Tigers confirm Marshall won't be at club in 2021

[Aesopian]

The only way I want to see Benji go out is by addressing the media standing next to the CEO and coach. This is sad indeed. Bad look. Im just gutted

100% on Benji this one. I wanna give him the biggest wet towel flick in the history of wet towel flicks...

He's cooked and should retire but his big fat ego is getting in the way. Club would have offered him the Grand send off and he's refused it out of spite. Good riddance

 

[Madge]

@851 your thoughts?

 

[HowDugWT]

Poorly handled?????? How would you like it to be announced??
He has to go it was the right decision. I don't know how else would they say it.
NRL journalism: It will be the death of me

 

[TillLindemann]

The only way I want to see Benji go out is by addressing the media standing next to the CEO and coach. This is sad indeed. Bad look. Im just gutted

100% on Benji this one. I wanna give him the biggest wet towel flick in the history of wet towel flicks...

He's cooked and should retire but his big fat ego is getting in the way. Club would have offered him the Grand send off and he's refused it out of spite. Good riddance

Yes he could have gone out like Brett Hodgson. The thing is even if we signed him again next year he probably wouldn't have made the team, so next year wouldn't have been a grand send off, it would have been a send off in reserve grade playing with kids and plodders.

 

[hsvjones]

Really hope no bad press comes out about us mistreating/disrespecting Benji on this exit

How short the media's memories can be, it was the Tigers who called when he was doing nothing in reserve grade and gave him a second shot with two respectable years he probably wouldn't have got anywhere else. Yet I am sure all we will hear is how the tigers are punting a legend....


What a ridiculous comment. We simply aren’t re-signing a player who’s off contract it’s not press conference worthy. He wants to play on. Media always putting the boot in wherever they can

I disagree. He is one of the most iconic players to ever play the game, he isn't some average Mbye type fella. Its like Jordan leaving. Or say, Cam Smith or JT. He is a true legend. He made Tigers a decent club, for a while, maybe last time ever! Jeez. We should be giving him parades on the street! I love him so much. I dont want to find from a press release.

No club does a press conf for a player not getting resigned.. Regardless of who they are.. He clearly has advised them he wants to play on because if he was going to retire there would of been one..

So he is picked this week and most likely the last 4 games as a sign of respect and the club will do a full on leaving package in that time.. The media are a joke and make out like he is been dogged and thats not the case.. As a club we are in a position of having multiply halves under contract and his position could and will be used on another player that we need..

Sorry but its the truth

 

[tigerbalm]

England Benji.

Benji to Wigan, Hastings to Tigers?

whatever it takes for him not to wear another NRL team's jersey next year.

 

[rihannafan1]

Benji Marshall has pledged to fight for his career at another NRL club after the Wests Tigers informed his management they would not have a spot for him in 2021.

It comes as several of the club’s players raised trust and communication issues with coach Michael Maguire during a crisis meeting on Monday, with concerns growing over the coach’s rapport with the playing group.

Marshall’s manager began calling rival NRL clubs on Monday night, offering the five-eighth’s services for next year following a two-hour meeting with Tigers officials during the afternoon.

Marshall confronted Maguire at the club’s Concord headquarters yesterday morning in a 90-minute showdown over his future. The 35-year-old, who wants to play again next season, was disappointed to learn he wasn’t part of the club’s 2021 plans after reading a Herald article on Monday morning.

Maguire had agreed to reconsider, but by the afternoon the club’s position was made clear in a meeting between Marshall’s manager Matt Desira, Tigers chief executive Justin Pascoe and head of football Adam Hartigan.

Marshall is scheduled to meet with club powerbrokers on Tuesday to discuss the matter in person. While the Tigers believe Marshall still has plenty to offer, the club’s salary cap predicament has left them with next to no choice but to bring down the curtain on his second coming at the joint venture.

The Tigers have close to $1.6 million tied up in halves Josh Reynolds (off contract at the end of 2021) and Luke Brooks (2023), while they also have Adam Doueihi, Moses Mbye, Billy Walters and young gun Jock Madden, who can all play in the halves, on their books. They have been trying to offload Reynolds for two seasons without success.

The Tigers, who are chasing Josh Addo-Carr and Penrith rookie Charlie Staines, believe Marshall’s $300,000 salary is better spent bolstering their back line or forward pack. The Tigers still have $1m to spend in their salary cap next season with five roster spots to fill.

Marshall’s career is now at a crossroads, with the veteran playmaker intent on continuing beyond his 18th season in the NRL. Manly, Newcastle and Canterbury appear the most logical options.

Marshall may yet have a change of heart once the emotion subsides. He is expected to be given a farewell tour over the final rounds before the last match of the regular season against Parramatta.

