Pressure Mounts on Marshall to make his call

[851]

I'm happy for Benji to stay one year. I dont have more confidence in putting our other guys to become full time half, Walters, and what not?, and we can't afford a half on more money than Benji either, we have bigger weaknesses IMO. Hopefully 2022 we can assemble a team to make the finals ?

Yeah depending on what our plans are for the halves moving forward. If our plan is a young player coming thru or a signing for 2022 then let Benji play next year. Most people on here have written off next year so what difference does it make?

Benji getting a new contract with us is not just accepting mediocrity it is actively planning for it

That is exactly what most people on here are doing, next year has already been written off by the majority.


Well we aren’t going to be any stronger. We are treading water until Reynolds and Packer are off the books which will free up 1.5 million give or take.

This is the issue isn't it. Let's replace Benji's 200k odd (I don't know the exact number but it'd be lowish) with someone but it ain't going to be Adam Reynolds.

It should be clear for an off contract player if we can get better at the same cost we should and that includes Benji. It's just we aren't going to have a tonne of money in the tank for a while.

If we can go to market now and get a gun player we can do it if Marshall stays or goes.

What happens if Wests Tigers are one cap space short and have just enough money to sign a top player but can't because Benji has taken that cap space and a $200k Cap payment as well.

All the more important if spots drop from 30 to 28, we haven't really tried anyone else because they just keep playing Benji.
But we looked good with Grub at 6, BJ played his best, our right side defence was as good as it has been for ages, we could try Mbye at 6, Madden at 7, Doueihi at 6, Talau is a 6, these are options we should be trying now.
Then we will have Walters next year as well, Momo was a junior 6, there is no need for Benji to play next year, he will be offering nothing on the field anyway.
We may get a Burton for not much more which would be awesome, but no young half, or any half will come to play back up to Benji, and that will be an issue, because Benji thinks he is a starting half.

 

[Geo]

I don't see how Benji thinking he is the starting half or not is an issue

The Coach picks the team...or does he...hmmmmmm

 

[mike]

Can the people that desperately want him gone tell me your proposed better half option? Not having a go wondering if there is something I'm missing. Way I figure we have Walters who is fairly old and played a couple of games, a few players with some potential but unproven to be a starting 6 (and not super exciting) or Adam D but then we'd need a fullback and Adam was the best player last week for me. 2022 when we lose some big dollar players we can shop for stars. Thots? Cheers

Jay I really think that Benji has been in the NRL long enough...he has made his mark and the game is getting to fast for him....as far as halves combinations go,Brooks and Benji dont work...its time Madge tried something different,but I will say when JRey played alongside Brooks the team looked so much more competative ...I dont know the answer but maybe Madge does for next year..

Brooks and anyone doesn’t work. The common denominator with Brooks not working with other halves is Brooks. Benji should retire but Brooks failures are all Brooks.

 

[pawsandclaws1]

Luckily this is an article from the Telecrap so it can be totally ignored.

However if Benji is even given the option to choose if he plays on it highlights massive, MASSIVE issues at the club. By all means keep him around as a halves coach or ambassador etc, but under no circumstances should any coach or executive at the club be even considering letting him play again next season. Letting him play this weekend is already insulting enough. Don't give him the option, give him an off-field contract offer and that's it. That's not being disrespectful, it's being professional.

The best thing for our club would be to lose by 70 points this weekend, Benji missing 15 tackles, be coming 12th and subsequently cut ties with all off contract players.

We need a clean slate, and we desperately need leadership at the club. Benji has always had a massive ego. He's not a team player. He's not a leader. Even at his best he could only get us to the finals in 3/14 years, which is in itself pathetic and reason to move him on.

It is obvious to every footy fan with half a brain that benji is already well passed it. He cannot play at an NRL level anymore. No club would be remotely interested in having him start for them next season. Nearly all clubs would pass on him as a backup half who's expected to play 90% of the season in CC and perhaps play 1-2 games when injuries hit. Is that really how Benji wants to go out?

That's pretty harsh BB. I will always remember Marshall as a great for WTs and NZ. Every kid wanted a Marshall step and he was guided by one of the great tacticians, Tim Sheens in a golden era for the WTs. I hope he stays at WTs as a coach and mentor especially for the young Maori and NZ players at the Club. He's articulate and a much nicer human being than many of the tossers who litter commentary teams.

It's not harsh. It's reality. We suck. We need changes. Keeping underperforming players won't help us improve.

I said we should keep him around in an off field capacity. This would be 100% the right call, the only call.

