Tigers confirm Marshall won't be at club in 2021
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‘I found out in the paper’: Benji lifts lid on ‘disappointing’ Tigers exit as he reveals call to Bennett
September 1, 2020 7:31pm
GEORGE CLARKE
Source: FOX SPORTS
Benji Marshall has revealed that he learned of the Wests Tigers’ plans to part ways with him in the newspaper – and that he rang old coach Wayne Bennett for advice over his future. Marshall, 35, appeared on Fox League’s NRL360 on Tuesday night after the Tigers released a statement earlier in the day which confirmed his exit from the club.
The Kiwi international has clocked 253 games for the Tigers since his debut in 2003, but was told he was not part of club’s plans going forward.
Maguire is said to be frustrated by the roster’s soft underbelly and their continued inability to make the finals, with the coach set to ring the changes ahead of the 2021 season.
And Marshall, who is off-contract at the end of this season, discovered that he wasn’t part of Maguire’s project going forward by reading about it in the paper.
Speaking on Fox League’s NRL360 Marshall admitted that he had wanted to see out his NRL career with the Tigers and said: “If anything I was a bit disappointed the way I found out, reading it in the paper. That was a little bit disappointing for me.
“I had a good chat with the coach; he laid out where I stood. I appreciated the honesty, I can finish the season and then both parties will move on. It was pretty normal (the chat with Maguire).
“That is one of the best things I’ve had under Michael is that he’s always been honest with me.
“When you hear about not being wanted through other sources that are not the coach or the club you want to find out if it’s true or not, so I went in there and asked if it’s true or not. He asked for 24 hours to give me an answer, and the answer came back I won’t be required.”
Marshall returned to the Tigers in 2018, but the club’s finals drought continues to this day.
The Tigers have not featured in a finals series since 2011.
Maguire has been trying to turn the club around since his arrival prior to the 2019 season,
There is a suggestion that Maguire is too tough on the Tigers players, but Marshall maintained that coach still had the backing of the squad.
“Yeah he does,” Marshall said when asked whether Maguire still “had the dressing room”.
“As a club we haven’t reacted well to the whole season.
“We’ve been inconsistent and haven’t been playing well enough. You can’t blame the coach for the way we’ve played.
“We just haven’t been good enough. It’s not just the coach, it’s the players, the staff, and I guess that’s what they’ll be searching for is answers.
“They’ve started that by me not being there next year and there’ll probably be more to come.”
As part of his comeback to league after an unsuccessful spell in rugby union, Marshall worked under Bennett at the Broncos and with New Zealand.
Marshall could decide to play on in 2021 if another rival were willing to sign him and said he phoned the coach for advice on Tuesday.
The 35-year-old added: “I feel like I can add a bit of leadership and mentoring to some teams and add a bit of experience.
“But I’m just keen to play, I rang Wayne today and asked for a bit of advice on playing on and if I could still play on.
“He mentioned that you’re a long time retired, he said if you’ve still got the fire you’re the only person who knows when it’s right to give it away.
“I would love to play under Wayne but they’ve got two great halves there that are probably the form halves in the comp so it’s probably highly unlikely, but I’m going to look at all opportunities and see what’s out there and who knows. Nobody might be interested, so I might have to retire. But yeah I’m keen to play on.”
https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/teams/tigers/nrl-2020-benji-marshall-wests-tigers-exit-next-club-future-michael-maguire/news-story/c2553063011502407aeebbee2f596874
September 1, 2020 7:31pm
GEORGE CLARKE
Source: FOX SPORTS
Benji Marshall has revealed that he learned of the Wests Tigers’ plans to part ways with him in the newspaper – and that he rang old coach Wayne Bennett for advice over his future. Marshall, 35, appeared on Fox League’s NRL360 on Tuesday night after the Tigers released a statement earlier in the day which confirmed his exit from the club.
The Kiwi international has clocked 253 games for the Tigers since his debut in 2003, but was told he was not part of club’s plans going forward.
Maguire is said to be frustrated by the roster’s soft underbelly and their continued inability to make the finals, with the coach set to ring the changes ahead of the 2021 season.
And Marshall, who is off-contract at the end of this season, discovered that he wasn’t part of Maguire’s project going forward by reading about it in the paper.
