Marshall set to sign $4m deal to stay with Tigers

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Tiger_Watto

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**<big>Marshall set to sign $4m deal to stay with Tigers</big>**
Date April 30, 2013 Glenn Jackson, Adrian Proszenko

Wests Tigers five-eighth Benji Marshall is poised to sign one of the biggest deals in the NRL.

Marshall could agree to an upgrade of his contract - which expires at the end of next season - as early as this week, while club officials and the player's management are also advanced in negotiations to extend his contract until the end of 2017\. The total package is expected to be about $4 million over five years.

Tigers officials, including chief executive Stephen Humphreys, chairman Mike Bailey and deputy chair Nick Di Girolamo, are to meet with Marshall's manager Martin Tauber on Wednesday. It is believed both parties are hoping to finalise the contract upgrade at that meeting, while also pressing ahead with discussions over the extension.

The upgrade is effectively the result of a handshake agreement between Humphreys and Tauber in 2010 to renegotiate his then four-year deal in line with any salary cap increases. With the players having agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement earlier this year on the back of the new broadcast rights deal, it is understood Di Girolamo, the then chairman, approached Tauber about honouring the commitment and then ensuring Marshall was a Tigers player for life.

''Whilst we didn't have any formal commitment, it was certainly a commitment that we made, and we are honouring,'' Humphreys said of the 2010 agreement. ''These conversations are based on that and are designed to bring him to the right place in the new world.''

Of the talks to secure Marshall until 2017, Humphreys said: ''Both parties would like Benji to be a Wests Tigers player for his entire career. Benji said at a function on Saturday night that he couldn't imagine playing against the Tigers.

''Whether we do that now or at some later time … everyone would like to see Benji be a Wests Tigers player for his entire career. If we can make that happen now, great.''

Marshall had signed a four-year deal early in 2010 which was billed as a life-time deal. But, now 28, his latest contract, which has been the subject of ongoing negotiations for several months, would confirm him as a one-club player.

The development comes just weeks after captain Robbie Farah signed a four-year deal, which will ensure the hooker is a Tiger for life. While the Tigers

are in the middle of one of the worst injury crises in the club's history, and the team has slumped to just two wins from the opening seven rounds, having the two key players secured long-term will give the club an enormous boost.

Marshall is sidelined with ''turf toe'', and while he is not likely to return until round nine, the Kiwi international maintains he is still a slight chance of playing against Canterbury on Friday night at ANZ Stadium.

He has only completed light running and is unlikely to be named on Tuesday, but still wants to play.

The Tigers' injury woes are so severe that the club may be forced to apply to the NRL for salary cap exemptions so coach Michael Potter can call on second-tier talent.

Tim Moltzen, who was moved to halfback to replace the injured Braith Anasta (groin), will have surgery on Tuesday after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in Saturday night's loss to Brisbane. Centres Blake Ayshford (ankle syndesmosis) and Chris Lawrence (hamstring) are expected to be out for up to six weeks each.

Forward Matt Bell, who suffered a hand injury at training in the lead-up to the clash with the Broncos, is expected to be sidelined for up to eight weeks following surgery this week.

There has been one positive on the injury front.

Winger Marika Koroibete has overcome a foot injury and is likely to play against the Bulldogs.

Jacob Miller, who started the season as the club's first-choice halfback but was dropped after round four, trained with the top squad at halfback on Monday.

Potter is still to decide whether to blood under-20s player Luke Brooks against the Bulldogs.

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/marshall-set-to-sign-4m-deal-to-stay-with-tigers-20130429-2ip0w.html
 
Many may feel different but I for one am very pleased about this and hope it can be confirmed and announced soon! Good on ya bags!

_Posted using RoarFEED 2013_
 
I would not be rushing into any long term deals with Benji till I see how his form is going at the end of the season.I just don't know if he will offer enough to the team as his speed demishes each year.Although he is still the most likely to lay on a try as evidence in his absence over the past few weeks.Hard one,do you reward loyalty or do you make hard nose tough decisions.
 
