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Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens will be looking for another mature game from five-eighth Benji Marshall as the Kiwi superstar prepares for Sunday’s NRL battle with Canberra linchpin Terry Campese.
Marshall exercised as much control as brilliance behind a dominant pack in engineering last week’s win over Parramatta and Sheens is after more of the same at Canberra Stadium.
“I was happy Benji didn’t overplay his hand, I thought he did what he had to do, all the basics were really well done,” Sheens said.
"Obviously having (Todd) Payten and (Bryce) Gibbs back and (fullback) Beau Ryan’s go-forward helped.
“He played off the front foot a bit more which is what we want to do this week.”
The showdown between the two No.6s will be crucial as the Raiders attempt to prolong an unbeaten record at home since the Tigers beat them in round 20 last year.
Campese rose to State of Origin level in 2009 on the back of his scintillating attacking ability.
“It’s not so much one on one, it’s what their playmakers finish up doing and what our playmakers finish up doing (that) will determine, in many ways, the game,” Sheens said.
“Campese I’m sure, young (halfback Josh) McCrone, will be looking to do the same.”
Tigers captain Robbie Farah said Campese could expect plenty of attention from the Tigers defence.
“He’s the key to what they do and he’s someone we’re going to have to try and put a lot of pressure on and try and shut him down,” Farah said.
"If you can do that it cuts down a lot of the opportunities to their outside backs and to (Josh) Dugan at fullback as well.
“He’s a player that, if you don’t pressure him, he can really hurt you.”
Marshall will take the field still recovering from a rib injury suffered two weeks ago and required a needle to get through last week’s victory over the Eels.
“Anyone who’s had a rib cartilage that’s nearly mended knows it’s a bit inconvenient but you’ve just got to live with it,” Sheens said.
Farah said the key to tackling the Raiders’ impressive home record was being switched on from the start.
“They try and jump you early,” he said.
"That’s something we’re trying to avoid so we’ve got to be ready to just get stuck in from the opening kick-off.
“If you go down there and kind of take 10 or 20 minutes to get into the grind of the game, sometimes you can find yourself 12 or 18 points down on the scoreboard.”
Both sides have been bolstered by the returns of classy forwards.
The Tigers welcome back Liam Fulton (ribs), while NSW forward Tom Learoyd-Lahrs (knee) is back for the Raiders.
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The most important part of the article:
Last line - “The Tigers welcome back Liam Fulton”. -
The most important part of the article:
Last line - “The Tigers welcome back Liam Fulton”.it will be good to have Liam back in the team.
be nice to see the team come out and have good discipline & defence for the entire 80 minutes like they did in previous game against eels.
.if this happens great chance of coming away with the two points. -
The most important part of the article:
Last line - “The Tigers welcome back Liam Fulton”.That is important however I feel the most important part of that article is Farah’s comment on being switched on from the start and getting stuck in. Canberra will try and come out of the blocks hard to play themselves into form. It’s up to the Tigers to shut them down early and not let the Raiders get settled.
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Guess that means Benji will play…… :wahoo:
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I think Campese needs to start preparing for Benji
Campese very overated in my opinion, built an entire career out of 8 matches. -
wrap up:
GREAT to see Benji start kicking them again, after that second miss I thought here we go again
GREAT to see Liam back and scoring :slight_smile:
campese did play very well getting through and behind our rush defense a few times
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