Benji Marshall denies Tigers interest in Xerri and Drinkwater, rejects team’s ‘last resort’ reputation
Neither Bronson Xerri nor Scott Drinkwater will be targets for the Wests Tigers, as coach Benji Marshall pushes back against his team’s reputation as a last resort for disgruntled NRL players.
Tyson Jackson
March 19, 2026 - 2:47PM
Benji Marshall has ruled out making a play for disgruntled Canterbury centre Bronson Xerri.
Despite his admiration for Xerri, Marshall was adamant the Tigers are not interested in signing the Bulldogs star.
“I like Bronson, he’s a really good kid, really good footy player, but we’re not looking at Bronson,” Marshall said.
Marshall also put a halt to talks that Cowboys fullback Scott Drinkwater would be joining the Tigers, with the May deadline to take up Jahream Bula’s club option looming in the near future.
The club is trying to extend Bula, but at a worst case, would retain the fullback for at least the next year.
“We got a fullback,” Marshall said
“I like Drinkwater, really good player.
“We’re not looking at Drinkwater either.”
Marshall’s days of having the Tigers be a last resort for players is over, with the speculation baffling him to why every disgruntled player gets linked to the club.
This weekend, despite Marshall naming him on the wing, Sunia Turuva will replace May in the centres.
Marshall named Turuva on the wing so he can keep his same jersey number through the year.
The combination of Turuva and Jeral Skelton will take on the lethal left edge of Latrell Mitchell and David Fifita, with defence a huge emphasis for the club this weekend.
“For us it’s just trying to do a job on them,” Turuva said.
“After what we just done on the weekend with our right edge-I think we’re pretty confident we can do the job.”