Marshall started the year well but was controversially dropped by Maguire after round four despite sitting in second position on the Dally M Medal leaderboard. He returned in round nine but the Tigers have struggled since then.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/tigers-confirm-marshall-won-t-be-at-club-in-2021-as-benji-plans-to-play-on-20200831-p55r38.html

And now we know the sources of the leak, Benji Marshall and Mario Tartak.

Tartak also manages JAC, Corey Thompson, Moses Suli, Jason Saab and Luciano. It will be interesting to see how this plays out considering we are strongly linked to two of these players.

Totally agree with the decision though if it frees up 300k, as the halves is one position we have a surplus of players and that amount of cash is what you can offer a promising youngster or solid vet to join the team.

The Knights and Bulldogs do not need *this* sort of player although I could see him at Manly.

 

[Strider]

If he joins Manly they will make finals and we will miss out. Sorry for the negative post, i'm just putting it down so i can re-quote this a year from now. Leave me alone I am highly emotional haha

 

[momo_amp_medo]

Obviously he was not happy with clubs stand on this so this is the only way for us to go.
He’ll get his fair well from us but both parties couldn’t agree on his future so ... all the best.
If he plays on in Oz I believe he will be more on the sideline then not.

 

[Tigerlily]

What ever happened to going out in style while your still in relatively good form, why wait to be pushed?

 

[Newtown]

Hope Benji decides to hang up the boots after our last game. Hate to see him at some other club having to battle younger guys every week for a place in first grade. He deserves much better than that.

The idea of Benji turning out for Penrith or Parra next year is horrific! I really hope he retires. Or if he wants one more year of footy, a year in England might do him good. Win a premiership with Wigan or someone and end on a high.

Honestly, do you really believe that he has any chance of playing 1st grade for Penrith or Parra next year.

 

[TillLindemann]

Hope Benji decides to hang up the boots after our last game. Hate to see him at some other club having to battle younger guys every week for a place in first grade. He deserves much better than that.

The idea of Benji turning out for Penrith or Parra next year is horrific! I really hope he retires. Or if he wants one more year of footy, a year in England might do him good. Win a premiership with Wigan or someone and end on a high.

Honestly, do you really believe that he has any chance of playing 1st grade for Penrith or Parra next year.

Nah. But a club like that wheeling him out in their jersey for PR would be just as sad, even if he never played first grade.

 

[tigertye]

I’ve been a bit on the fence with whether I wanted to see Benji play on.

Personally, I see value in him but not with him playing as a first choice half. I literally see him as solid injury/suspension cover. Benji always seems to have a blinder for a game or two when he’s filling in for an injury or starting a season fresh.

His form doesn’t initially warrant dropping him so they persist with him until people call for his head or he gets injured/dropped. Reynolds comes in and a similar scenario reoccurs with Reynolds.

The biggest issue I see is the consistency and focus week in week out with both players.

In a perfect world, I’d liked to have seen Mbye and Reynolds moved on first. Reason being is simply value for money. Both Mbye and Reynolds have been poor boys and if Benji was used only as an injury cover for a week or two, I think he has way better value. He could’ve come in with a bit of hunger and focus, probably carved up for a few games but then return as a backup. His salary wouldn’t be an issue to our cap and his playing value is probably better than Reynolds or Mbye in their current form.

The downside is the roster spot he takes up in addition to Reynolds and Mbye.

Kind of sad that’s it’s played out this way. Media will have a field day with it, “club legend booted”/“no respect” etc. etc. It seems a bit obvious Benji was leaning towards playing on and the club had to put out a release and make a tough call before his manager dragged this out in the media.

Best of luck Benji.

 

[TheDaBoss]

Retire with dignity as the legend you are marshall
dont go to m,anly

 

[Tigercrb]

Really hope no bad press comes out about us mistreating/disrespecting Benji on this exit

How short the media's memories can be, it was the Tigers who called when he was doing nothing in reserve grade and gave him a second shot with two respectable years he probably wouldn't have got anywhere else. Yet I am sure all we will hear is how the tigers are punting a legend....


What a ridiculous comment. We simply aren’t re-signing a player who’s off contract it’s not press conference worthy. He wants to play on. Media always putting the boot in wherever they can

I disagree. He is one of the most iconic players to ever play the game, he isn't some average Mbye type fella. Its like Jordan leaving. Or say, Cam Smith or JT. He is a true legend. He made Tigers a decent club, for a while, maybe last time ever! Jeez. We should be giving him parades on the street! I love him so much. I dont want to find from a press release.

Agreed he is an icon of the club. But he is not retiring, so how can you have a press conference?

I am absolutely sure that the club would have told him their intention in private. Benji obviously advised he wants to play another year. As soon as his manager starts contacting other clubs, the tigers need to release a statement.

Otherwise, can you imagine the "Benji wants out of tigers. Shopping himself to rival clubs" headlines.

