Wests Tigers faction saw Benji Marshall as waste of money

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Wests Tigers faction saw Benji Marshall as waste of money
Andrew Webster | October 22, 2009 11:00pm
Benji seen as waste of money

KANGAROOS coach Tim Sheens has dropped a bombshell on the eve of the opening match of the Four Nations tournament against New Zealand, claiming a faction within the Wests Tigers wanted Benji Marshall discarded because he was a waste of money.

On the eve of tomorrow night's showdown against Marshall and the Kiwis in London, Sheens has revealed that key figures who remain at the Tigers did not want the mesmeric 24-year-old to be re-signed.

"There are elements in our club that wanted him gone because of a lack of value for what they saw and what they were paying him," Sheens revealed.

"Which is just ludicrous. He's worth more money to our club even when he wasn't playing. From the point of view of marketing and the number of kids that follow him, it's endless.

"He's changed our club completely."

Sheens would not divulge which elements he was talking about, but it is was known earlier this year that the Western Suburbs side of the joint-venture did not want to retain Marshall as he weighed up mega deals in European and Japanese rugby.

At the heart of their doubt was a string of shoulder injuries that have plagued the 24-year-old's career in recent seasons and limited his game time.

Despite threatening to take the NRL to court because of its refusal to let him take a lucrative rugby union sabbatical, Marshall extended his deal with the Tigers in March until the end of 2011.

"I, more than anyone, have always had a heap of faith in the kid," Sheens said. "From the point of view of marketing and the number of kids that follow him, it's endless. He's changed our club completely."

Coach and prodigy square off against one another in the opening match of the Four Nations at Twickenham tomorrow night, with Marshall looking to continue the white-hot form he displayed after moving from halfback to his customary role of five-eighth.

Yet Sheens said he only aborted the controversial positional change to douse media obsession with the move.

"I thought it would ease the pressure off our club," he said. "And it did - it got the media off our back."

It will be the second time Sheens and Marshall have squared off from opposing camps, but this time there's no playful trash talk, no tongue-in-cheek threats as preceded the Trans-Tasman Test in May.

"That was a little bit of banter at the time - maybe I shouldn't have said anything," Marshall grins. "I've kept training pretty hard, because I want this to be successful.

"I think this is the fittest I've been in a long time. I'm back down to the weight I was in 2005\. I'm 85 kilos. I started the season at 91kgs. I was just trying to put some weight on to get some protection around the shoulders. Being lighter, I feel sharper and there's more kick in my step. I feel quicker."
 
I agree with Sheens, but this is bollocks.

….........with Marshall looking to continue the white-hot form he displayed after moving from halfback to his customary role of five-eighth.
Yet Sheens said he only aborted the controversial positional change to douse media obsession with the move.
"I thought it would ease the pressure off our club," he said. "And it did - it got the media off our back."

We were 2nd freakin last. He moves marshall back to five eighth and we win 6 or 7 out of our last nine.
First it was ''so-called fans'' to blame for **his** mistake with Morris, now its media obsession instead of **his** own mistake with Marshall in 7.
Takes a man to admit youre wrong.
 
Secret plot to sack Benji Marshall
EXCLUSIVE by Andrew Webster in London From: The Daily Telegraph Fri Oct 23 00:00:00 EST 2009 Fri Oct 23 00:00:00 EST 2009

HE IS the player who can dismantle the Kangaroos. The kid who could sit the raging favourites squarely on their unbackable backsides - like he has before.

So it will shock you - not least if you're a Wests Tigers fan - to learn that some within Benji Marshall's club wanted to see the back of him this year.

When the off-contract Marshall was eyeing off lucrative rugby union deals in Japan and Europe, and he was struggling in the new gig as halfback, serious doubts were raised about whether he should be cut.

It is a revelation that comes from Tim Sheens. His coach in club land, but also the Kangaroos mentor who knows better than anyone the Kiwi captain must be shut down at Twickenham tomorrow night.

"I, more than anyone, have always had a heap of faith in the kid,'' Sheens says. "But there are elements in our club that wanted him gone. Because of a lack of value for what they saw and what they were paying him. Which is just ludicrous.

"He's more money to our club even when he wasn't playing. From the point of view of marketing and the number of kids that follow him, it's endless. He's changed our club completely.''

The coach and his prodigy square up against one another for the second time in their opening match of the Four Nations, but this time there's no playful trash talk, no tongue-in-cheek threats.

"That was a little bit of banter at the time - maybe I shouldn't have said anything,'' Marshall grins.

What's clear is that he's a reborn player since the Anzac Test in May, when the Kangaroos silenced the Kiwis.
From the outside looking in, it seemed Sheens' decision to move Marshall to halfback was the reason for the playmaker's sluggish start to the year.

On top of shoulder and knee injuries that had curtailed his influence in the previous two seasons, his erratic form added to the belief Marshall had burned brightly but faded as quickly as his mid-air sidestep.

Ask the player and coach, and they scoff at the notion. As they explain it, Marshall has been switching between first and second receiver all year. When Tim Moltzen came into the side as halfback and Marshall fitted snuggly into his No.6 jumper again, his job did not change.