Speaking on Fox League’s NRL360 Marshall admitted that he had wanted to see out his NRL career with the Tigers and said: “If anything I was a bit disappointed the way I found out, reading it in the paper. That was a little bit disappointing for me.
“I had a good chat with the coach; he laid out where I stood. I appreciated the honesty, I can finish the season and then both parties will move on. It was pretty normal (the chat with Maguire).
“That is one of the best things I’ve had under Michael is that he’s always been honest with me.
“When you hear about not being wanted through other sources that are not the coach or the club you want to find out if it’s true or not, so I went in there and asked if it’s true or not. He asked for 24 hours to give me an answer, and the answer came back I won’t be required.”
Marshall returned to the Tigers in 2018, but the club’s finals drought continues to this day.
The Tigers have not featured in a finals series since 2011.
Maguire has been trying to turn the club around since his arrival prior to the 2019 season,
There is a suggestion that Maguire is too tough on the Tigers players, but Marshall maintained that coach still had the backing of the squad.
“Yeah he does,” Marshall said when asked whether Maguire still “had the dressing room”.
“As a club we haven’t reacted well to the whole season.
“We’ve been inconsistent and haven’t been playing well enough. You can’t blame the coach for the way we’ve played.
“We just haven’t been good enough. It’s not just the coach, it’s the players, the staff, and I guess that’s what they’ll be searching for is answers.
“They’ve started that by me not being there next year and there’ll probably be more to come.”
As part of his comeback to league after an unsuccessful spell in rugby union, Marshall worked under Bennett at the Broncos and with New Zealand.
Marshall could decide to play on in 2021 if another rival were willing to sign him and said he phoned the coach for advice on Tuesday.
The 35-year-old added: “I feel like I can add a bit of leadership and mentoring to some teams and add a bit of experience.
“But I’m just keen to play, I rang Wayne today and asked for a bit of advice on playing on and if I could still play on.
“He mentioned that you’re a long time retired, he said if you’ve still got the fire you’re the only person who knows when it’s right to give it away.
“I would love to play under Wayne but they’ve got two great halves there that are probably the form halves in the comp so it’s probably highly unlikely, but I’m going to look at all opportunities and see what’s out there and who knows. Nobody might be interested, so I might have to retire. But yeah I’m keen to play on.”
https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/teams/tigers/nrl-2020-benji-marshall-wests-tigers-exit-next-club-future-michael-maguire/news-story/c2553063011502407aeebbee2f596874
gallagher
Well-known member
Pretty ordinary to find out via a paper but apart from that theres nothing else to talk about. His form doesnt warrant an extension.
Marshall philosophical on Tigers exit but club’s problems run deep
By Michael Chammas
September 1, 2020 — 7.58pm
Benji Marshall may be left with no choice but to retire from the NRL at the end of the season, with rival clubs showing little appetite to sign the veteran playmaker in 2021.
But Marshall’s sudden departure from the Wests Tigers has torn the scab off a wound that has been festering at the club for the last two seasons under coach Michael Maguire, and is now threatening to undermine his tenure.
The Tigers on Wednesday officially brought down the curtain on Marshall’s second coming at the club, announcing the 35-year-old would play his final game for them at the end of this season despite his wish to continue for another year.
‘‘I’m not angry, it’s more I wish I could have retired here,’’ Marshall told NRL 360 on Tuesday night. ‘‘If anything I was just a bit disappointed with how it came out. Reading it in the papers. Obviously because I’m not on a massive wage at the Tigers I just thought making the decision at the end of the season would be fine because I’m not going to break the bank with the salary cap.
‘‘Squads are going to 28 next year and the club has five halves on the books next year and there was no room for me. But I’m a big boy. That’s part and parcel of rugby league. I’ve been in this position before. I still feel like I have a lot to offer and there’s a few things I still want to do. It’s just not going to be at the Tigers.’’
While few could argue with the club’s decision to head in a new direction given their results in recent years, the news of Marshall’s exit comes amid persistent talk from within the playing group that coach Michael Maguire has lost the dressing room with his hard-nosed approach.
The veteran playmaker had long been a conduit between the coach, a tough taskmaster, and his sensitive dressing room. But sources inside the Tigers believe that changed following Marshall’s shock axing in June, which came despite the five-eighth sitting second on the Dally M medal leader board after four rounds.
