Why Benji shouldn't be resigned

[krayola]

at least not for four years anyway

Two years. No more.

He'll be a good player in four years time, sure, but if he's one of our two best players over that period we won't win anything. The year we did win he was nowhere near our best, despite how the media remembers it. In the big games over the years since, when he's had to be the man, it hasn't happened. I'm not talking field goals against Cronulla or Newcastle, I'm talking regular season games against Melbourne where we're expected to be competitive or semi finals against Saints.

He's not a great leader because with Marshall, it's always about him. Team's not doing well, he'll put his hand up and take the blame. It's not a team thing, it's a Benji thing. He's inherited a leadership role by being a gifted player, one of the best on the field and having been with the club for a while. None of these make you a leader, not when the club's made the top 8 three times in your 10 years.

And his 4 years are about him, not the team. It blocks Moses' move to first grade and leaves us with nothing in place. We don't need Marshall for recruitment. Who have we recruited in his time aside from Tuqiri and Ellis?

I love what he can do. Bonstonkers Marshall Magic vids are some of my favorite ways to spend 15 minutes. But 4 years on big money is as bad a signing as the Sheens resignings…don't know if I could watch that happen again.

 

[MacDougall]

I'm torn. On one hand it's Benji Marshall and he should be a Tiger for life. But on the other I know that most of his career has been built on turning on huge plays once in a while and he is not going to solve our lack of direction. Maybe his future lies in impact from the bench.

 

[krayola]

That's my argument though - Benji could be a Tiger for life if it was about the club, but it's about a million dollar salary for him, and not about how he can help the team. I've seen so many players who chose their wants over the team and it rarely ended successfully. Benji would never choose to come off the bench…too much of a step down for some one of his stature. Not a knock, just how people like him are wired.

 

[Eye_Of_Da_Tiger]

His current contract runs to 2015 maybe we should take our time. Show us the goods and we will show you the money. That's the way it should work!!!

 

[tig_prmz]

him resigning is the best option

 

[Milky]

Exactly like you MacDoughall, I love his as a player and I he is a top player but I just can't see him getting back to his best.

 

[krayola]

I agree with you Eye, but people like Tigz mite say he's already done enough over the years to justify a new contract already.

Thanks for disagreeing Tigz! Wouldn't mind hearing why though.

And even if he did get back to his best, what does it change? We invested in the emergence of our 2005 crop, waited, got results briefly then decided to blow it up with the Blair signing. Time to start again. A two year Marshall contract covers us while the new breed grows into their roles.

 

[GNR4LIFE]

He's plodding along worse than the Hayne plane atm which is saying a hell of a lot

 

[krayola]

He's not playing to the standard we know he can GNR, that's for sure..even if he was, where would we be? 8th? 7th? Certainly not title contenders. And if that's what you're faced with when you're thinking about resigning a guy to a contract that will extend past his prime and be the highest salary on the team, then your team is in the shit.

 

[tig_prmz]

I agree with you Eye, but people like Tigz mite say he's already done enough over the years to justify a new contract already.

Thanks for disagreeing Tigz! Wouldn't mind hearing why though.

And even if he did get back to his best, what does it change? We invested in the emergence of our 2005 crop, waited, got results briefly then decided to blow it up with the Blair signing. Time to start again. A two year Marshall contract covers us while the new breed grows into their roles.

i said resign
not re-sign :slight_smile:

 

[krayola]

LOL

 

[laufoofan]

We already have too many highly paid non performers. To add another one on a hugh salary who doesn't deliver puts another nail to the coffin.We can only pay on performance, so dead wood and non performers have no place in the team. Potter has to stop keeping them in cotton wool and be upfront,if they don't deliver, they go to reserves, only the best and those in forms are selected.

 

[krayola]

We do have a few on some coin like Blair, Lawrence, Anasta and BMM (really hasn't kicked on the way I thought he would) who are duds right now. I'd say BMM will get dropped soon w Groat coming back but maybe not…who does Potter realistically drop him for? Lawrence same thing. It's on his replacement to take his spot. And I'd assume you want Benji in the mix too? It'd take a drug/alcohol related incident for him to be dropped that far and that won't happen. Dropping him would lose the player support anyway as he's the leader of the club. Therein lies the problem.

 

[hybrid_tiger]

Is there one person here who thinks Marshall deserves a five year contract extension? It is absolutely ridiculous to even think about it right now.

Either he shows us he can perform for the rest of the year, starting from tonight, otherwise he still has a year to run on his contract anyway so I don't understand the rush?

Signing him up now is typical of this club. It shows that the players aren't accountable for their poor performances and that no matter how poorly they play they will be treated the same and have the world thrown at their feet.

No other club in the NRL would tolerate this garbage.

 

[krayola]

You're right hybrid, doesn't appear anyone does think he's worth it.

You raise an interesting point though - would another club tolerate it? If he's negotiating with the hopes of being a one club man and the club hopes this will buoy supporters during our lean run, then I see why he wants to now.

He doesn't need a million to be a one club player though!

 

[stryker]

I will put my hand up and say I want Benji to be a 'Tiger for life'. However I agree with everyone else that there should be no rush to sign him up this year. He has 16 games to show us what he has got and a dozen next as well before I would put the contract in front of him.

That said, it is going to be hard for him to show us his wares without a halfback and with the injuries. It takes him time to form combinations in attack due to his off the cuff attacking style. Cliffy Lyons found the same problems in his game.

Lets just see how he goes aye? I have confidence in him. I predict he will EARN that contract extension…..

 

[tig_prmz]

again… a halfback doesnt control benji's defense, error count, 2nd tackle kicks, bombs that go backwards etc.

he should be a leader of the team... not JUST a 5/8 who touches the ball once a set. no matter what position you play, with whome you play with, inspirational leaders and legends stand out from the arrogant selfish yet talented players- benji is the latter.

he needs to change his attitude before anything else

 

[Irvine]

Players need to be resigned on attitude and commitment not because they 'want to resign".
Blair and Marshall two kiwis with the same attitude….money first club second.

 

[bigsiro]

Benji's form is down and he should be made to sweat, at least a little. Stryker, I agree with your comments.

Contrary to others, I don't think Benji thinks that he is bigger than the club. He is lazy sometimes but so were Daley, Kenny, Fittler and Jason Smith at times. That was their style and it is also Benji's. By now everyone should know that. The fact that we don't have a halfback highlights this perceived laziness and also makes us fans expect him to do everything; run games and set tempos a'la Wally Lewis. It is just not his game. This pressure never existed in the Prince days. Benji was the side-show, not the whole show.
His natural game has severely suffered because we haven't had a halfback. Undue pressure is placed on Benji to play in an un-natural way. (This point has been alluded to in other threads.)
But, back to the point at hand. Benji's future legendary status in the game is undeniable and his signing with us for years to come should be inevitable and a formality. Whether his signs now or later, Benji simply has to be a Tiger for Life.

 

[stevetiger]

again… a halfback doesnt control benji's defense, error count, 2nd tackle kicks, bombs that go backwards etc.

This is the truth. All these posts about him needing a halfback to me is simply missing the point. He needs to play well and we need to stop making excuses for him.