and years, we've either lost the unlosable after leading by a huge amount or come from behind to grab a ridiculously unexpected win. That's how he rolls. Park footy for him. I've said it before - Until he leaves, we will continue to never make the finals.


Two weeks ago.

Ok...now,,,your example of REynolds doing it?

Im not making an argument for Reynolds doing it.

 

[Geo]

Benji has been hard done by to be dropped. He usually causes trouble for the Raiders' defence. He has Reynolds covered and imo bringing him into the team is a retrograde step. Energy does not make up for the lack of polish in a half. Josh should be paying Benji half his contract.


Totally agree with this. Josh will bring "*energy*" but we need organisation and poise, implementing a game plan.

My prediction is that Reynolds bursts into the game buzzing to show how much "*energy*" he has and he will run when he should have passed and stifle our backline. If we need someone to close out a game, Reynolds is the guy you want?


If thats your main concern, then we'll be ok. Benji as an alternative to close out a game is laughable.


Well I can at least remember Benji doing it two weeks ago against Sharks, Im sure there were others over the years, my recollection of Reynolds is barren.

Yeah but we won that game with both Brooks and Marshall each finding the touchline in the final stages...something they never ever do..


But they dont get credit when they do do it?

Don't be silly