A ploy that was designed to put the players on notice left some of them walking on egg shells ever since – and now the Tigers find themselves in an all-too-familiar situation, with players blaming the coach and the coach questioning his players on the back of another disappointing season.
One of the main reasons Maguire was appointed coach – apart from Wayne Bennett pulling out of the race – was the fact he believed there was no issue with the roster. His feelings have since changed dramatically, and players have taken offence to messages being played out in the media.
Maguire has been entrusted with the task of eradicating a decade-long soft underbelly at the club, but some are starting to question whether he needs to adjust his coaching style to suit the players at his disposal – at least until he gets the team he wants in 2022. He has inherited a roster of personalities that suits a style of coaching that is the polar opposite of what he stands for. A roster that suited former coach Ivan Cleary.
But instead of evolving his methods to get the best out of a bad situation, Maguire is coaching the same way he did when Greg Inglis, Sam Burgess, John Sutton and Ben Te’o were in the sheds with him at South Sydney.
Luke Brooks, who Maguire encouraged the club to re-sign until 2023 when he arrived at Concord, is a shadow of the player that wore the No.7 jersey under Cleary.
The former coach’s willingness to play to Brooks’ strengths, and provide the occasional cuddle, saw him finish second in the Dally M medal in 2018, and looked as though he would finally realise his potential. He’s struggled ever since.
Maguire, as he constantly reminds the players, has won premierships. He knows what it takes. But the ‘‘my way or the highway’’ approach appears to be wearing thin.
In Cleary’s only full season with the Tigers, the club won 50 per cent of its games for the first time since their last finals appearance in 2011. They still finished ninth, but it would have been enough to reach the finals in most seasons over the past decade.
The club has gone backwards since, but it can’t and won’t add Maguire to its long list of sacked coaches any time soon. If anything, it will extend his tenure beyond 2021. But the rumblings of discontent have left the coach second-guessing himself and prompted Monday’s honesty session, at which issues of trust and communication were raised.
The Tigers only have $1 million left in their salary cap for next year, and five spots to fill. How Maguire handles the next 12 months, coaching a largely disengaged team until he gets the players wants, will dictate how long it takes the club to end its nine-year finals drought.
There's also a perception among the playing group that the coach avoids confrontation. It was evident again during the week when Marshall walked into Maguire's office on Monday and strongly suggested he should play on in 2021 at the Tigers.
Maguire, despite playing a leading hand in the decision not to extend the club legend, left the door ajar and told Marshall to give him 24 hours to see if he could do anything else.
The club, already booked in for a meeting with his manager later that day, didn't budge on the original decision. but Marshall was left disappointed that Maguire couldn't tell it how it was.
By Michael Chammas
September 1, 2020 — 7.58pm
Benji Marshall may be left with no choice but to retire from the NRL at the end of the season, with rival clubs showing little appetite to sign the veteran playmaker in 2021.
But Marshall’s sudden departure from the Wests Tigers has torn the scab off a wound that has been festering at the club for the last two seasons under coach Michael Maguire, and is now threatening to undermine his tenure.
The Tigers on Wednesday officially brought down the curtain on Marshall’s second coming at the club, announcing the 35-year-old would play his final game for them at the end of this season despite his wish to continue for another year.
‘‘I’m not angry, it’s more I wish I could have retired here,’’ Marshall told NRL 360 on Tuesday night. ‘‘If anything I was just a bit disappointed with how it came out. Reading it in the papers. Obviously because I’m not on a massive wage at the Tigers I just thought making the decision at the end of the season would be fine because I’m not going to break the bank with the salary cap.
‘‘Squads are going to 28 next year and the club has five halves on the books next year and there was no room for me. But I’m a big boy. That’s part and parcel of rugby league. I’ve been in this position before. I still feel like I have a lot to offer and there’s a few things I still want to do. It’s just not going to be at the Tigers.’’
While few could argue with the club’s decision to head in a new direction given their results in recent years, the news of Marshall’s exit comes amid persistent talk from within the playing group that coach Michael Maguire has lost the dressing room with his hard-nosed approach.
The veteran playmaker had long been a conduit between the coach, a tough taskmaster, and his sensitive dressing room. But sources inside the Tigers believe that changed following Marshall’s shock axing in June, which came despite the five-eighth sitting second on the Dally M medal leader board after four rounds.