To that end, Marshall's switch was nothing more than a media obsession.

In fact, when Sheens told Marshall before the round 10 match against South Sydney that he was moving him back to pivot, Marshall baulked.

"You don't have to do that,'' he told Sheens. "Don't let them get to you.''

As he recalls now: "I really didn't care if he did [moved him] or not. When he did, I think he was under the pump from a few people. I honestly don't think that my role changed at all.

"If you go through the tapes, I was doing the same organising, the same job. If anything, the pressure of not being the halfback was off.''

Sheens says: "I put six on his back again, but he has been playing exactly the same role.

"I don't care what anyone says, they don't know what they're talking about. He is playing the same.

"That was just a period of the season when he was trying too hard. We were losing a few games. I thought it would ease the pressure off our club.

"And it did - it got the media off our back.''

Whatever it was, it brought about a change in Marshall that turned around the Tigers' season. Indeed, towards the pointy end of the year, when the Tigers were gunning for the finals, he was certainly pulling out the same inexplicable plays that paved the way for the club's 2005 premiership.

It was never more evident than August, when that behind-the-back miracle flick pass against Parramatta put centre Blake Ayshford over and Tigers hooker Robbie Farah was standing dumbfounded in the middle of the Sydney Football Stadium.

"I said to him on the field, 'That is the greatest thing I have ever seen','' Farah recalls. "For him to even think about attempting it, I can't comprehend. But that's Benji.''
 
@willow said:
In fact, when Sheens told Marshall before the round 10 match against South Sydney that he was moving him back to pivot, Marshall baulked."You don't have to do that,'' he told Sheens. "Don't let them get to you.''

As he recalls now: "I really didn't care if he did [moved him] or not. When he did, I think he was under the pump from a few people. I honestly don't think that my role changed at all.

"If you go through the tapes, I was doing the same organising, the same job. If anything, the pressure of not being the halfback was off.''

Sheens says: "I put six on his back again, but he has been playing exactly the same role."I don't care what anyone says, they don't know what they're talking about. He is playing the same.
Click to expand...

Bingo…........the number on his back meant nothing......Benji IS the goto man and along with Farah is the one that drives our footy team around the park........Go Benji..............
 
@innsaneink said:
I agree with Sheens, but this is bollocks.

….........with Marshall looking to continue the white-hot form he displayed after moving from halfback to his customary role of five-eighth.
Yet Sheens said he only aborted the controversial positional change to douse media obsession with the move.
"I thought it would ease the pressure off our club," he said. "And it did - it got the media off our back."

We were 2nd freakin last. He moves marshall back to five eighth and we win 6 or 7 out of our last nine.
First it was ''so-called fans'' to blame for **his** mistake with Morris, now its media obsession instead of **his** own mistake with Marshall in 7.
Takes a man to admit youre wrong.
Click to expand...

Not bollocks at all, only two things changed, the number on Marshalls back & Moltzen at 7.

Glenn
 
did anyone expect sheens to say anything different or admit the move was even remotely a mistake? sheens will never admit he is wrong.
he may be right in saying that little changed with marshall when the number on his back changed but one things for certain is that we were going great guns when moltzen was at half and the wheels fell off when we lost gallant.
 
The move to 7 with Morris at 6 made Marshall a better and more valuable player. This continued when he was provided a better attacking foil for the other side of the ruck
 
Why is it ludicrous?

Put a player in charge of running a side around the park as the main first receiver when the guy next to him is not a playmaking option and it makes him a better and far more consistant playmaker for mine.

It does not change the fact that Morris was not a half but as I said on the past forum I do not believe that Moltzen was ready for a halves slot for the first half of the competition and that was demonstrated by his performances at the back
 
the media continue to talk about this as moving Marshall around, the Marshall experiment etc. etc.
The change of fortunes had very little to do with Benji it was getting rid of Morris from the halves.
Try as he might Morris in the halves meant Benji had to try too hard, had to do everything in the halves and was the only half that the opposition had to cover.
ie. Benji was very little chance of succeeding while Morris was the other half.

Also, other than ego I'm not sure why Sheens felt the need to air the clubs dirty linen about a 'secret faction who didn;t want Benji, but look I was right all along'.
 
It was never more evident than August, when that behind-the-back miracle flick pass against Parramatta put centre Blake Ayshford over and Tigers hooker Robbie Farah was standing dumbfounded in the middle of the Sydney Football Stadium.

"I said to him on the field, 'That is the greatest thing I have ever seen','' Farah recalls. "For him to even think about attempting it, I can't comprehend. But that's Benji.'

I agree with Farah,that was the most amazing try I have ever seen.

He was in red hot form at the end of the year,I am stoked we have him,and I hope he carries his form with him and destroys Australia.

We love ya Bunjiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!!!!
 
@smeghead said:
Why is it ludicrous?

Put a player in charge of running a side around the park as the main first receiver when the guy next to him is not a playmaking option and it makes him a better and far more consistant playmaker for mine.
Click to expand...

