G
Guest
Guest
Tigers to debut Marshall cub with more than a little Benji about him
March 15, 2012
JORDAN MARSHALL, the younger brother of Wests Tigers five-eighth Benji Marshall, will debut for the club in Toyota Cup tomorrow night.
In what will be one of the most anticipated debuts for the competition, the 19-year-old will start off the bench for the Tigers against St George Illawarra at Jubilee Oval.
While coach Todd Payten said he could not guarantee Marshall would play big minutes tomorrow, he said the youngster was ready to make his mark in the competition this season.
''He'll play a big part for us this year,'' Payten said. While the club has been keen to see Marshall tip-toe through his development, Payten said it was also impossible not to notice some similarities.
''I can see a lot of similarities in them,'' he said. ''He's got great skills with his hands and he can read and identify numbers. I'm excited for him. I guess he's going to have this weight of expectations on him and that just comes with the territory. I don't think he really enjoys that so much.''
While the eldest Marshall debuted while still at Gold Coast nursery Keebra Park High School, his middle brother has endured a bumpier ride. He also attended Keebra Park, but moved back to Sydney after just a year because he was homesick. He played rugby union and touch football, before signing with his brother's club early last year.
At the time, he said: ''There's a lot of similarities there between both of us. I've got the flick, I've got the step too, but when it comes down to it, that's not everything in a game.
''People expected me, as Benji's brother, to be exactly like him, but growing up and maturing more, I've found out that I've just got to be myself and play my own game.''
When he joined the club, he trained with the greater Toyota Cup squad, but could not force his way into the team. This year he was earmarked to start the season but, after scoring three tries in a trial against a touring Hull KR Academy side, he injured his achilles during the warm-up before the clash with the Roosters. But Payten said he would definitely play against the Dragons.
''He'll be playing that utility role, anywhere in the backline,'' said Payten. ''He understands that I can't guarantee what sort of minutes he'll play, but he'll play some sort of role.''
That will be music to the ears of many Wests Tigers fans, who have been waiting for the arrival of the latest Marshall.
His best position appears to be fullback, although Payten's squad also includes a highly rated No. 1 in Kurtis Rowe.
Payten said 74kg Marshall could play on the wing, at five-eighth or in the centres. ''He's still pretty light - he's quite tall though; he's got a different frame to Benji,'' Payten said.
''He enjoys playing fullback; he's a very good broken-field runner. He's very quick on his feet - that's one of his similarities to Benji. He's going to be playing that utility role for us this week but he's got the potential to play anywhere in the backline.''
March 15, 2012
JORDAN MARSHALL, the younger brother of Wests Tigers five-eighth Benji Marshall, will debut for the club in Toyota Cup tomorrow night.
In what will be one of the most anticipated debuts for the competition, the 19-year-old will start off the bench for the Tigers against St George Illawarra at Jubilee Oval.
While coach Todd Payten said he could not guarantee Marshall would play big minutes tomorrow, he said the youngster was ready to make his mark in the competition this season.
''He'll play a big part for us this year,'' Payten said. While the club has been keen to see Marshall tip-toe through his development, Payten said it was also impossible not to notice some similarities.
''I can see a lot of similarities in them,'' he said. ''He's got great skills with his hands and he can read and identify numbers. I'm excited for him. I guess he's going to have this weight of expectations on him and that just comes with the territory. I don't think he really enjoys that so much.''
While the eldest Marshall debuted while still at Gold Coast nursery Keebra Park High School, his middle brother has endured a bumpier ride. He also attended Keebra Park, but moved back to Sydney after just a year because he was homesick. He played rugby union and touch football, before signing with his brother's club early last year.
At the time, he said: ''There's a lot of similarities there between both of us. I've got the flick, I've got the step too, but when it comes down to it, that's not everything in a game.
''People expected me, as Benji's brother, to be exactly like him, but growing up and maturing more, I've found out that I've just got to be myself and play my own game.''
When he joined the club, he trained with the greater Toyota Cup squad, but could not force his way into the team. This year he was earmarked to start the season but, after scoring three tries in a trial against a touring Hull KR Academy side, he injured his achilles during the warm-up before the clash with the Roosters. But Payten said he would definitely play against the Dragons.
''He'll be playing that utility role, anywhere in the backline,'' said Payten. ''He understands that I can't guarantee what sort of minutes he'll play, but he'll play some sort of role.''
That will be music to the ears of many Wests Tigers fans, who have been waiting for the arrival of the latest Marshall.
His best position appears to be fullback, although Payten's squad also includes a highly rated No. 1 in Kurtis Rowe.
Payten said 74kg Marshall could play on the wing, at five-eighth or in the centres. ''He's still pretty light - he's quite tall though; he's got a different frame to Benji,'' Payten said.
''He enjoys playing fullback; he's a very good broken-field runner. He's very quick on his feet - that's one of his similarities to Benji. He's going to be playing that utility role for us this week but he's got the potential to play anywhere in the backline.''