A ploy that was designed to put the players on notice left some of them walking on egg shells ever since – and now the Tigers find themselves in an all-too-familiar situation, with players blaming the coach and the coach questioning his players on the back of another disappointing season.
One of the main reasons Maguire was appointed coach – apart from Wayne Bennett pulling out of the race – was the fact he believed there was no issue with the roster. His feelings have since changed dramatically, and players have taken offence to messages being played out in the media.
Maguire has been entrusted with the task of eradicating a decade-long soft underbelly at the club, but some are starting to question whether he needs to adjust his coaching style to suit the players at his disposal – at least until he gets the team he wants in 2022. He has inherited a roster of personalities that suits a style of coaching that is the polar opposite of what he stands for. A roster that suited former coach Ivan Cleary.
But instead of evolving his methods to get the best out of a bad situation, Maguire is coaching the same way he did when Greg Inglis, Sam Burgess, John Sutton and Ben Te’o were in the sheds with him at South Sydney.
Luke Brooks, who Maguire encouraged the club to re-sign until 2023 when he arrived at Concord, is a shadow of the player that wore the No.7 jersey under Cleary.
The former coach’s willingness to play to Brooks’ strengths, and provide the occasional cuddle, saw him finish second in the Dally M medal in 2018, and looked as though he would finally realise his potential. He’s struggled ever since.
Maguire, as he constantly reminds the players, has won premierships. He knows what it takes. But the ‘‘my way or the highway’’ approach appears to be wearing thin.
In Cleary’s only full season with the Tigers, the club won 50 per cent of its games for the first time since their last finals appearance in 2011. They still finished ninth, but it would have been enough to reach the finals in most seasons over the past decade.
The club has gone backwards since, but it can’t and won’t add Maguire to its long list of sacked coaches any time soon. If anything, it will extend his tenure beyond 2021. But the rumblings of discontent have left the coach second-guessing himself and prompted Monday’s honesty session, at which issues of trust and communication were raised.
The Tigers only have $1 million left in their salary cap for next year, and five spots to fill. How Maguire handles the next 12 months, coaching a largely disengaged team until he gets the players wants, will dictate how long it takes the club to end its nine-year finals drought.
There's also a perception among the playing group that the coach avoids confrontation. It was evident again during the week when Marshall walked into Maguire's office on Monday and strongly suggested he should play on in 2021 at the Tigers.
Maguire, despite playing a leading hand in the decision not to extend the club legend, left the door ajar and told Marshall to give him 24 hours to see if he could do anything else.
The club, already booked in for a meeting with his manager later that day, didn't budge on the original decision. but Marshall was left disappointed that Maguire couldn't tell it how it was.
gallagher
Well-known member
@Needaname said in [Tigers confirm Marshall won't be at club in 2021](/post/1220120) said:
Barber?
mike
Well-known member
I think this is how it went down, just my speculation.
1. Benji had no contract for 2021
2. Manager said I’ll poke a stick at them leaking to the papers that Benji is not required by Wests Tigers for 2021
3. Benji reads the paper and fronts McGuire
4. McGuire says give me 24hrs
5. Manager’s prodding backfires as Wests Tigers can’t see a spot for Benji in 2021 given there will only be 28.
6. McGuire gets back to Benji as promised and confirms he will not be offered a contract in 2021
1. Benji had no contract for 2021
2. Manager said I’ll poke a stick at them leaking to the papers that Benji is not required by Wests Tigers for 2021
3. Benji reads the paper and fronts McGuire
4. McGuire says give me 24hrs
5. Manager’s prodding backfires as Wests Tigers can’t see a spot for Benji in 2021 given there will only be 28.
6. McGuire gets back to Benji as promised and confirms he will not be offered a contract in 2021
Cairnstigers
New member
@Needaname said in [Tigers confirm Marshall won't be at club in 2021](/post/1220120) said:
Hacking emails ?
Past office member of the club privy to this type of information
Maybe still has access but the club doesn't realise
Who knows
But this information being leaked is throwing the whole club under the bus
Ivans bloody bus
I hope panthers get knocked out of the finals
And their windows slams shut
Chammas is somewhat correct, madge is a very different coach to Cleary and not every player is doing well with it, but at the same time why should the coach cater to what a bunch of underperforming players want?
