@bigsiro said:
Benji has always been an enigma in attack and has always been a crap defender. We have known that for years. It's not new. So because we lose a few games he is suddenly to blame for everything?
And there are calls to actually drop him? WTF? Reactive is an understatement! I am actually sickened by our 'fans' on here.
Yes, he has played below par lately, but Allan Langer, Andrew Johns, Brad Fittler all had runs of extremely poor form if I remember correctly. Even Wally Lewis did. But calls to drop them? Never. And from their own fans? That would be
DISGUSTING AND DISGRACEFUL.
And sure, Benji is not exempt from criticism. But the day he is dropped, retires or leaves the Tigers will be the saddest day in Wests Tigers short history. Even the thought of that happening upsets me.
For those who call on him to be dropped - SHAME ON YOU.
I agree that for the number of times Benji has carried this team, it is wrong to turn on him for a bad match. Last night was certainly a bad one and for whatever reason he struggled not just with execution, he was always gingerly back into the line and they ended up defending him on the wing at the end.
But Benji is arguably one of the most gifted ball players the game has ever seen. To call him over-rated is a slight on how much he has achieved in his career – GF, national captain, golden boot. Some of the tries he has laid on in his time… some of the footwork and passing... you will not see that again in your lifetime.
But unlike the Johns and Lockyer type players, Benji doesn’t have the consistency and big-game calm in execution. He just isn’t that player. He plays what he sees and tends to execute a play regardless of how it unfolds. The pass out the back last night was an example of that.
It’s a tough one though, asking Benji to be both the dynamic unpredictable attacking genius and the solid reliable organiser. It’s like asking Aaron Woods to amble for 200 metres like Civoniceva but then bust holes out wide like Tony Williams.
I don’t recall Lockyer stepping 5 players on a jink to the line or hitting a runaway winger with an audacious flick.
There is only one Benji Marshall and don’t kid yourself that he would be a walk-up starter in any other team in the comp.
We are the Tigers – unpredictable, show-stoppers, heart-attackers, rocks-and-diamonds type of team, personified by Benji.