Some say we won't get any better than him for 200k. That's rubbish. Use his roster spot, and 200k and add an extra 100k and throw 300k at Burton and see what happens. He's getting less than 100k now on a development contract 700k over a 2 year deal could get it done. And gives him the cahnce to impress without being locked into a long term ,low value contract. Every year clubs find guys that can do a good job in the halves who are on small contracts. We don't, because we don't look.

The issue is we have big dollars invested in big name players who don't deliver; Mbye, Reynolds, Joey Leilua. Marshall being on a modest contract would normally be a bonus, except for the fact the money invested in these big name players has not paid dividends. It prevents us from going to market due to roster spots and salary cap.

 

[Newtown]

Tigers are being nice. Benji will retire. If we are smart Benji is an ideal halves coach and Chris Lawrence in some form of mentoring or strength and conditioning role.

Benji is the last bloke you want as a half coach. He played off the cuff and from day one till now he was never a half who could run a team. Don’t get me wrong, amazing player who could do things that nobody else could do, but sadly could not organise a chook raffle

Skills coach maybe? Torpedo bombs, flick passes etc. Drop into training once or twice a month.

he may even be a good coach, plenty of good coaches who were crap players, and likewise plenty of good players that can't coach. Just because someone can/can't execute themselves on a field doesn't qualify their ability to teach others what to look for and do.

Trent Robinson and Bellamy were no stars, but they can coach, Wally and Pearce were good players, but bog ordinary coaches, you may be on to something with Benji, he might know what he is supposed to do, but just doesn't do it.

When I have seen him discussing the game on television he does seem to do a good job of breaking down plays.

Maybe that's his true caper which he should go straight into before he sinks further.

 

[earl]

What happens if Wests Tigers are one cap space short and have just enough money to sign a top player but can’t because Benji has taken that cap space and a $200k Cap payment as well.

You can't let that happen. I totally agree with you. If that is the current situation then we have to ensure Benji isn't re-signed.

 

[bbobb]

Can the people that desperately want him gone tell me your proposed better half option? Not having a go wondering if there is something I'm missing. Way I figure we have Walters who is fairly old and played a couple of games, a few players with some potential but unproven to be a starting 6 (and not super exciting) or Adam D but then we'd need a fullback and Adam was the best player last week for me. 2022 when we lose some big dollar players we can shop for stars. Thots? Cheers

Jay I really think that Benji has been in the NRL long enough...he has made his mark and the game is getting to fast for him....as far as halves combinations go,Brooks and Benji dont work...its time Madge tried something different,but I will say when JRey played alongside Brooks the team looked so much more competative ...I dont know the answer but maybe Madge does for next year..

I thought we looked more dysfunctional when Brooks and JRey were there. I think I prefer Benji and JRey at the moment.

 

[innsaneink]

I don't know why people are getting upset..next year doesn't matter ..nor the year after as 2023 is where it's at maybe..2024 tho lookout as no one has a contract for then..

It's called principles ...if Maguire is fixing the club he needs to start sorting out the weaknesses now ...not waiting until he has his "war chest "

My thoughts too regardless of "what people here think about next year"

Seriously the fact we've left recruitment up to a player is part of the problem... Who's running this joint?

So same applies to smith at storm?

Definitely

 

[Magpieger]

The way I've seen it Madge seems to be taking a certain tact with this situation. Benji's a club legend and an icon of the game, so to publicly oust him is gonna cause a stir, not so much amongst Tigers Nation, coz we know where we're at, but the outsiders are gonna cry "Shame on you WT's, how could you treat a club legend like that?" and "Poor form by Madge and the club". Madge is publicly paying Benj the respect and courtesy he deserves. Benji's a great dude, and is popular wherever/whatever he's been involved in, so no doubt he's popular amongst the Tigers ranks. Now, as regular people, what happens when a mate of ours gets shafted? We get upset. Its natural. The rest of the playing group are no different, they're seeing this being played out and rather than get their noses out of joint, they'll appreciate that and figure Madge has his players best interests at heart.
Having said that, none of us are privy to the inner workings of the situation, but you'd have to think Madge has had the tough talk with him, seeing as he did drop him earlier this year. I think Benji should call it a day, and thought he would've done so by now, but the longer he drags it out, the less sure I am. In which case my whole reasoning that Madge is actually in control, is flawed.

 

[Alex Seyfarth's #1 Fan]

[Tigers to shuffle Benji out door despite his desire for extra year](https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/tigers-to-shuffle-benji-out-door-despite-his-desire-for-extra-year-20200830-p55qn1.html)
By Michael Chammas
August 31, 2020 — 12.13am

Benji Marshall's time at the Wests Tigers is coming to an end. In the coming days, Tigers officials will sit down with the club legend to lay out their vision for the future. Unfortunately for Marshall, who believes he has one more year to offer, he isn’t part of it.