He also conveniently left out that Brooks played very well last season under Madge and that the playing group asked for ‘lighter training’ and beers on the bus and offered up their worst performance of the season in return.
He also conveniently left out that Brooks played very well last season under Madge and that the playing group asked for ‘lighter training’ and beers on the bus and offered up their worst performance of the season in return.
Its a bit unfair on the club as well..
It sounds like they were still in the process of working out what to do and this media story leaked Sunday night without them knowing.
I'm sure they would of wanted to talk to Benji first but as it was leaked they had no choice. Madge asked for 24 hours to sort out and come back with the correct decision for the club moving forward.
Deep down they may of been hoping Benji would of made the call himself but he wants to play on and that's his call.
Imagine if he doesn't get a club and has to retire .... He will have egg on his face because that will only back up the decision the club made to not resigning him.
It sounds like they were still in the process of working out what to do and this media story leaked Sunday night without them knowing.
I'm sure they would of wanted to talk to Benji first but as it was leaked they had no choice. Madge asked for 24 hours to sort out and come back with the correct decision for the club moving forward.
Deep down they may of been hoping Benji would of made the call himself but he wants to play on and that's his call.
Imagine if he doesn't get a club and has to retire .... He will have egg on his face because that will only back up the decision the club made to not resigning him.
@JoshColeman99 said in [Tigers confirm Marshall won't be at club in 2021](/post/1220135) said:
Going off of that piece.. Madge will be getting an extension too
Alex Seyfarth's #1 Fan
Well-known member
~~Why is Benji reading the paper and believing what is written in it? Shouldn't he know better? People like Crawley and Buzz make up crap all the time.~~
Anyway, the good news is something like this usually fires Benji up. I bet he'll have a wower of a game against Manly so he can have all the fans up in arms about "look at Benji, he still has it, you can't make him leave".
Anyway, the good news is something like this usually fires Benji up. I bet he'll have a wower of a game against Manly so he can have all the fans up in arms about "look at Benji, he still has it, you can't make him leave".
mike
Well-known member
@Kazoo-Kid said in [Tigers confirm Marshall won't be at club in 2021](/post/1220146) said:
Benji didn’t believe it and went to McGuire for confirmation.
@Auburnon80 said in [Tigers confirm Marshall won't be at club in 2021](/post/1220052) said:
Is that a hint, that the statement from Benji Marshall was to try and save face?
Very disappointing to hear he isn’t a fan of being a rolemodel for the new culture Madge is trying to instill.
@851 said in [Tigers confirm Marshall won't be at club in 2021](/post/1220074) said:
I reckon a while back he has been subtly hinted to that. Do you remember a while back both you and I were discussing a particular comment Marshall made in regards to his future with the tigers on nrl 360. We were both of the impression that he had been given the tap.
Alex Seyfarth's #1 Fan
Well-known member
@mike said in [Tigers confirm Marshall won't be at club in 2021](/post/1220150) said:
My bad. That means there is a leak right?
Called it a while ago Marshall wanted to play on but wouldn't be at Wests Tigers..
The Club has acted well here so it wouldn't become a circus...letting it drag on like Cammy would not have ended well..
Everyone knows where they stand ..Marshall has been a great servant for us ..I think all fans appreciate what he has done..
Now it's up to him ..If he does go to another Club good luck to him..
Don't think he will be lost to our Club in the future
The Club has acted well here so it wouldn't become a circus...letting it drag on like Cammy would not have ended well..
Everyone knows where they stand ..Marshall has been a great servant for us ..I think all fans appreciate what he has done..
Now it's up to him ..If he does go to another Club good luck to him..
Don't think he will be lost to our Club in the future
pawsandclaws1
Well-known member
There is information in the Chammas article which doesn't paint Maguire in a favourable light.
My first thought is to question the source of the information.
It seems highly insensitive after what happened today to release this information.
Isn't Chammas considered a 'go to' journalist for WTs?
I would question who went to him?
It seems we are still hemorrhaging sensitive information.
My first thought is to question the source of the information.
It seems highly insensitive after what happened today to release this information.
Isn't Chammas considered a 'go to' journalist for WTs?
I would question who went to him?
It seems we are still hemorrhaging sensitive information.
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