http://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/benji-marshall-tipped-to-sign-upgraded-15-million-contract-with-wests-tigers/story-fndv39ms-1226678943919
Benji Marshall tipped to sign upgraded $1.5 million contract with Wests Tigers
James Hooper
The Sunday Telegraph
July 14, 2013 12:00AM
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SUNDAY is decision day for Tigers superstar Benji Marshall, with club power brokers tipping the five-eighth will finally put pen to paper on an upgraded $1.5 million contract until the end of 2015.
Fresh from a week-long mid-season holiday in Bali with wife Zoe, Marshall arrived back in Sydney on Saturday and will sit down with Tigers boss Grant Mayer as early as today.
As much as the Tigers have shown Marshall enormous latitude throughout a difficult contract stalemate, there will be an expectation to conform to a new set of standards once the five-eighth commits to being part of a new culture at the club.
"Our hope is that we get some clarity from Benji and his manager no later than Monday," Mayer said.
"Leading into a game against the Warriors at Leichhardt Oval on Friday night, wouldn't it be great news if Benji was remaining a Tiger?"
Under previous coach Tim Sheens, Marshall enjoyed a father-son type of rapport where the playmaker was effectively marked by a different set of rules to the majority of other players.
This is not the case under new coach Mick Potter, which is why, as The Sunday Telegraph reported a fortnight ago, the working relationship between the pair had become strained after Marshall was dropped to the bench.
Tigers power brokers are privately convinced Marshall can be a wonderful role model for the next generation of stars in the club's ranks, headed by Curtis Sironen, Luke Brooks, Mitchell Moses, Kyle Lovett, Nathan Brown, Brenden Santi and Bayley Sironen.
But he needs to buy into the new culture the Tigers are building, a shift away from the old guard power clique at Concord led by Sheens, ex-CEO Stephen Humphreys and football manager Warren McDonnell.
Benji Marshall
Benji Marshall in action for the Tigers.
In terms of the club's roster, the Tigers are quietly undergoing a change in personnel to fall into line with the club's salary cap issues. Centre Blake Ayshford is going to Cronulla next season, Eddy Pettybourne is off to the UK Super League and **<big>Tim Moltzen travelled to St Helens last week and may well approach the club for a release</big>**.
Then there are players like Matt Utai, Joel Reddy, Matt Bell and Matt Groat off contract at the end of this season, with the Tigers hell bent on upgrading the likes of Tim Simona, Brooks, Moses, Lovett and Santi.
As there was in 2005 when Sheens won the competition, the Tigers boast one of the best crop of juniors in the NRL.
The challenge for coach Potter and new boss Mayer is to find them a way to complement the experience of stars like Marshall and Robbie Farah.
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looking good if thats true, cant see moltzen earning a fullback spot and isnt the best half available anymore, should of let him go to saints
Benji Marshall tipped to sign upgraded $1.5 million contract with Wests Tigers
James Hooper
The Sunday Telegraph
July 14, 2013 12:00AM
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\
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SUNDAY is decision day for Tigers superstar Benji Marshall, with club power brokers tipping the five-eighth will finally put pen to paper on an upgraded $1.5 million contract until the end of 2015.
Fresh from a week-long mid-season holiday in Bali with wife Zoe, Marshall arrived back in Sydney on Saturday and will sit down with Tigers boss Grant Mayer as early as today.
As much as the Tigers have shown Marshall enormous latitude throughout a difficult contract stalemate, there will be an expectation to conform to a new set of standards once the five-eighth commits to being part of a new culture at the club.
"Our hope is that we get some clarity from Benji and his manager no later than Monday," Mayer said.
"Leading into a game against the Warriors at Leichhardt Oval on Friday night, wouldn't it be great news if Benji was remaining a Tiger?"
Under previous coach Tim Sheens, Marshall enjoyed a father-son type of rapport where the playmaker was effectively marked by a different set of rules to the majority of other players.
This is not the case under new coach Mick Potter, which is why, as The Sunday Telegraph reported a fortnight ago, the working relationship between the pair had become strained after Marshall was dropped to the bench.
Tigers power brokers are privately convinced Marshall can be a wonderful role model for the next generation of stars in the club's ranks, headed by Curtis Sironen, Luke Brooks, Mitchell Moses, Kyle Lovett, Nathan Brown, Brenden Santi and Bayley Sironen.
But he needs to buy into the new culture the Tigers are building, a shift away from the old guard power clique at Concord led by Sheens, ex-CEO Stephen Humphreys and football manager Warren McDonnell.
Benji Marshall
Benji Marshall in action for the Tigers.
In terms of the club's roster, the Tigers are quietly undergoing a change in personnel to fall into line with the club's salary cap issues. Centre Blake Ayshford is going to Cronulla next season, Eddy Pettybourne is off to the UK Super League and **<big>Tim Moltzen travelled to St Helens last week and may well approach the club for a release</big>**.
Then there are players like Matt Utai, Joel Reddy, Matt Bell and Matt Groat off contract at the end of this season, with the Tigers hell bent on upgrading the likes of Tim Simona, Brooks, Moses, Lovett and Santi.
As there was in 2005 when Sheens won the competition, the Tigers boast one of the best crop of juniors in the NRL.
The challenge for coach Potter and new boss Mayer is to find them a way to complement the experience of stars like Marshall and Robbie Farah.
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looking good if thats true, cant see moltzen earning a fullback spot and isnt the best half available anymore, should of let him go to saints