Morris did not make Marshall a better player. Perhaps the way the side was structured it was a good experience for Benji, but Morris in the halves was a complete failure at 6 or 7.
 
What a rubbish article.

When Benji went back to 6, sure he did get the ball at first receiver on occaisions and sure he did some organising, but it was when he received the ball at 2nd and 3rd receiver was when he absolutely carved up.

**Not one team in the NRL can stop him at 2nd and 3rd receiver.**

This is another disgraceful attempt to put the blame somewhere else except for where it belongs and that is on Tim Sheens shoulders.

When Benji was at 7 he could not handle it because he had TOO MUCH RESPONSIBILITY and not enough room to move. Blind freddy could see it but the Fonz was stubborn and he could not. Number 6 gives him freedom and a roving commission.

I dislike Tim Sheens very much. He does not have the guts to admit he was wrong. It will be the happiest day of my life when he gets sacked from this club.

The truth of this article is that factions did not want to get rid of Benji at all, Factions wanted to punt the Fonz. The Fonz knows it. The Fonz has been made a fool of lately by Humphries coming out and saying that we spend to the complete cap which is an absolute contradiction to what the Fonz said to Graham Hughes on Talkin Sport in September.

When Hughes asked the Fonz why no one wanted to join the Wests Tigers the Fonz made an excuse saying that we did not have the money of the other clubs and that we did not spend to the cap.

A few idiotic fans wanted benji punted because they could not see that his perform]ances where directly linked to him being forced into a position where there was little room to move by a coach who is a ego maniac.

These are my thoughts Geo, you have yours, I have mine.
 
This is a blatant attempt by Sheens to hide from the facts,it also lets us know he is feeling the heat from Humphry's,he is trying to ensure a contract extension by saying he saved Benji from being sacked.
What a joke,if he gave him a half decent player to work with in the halves for the last 3 years he would have done what he done when Moltzen was there with him for that 6 week period.
The coach picked the team every week and he should live and die by that,or that is how it works at every other club except ours,Sheens is uncomfortable with the new regime,and I say about time..
 
Do you not think that the Australian coach is playing mind games with Benji to put him off for the upcoming test?

Those of you who have turned this article into a Fonz bash should be ashamed.

The Team in 2009 was going great guns until injuries to key players dented any chance of a charge in the semis.

To blame Sheens for forced positional changes is disgraceful.

The Tigers smashed the dogs with Morris with 7 on his back. Sure it was a one off game. But, Benji's and the Tigers turn of fortune came with the growth of his confidence. He began to adopt to the responsibility of playmaker as the year went on.

2010 will be a bright year for the club provided the injury gods are kind.
 
Sorry dimitri I can't agree.

Even with injuries to key personell, Sheens had the option of moving Moltzen to fullback or leave him at half. He also agreed that he brought Morris to the club to take over from Scott Prince. Morris did not have the ball skills to be a force in the halves, and while he is effective defensively the days of a Michael Pobji type player filling in at half or 5/8 are long gone.

In my opinion Sheens' experience is invaluable but he has had sufficient chances to make the team successful. I would fully support reassigning him to coach U20's as he is skillful at developing the junior players. However would Sheens accept this or we he just see it as a demotion?
 
@softlaw said:
the media continue to talk about this as moving Marshall around, the Marshall experiment etc. etc.
The change of fortunes had very little to do with Benji it was getting rid of Morris from the halves.
Try as he might Morris in the halves meant Benji had to try too hard, had to do everything in the halves and was the only half that the opposition had to cover.
ie. Benji was very little chance of succeeding while Morris was the other half.

Also, other than ego I'm not sure why Sheens felt the need to air the clubs dirty linen about a 'secret faction who didn;t want Benji, but look I was right all along'.
Click to expand...

Ego or politics sewing the seeds of discontent for a later argument or
insurance against anyone not in alignment with Mr Sheens.
 
@Geo. said:
@willow said:
In fact, when Sheens told Marshall before the round 10 match against South Sydney that he was moving him back to pivot, Marshall baulked."You don't have to do that,'' he told Sheens. "Don't let them get to you.''

As he recalls now: "I really didn't care if he did [moved him] or not. When he did, I think he was under the pump from a few people. I honestly don't think that my role changed at all.

"If you go through the tapes, I was doing the same organising, the same job. If anything, the pressure of not being the halfback was off.''

Sheens says: "I put six on his back again, but he has been playing exactly the same role."I don't care what anyone says, they don't know what they're talking about. He is playing the same.

Bingo…........the number on his back meant nothing......Benji IS the goto man and along with Farah is the one that drives our footy team around the park........Go Benji..............
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

It's not Benji it affects, it's the other half.
Benji at halfback means the other half is a 6.
Benji in the 6 means the other half is a halfback.
Benji's game suits the 5/8 position, so when you have him at halfback you are playing with two 5/8s. When you play him at 5/8 you play with a halfback and a 5/8\. It'd be like playing Galloway at 6\. He'd play the exact same game, but in effect we'd be playing with 3 props.
 
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