It’s not that Marshall is over the hill. He has shown in 2020 he still has plenty to offer. But the Tigers have $1 million to spend on five roster spots for next season and too much money tied up in their halves to justify spending $300,000 on another playmaker.

*The Wests Tigers are set to inform Benji Marshall there is no room for him in 2021. CREDIT:GETTY*

It’s about salary-cap management. Josh Reynolds isn’t going anywhere, despite the club’s best endeavours, and neither is Luke Brooks. Between them they take up $1.6m in the salary cap and it is on coach Michael Maguire to make that work.

There’s also junior star Jock Madden, who has been likened to a young Luke Keary. Madden will make his NRL debut as early as this week as the coach looks to blood some youth in the final month of the season.

There’s also a case that Adam Doueihi’s best position is five-eighth, while the club also has Billy Walters on contract for next year. Co-captain Moses Mbye has played plenty of five-eighth as well, leaving the club with no shortage of options next year. Adding Marshall to that list makes little sense, especially when they are in dire need of leadership in the forwards and strike in the outside backs.

The club has been walking on eggshells for weeks for fear of disrespecting the club’s greatest player. It’s why, even with their finals hopes dead following Saturday night’s loss to the Panthers, Marshall will still feature in the final month of the season despite the club preparing to inform the veteran they are heading in a different direction.

*Josh Reynolds will get another chance in the last month of the season. CREDIT:GETTY*

Marshall may not be happy, but the Tigers know they can’t afford to allow emotion to dictate their next move. The Tigers indicated earlier in the year that there would be a spot for him at the club in 2021 if he wanted to play on. A lot has changed since then.

The club isn’t convinced Reynolds, who has one more season on his deal worth $800,000, is the answer next year. Playing him over the last month may finally answer that question, or at the very least allow him to show he still has something to offer a rival club willing to pay part of his salary next year.

You would expect Marshall to walk into a media job, like Cooper Cronk, at Fox Sports. However, at this point, he isn’t ready to hang up the boots. A club such as Newcastle or Manly, both on the lookout for a five-eighth, could benefit from his services. Marshall may provide the experience to help those respective clubs emerge as genuine title contenders next year.

The Tigers will begin planning for 2021 from this week. Hooker Harry Grant may not see a lot of football in the last month. With Grant expected to head back to Melbourne next year, the club will look to give 18-year-old Jake Simpkin a crack alongside Jacob Liddle.

 

[Alex Seyfarth's #1 Fan]

Interesting article. Since it's from Chammas I would believe everything in it. He's yet to be wrong when it comes to us.

I get that Benji is entitled to hang his boots up when he wants to, but since his next job will be in the media, legacy is very important. He should understand that it is in the club's best interest to retire. Fans will hate seeing him join yet another club. There will be a small faction who revolt and it will give us bad PR.

 

[cqtiger]

Sanity prevails

 

[Mighty_Tiger]

If Madge is real about his comments on the young kids & the club is serious about moving forward it doesn’t leave many options at all.

Love Benji, he is the GOAT to put a Wests Tigers jersey on but all good things must come to an end.

 

[hobbo1]

It’s a shame Brooks isn’t a dominating half as we could’ve kept Benji on just for the trick plays

 

[Guest]

Interesting article. Since it's from Chammas I would believe everything in it. He's yet to be wrong when it comes to us.

I get that Benji is entitled to hang his boots up when he wants to, but since his next job will be in the media, legacy is very important. He should understand that it is in the club's best interest to retire. Fans will hate seeing him join yet another club. There will be a small faction who revolt and it will give us bad PR.

Yeah it makes a lot of sense, keen to see how Madden and Simpkin go, they are the future.

 

[Geo]

Looks like Chammas gave Reynolds and Brooks a payrise...Reynolds 800K Brooks 800K = 1.6M dollars..

 

[4jtigers]

It’s a shame Brooks isn’t a dominating half as we could’ve kept Benji on just for the trick plays

no half will dominate with Benji around, he will always take over

anyway, I hope he does call it a day and for those "clubs" willing to take him on - good luck and I hope he does well in your system/team

 

[pawsandclaws1]

It's a sad day for WTs. I hope the Club has spoken to him prior to this article being published.

I'd like to wish Benji and his family every success for the future. Benji and Robbie are two WTs' greats. This is the end of an era. Thank you for your loyalty to WTs.

 

[tig_prmz]

with Blake Green injured and Jeremy Marshal King there, I wouldn't be surprised if Bulldogs offer Benji a 6 month or per game contract. Esp if he is defending next to Josh Jackson

 

[innsaneink]

Looks like Chammas gave Reynolds and Brooks a payrise...Reynolds 800K Brooks 800K = 1.6M dollars..

Oh... What are they really on?