Whilst Benji's form on the field could do with an injection (vegemite nothing else) he still adds a lot to the profile of the club with sponsors and kids in particular. He is synonymous with the Wests Tigers. I would love to see him back to his form of the past but would also hate to see him with another club if moved on due to current form, give him a chance to turn it around. Good luck to him he gets what the market is willing to pay.
 
@cunno said:
Whilst Benji's form on the field could do with an injection (vegemite nothing else) he still adds a lot to the profile of the club with sponsors and kids in particular. He is synonymous with the Wests Tigers. I would love to see him back to his form of the past but would also hate to see him with another club if moved on due to current form, give him a chance to turn it around. Good luck to him he gets what the market is willing to pay.
Click to expand...

X 2\. He is a marketing machine. Hopefully we can find him a halfback to compliment his game
 
Might be over paid for his form but iam for it
Would hate to see Benji play for any other club, cant imagine him in other colours. As is struggle to deal with it when he puts on the Kiwi jersey.
 
Good news, he's a high profile player who gives the club plenty of exposure which is what sponsors look for.
 
Bad news, he is out of form. He has been out of form for years now, how is he worth that much? Why extend him to 2017? Way too much, re-sign him for only two years.
 
Marketing might be important , but results are far more important

Imagine the money we would have in the cap to pick up some harder working players

People need to stop looking at the past , and only towards the future Benji will never reach the heights of 2010/11 again
 
@smeghead said:
I would have hope Marika was next on the list personally
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Actually Woods should be our first priority Smeg , he is off contract after 2014

Behind Farah he would be our biggest lose performance wise
 
So that money hungry 5/8 of ours will be with the Tigers for another 217 years, or it will feel as much. Yes, he was leading the try assists count….so what! he was also leading the bloody error count too...

What about the detrimental impact he has on other young juniors that play in the halves with him? He kills their careers and gives them no confidence whatsoever! He demands the ball 24/7 and rips into them when they make an error. I've seen it. Not to mention, that now, two players make up a huuggee chunk of our salary cap! Farah is worth every cent...benji....ppfffftttt!

Halves pairing? He was going well with Molzten in 2010 but for some reason, Sheens never persisted with Moltzen when he was performing. I'll never give up who but a player told me that Benji always seemsed jelous that Moltzen was getting a lot of credit when they played together....even though they used to live together...There is something about Benji, Ive never liked....Arrogance, greed for money, silent pleasure in the misfortune of others, etc....Im told from many areas, that hes not what you see on tv.

Lui - Well, Lui just couldnt tackle and there were countless games where he did NOTHING. yes they had good games too but inneffective more than not.

Miller - Give the guy a go..Gee! 3 games and gone? The guy is hesitant to move or try anything cause of Benji's influence in the club. If he makes a mistake, hes gone. He was never comfortable.

Brooks - The same thing will happen to Brooks......he'll be a wasted talent at the Tigers!....
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Anyone other half I missed?
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Benji does more harm than good to our club!
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We can spend that money in the cap for much more useful purposes!
 
@happy tiger said:
Marketing might be important , but results are far more important

Imagine the money we would have in the cap to pick up some harder working players

People need to stop looking at the past , and only towards the future Benji will never reach the heights of 2010/11 again
Click to expand...

I disagree a decent halfback and stability in the halves will see benji shine again!
 
Its a massive call throwing big chunks of your cap at a player who peaked a few years ago, okay he is always going to be a good player, but a great player commands big chunks of your cap and Iam not sure he will ever regain the status of a great player. I also think you have to look at the next generation of kids and give them a opening, if you close the door than they will go else where.

Yes he still is a powerfull marketing tool, but the greastest marketing tooll you can have is a winning football team and that is what we need to be. Before we resign Benji we need a total review of the club, but in reality we will probably hide behind our injury toll and just roll along. If we do resign Benji we have to leave enough money in the kit to be able to surround him with a few top notch players and not players who are on the way out and looking for their last contract.

I would love to see Potter with his own picked support staff and that includes recruitment officer and not the team that came with the job this year,that would be a great start
 
woods and korro should be extended before benji.

so a record contract to a player out of form.

at some point can we treat this as business and not some loyalty program.

we signed blair to his biggest contract while having a horrible final year at the storm.

it's like we have gone back to 2000.
 
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