I love what Benji has done for our club, but we basically resurrected his career. No-one wanted him when he was playing reserve grade at the Broncos, so it is a 2 way street.

He really should retire a ?

 

[Newtown]

Really hope no bad press comes out about us mistreating/disrespecting Benji on this exit

How short the media's memories can be, it was the Tigers who called when he was doing nothing in reserve grade and gave him a second shot with two respectable years he probably wouldn't have got anywhere else. Yet I am sure all we will hear is how the tigers are punting a legend....


What a ridiculous comment. We simply aren’t re-signing a player who’s off contract it’s not press conference worthy. He wants to play on. Media always putting the boot in wherever they can

I disagree. He is one of the most iconic players to ever play the game, he isn't some average Mbye type fella. Its like Jordan leaving. Or say, Cam Smith or JT. He is a true legend. He made Tigers a decent club, for a while, maybe last time ever! Jeez. We should be giving him parades on the street! I love him so much. I dont want to find from a press release.

Agreed he is an icon of the club. But he is not retiring, so how can you have a press conference?

I am absolutely sure that the club would have told him there intention in private. Benji obviously advised he wants to play another year. As soon as his manager starts contacting other clubs, the tigers need to release a statement.

Otherwise, can you imagine the "Benji wants out of tigers. Shopping himself to rival clubs" headlines.

I love what Benji has done for our club, but we basically resurrected his career. No-one wanted him when he was playing reserve grade at the Broncos, so it is a 2 way street.

He really should retire a ?

Didn't Benji also play for Saints?

 

[Sco77y]

Really hope no bad press comes out about us mistreating/disrespecting Benji on this exit

How short the media's memories can be, it was the Tigers who called when he was doing nothing in reserve grade and gave him a second shot with two respectable years he probably wouldn't have got anywhere else. Yet I am sure all we will hear is how the tigers are punting a legend....


What a ridiculous comment. We simply aren’t re-signing a player who’s off contract it’s not press conference worthy. He wants to play on. Media always putting the boot in wherever they can

I disagree. He is one of the most iconic players to ever play the game, he isn't some average Mbye type fella. Its like Jordan leaving. Or say, Cam Smith or JT. He is a true legend. He made Tigers a decent club, for a while, maybe last time ever! Jeez. We should be giving him parades on the street! I love him so much. I dont want to find from a press release.

No club does a press conf for a player not getting resigned.. Regardless of who they are.. He clearly has advised them he wants to play on because if he was going to retire there would of been one..

So he is picked this week and most likely the last 4 games as a sign of respect and the club will do a full on leaving package in that time.. The media are a joke and make out like he is been dogged and thats not the case.. As a club we are in a position of having multiply halves under contract and his position could and will be used on another player that we need..

Sorry but its the truth

Yeah unfortunately he isn't a Cam Smith or JT. He's a club legend, yes, and in his day one of the greatest players to lace on a boot, but his lack of consistency means he may not even make the run on side next year and his career has been in a downhill spiral for a long time. In the position the club is in, I'm not sure how else they could have handled this unfortunately.

I'm sure most of us wanted to see Reynolds exit, which you would think would have albeit guaranteed Marshall staying on, but it just didn't happen, despite how hard the club apparently tried.

 

[Tigercrb]

Really hope no bad press comes out about us mistreating/disrespecting Benji on this exit

How short the media's memories can be, it was the Tigers who called when he was doing nothing in reserve grade and gave him a second shot with two respectable years he probably wouldn't have got anywhere else. Yet I am sure all we will hear is how the tigers are punting a legend....


What a ridiculous comment. We simply aren’t re-signing a player who’s off contract it’s not press conference worthy. He wants to play on. Media always putting the boot in wherever they can

I disagree. He is one of the most iconic players to ever play the game, he isn't some average Mbye type fella. Its like Jordan leaving. Or say, Cam Smith or JT. He is a true legend. He made Tigers a decent club, for a while, maybe last time ever! Jeez. We should be giving him parades on the street! I love him so much. I dont want to find from a press release.

Agreed he is an icon of the club. But he is not retiring, so how can you have a press conference?

I am absolutely sure that the club would have told him there intention in private. Benji obviously advised he wants to play another year. As soon as his manager starts contacting other clubs, the tigers need to release a statement.

Otherwise, can you imagine the "Benji wants out of tigers. Shopping himself to rival clubs" headlines.

I love what Benji has done for our club, but we basically resurrected his career. No-one wanted him when he was playing reserve grade at the Broncos, so it is a 2 way street.

He really should retire a ?

Didn't Benji also play for Saints?

Saints and NZ rugby.

 

[turkeytiger03]

Surely not one of the other 15 clubs would be thinking of signing him. It nearly has to be that Canadian team Williams was at seriously

 

[WT2K]

Right decision and needed to be made.