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Fairytale finished? Benji could be playing for rival club this year
June 29, 2020 6:39am
Source: FOX SPORTSFrom sitting equal second on the Dally M leaderboard to dumped in reserve grade and now a potential mid-season move – Benji Marshall’s fairytale send-off isn’t going as planned.
Marshall was dropped after the Tigers’ disappointing loss to the Titans and hasn’t seen any first-grade action since despite being one of the club’s best performers over the past year.Now, the Sydney Morning Herald reports that Marshall’s manager has taken it upon himself to try and find him a new club for the rest of the season.
There aren’t teams desperate for a top-shelf playmaker either.
The Herald reports that Matt Desira, Marshall’s manager, has been in touch with the Cowboys, Storm and Sea Eagles.
The Cowboys aren’t short of playmaking options but haven’t had much success in the post Johnathan Thurston era and could do with an experienced leader to guide the team around.
Meanwhile, Melbourne could do with a short-term replacement for Cameron Munster while the same can be said for Manly and injured five-eighth Dylan Walker.
When contacted by the Herald, Marshall said he had no knowledge of his manager’s actions to shop him around while Desira refused to comment.
Marshall was classy when first reacting to his shock axing, admitting that while surprised he took on the feedback and was determined to earn his way back into the side.
“It was a tough one. (Maguire) called me into his office this morning,” Marshall told NRL 360 earlier this month.
“I was a little bit shocked and disappointed that I got dropped. But any player would be in that position, if you’re competitive and you want to be part of the team of course you’re going to be disappointed.
“Bit of disappointment this morning, but Madge is the coach and he spoke about making a change.
“If you look at last week’s game I probably led us home, when we got to a lead and sort of game managed us to get home against Cronulla. Against the Titans we got out to the same lead and (I) failed to do that with a seven-tackle kick, and made an error down there.
“Just need to be better. I understand where he’s coming from.
“I’ve just got to train hard and get myself back in the team.”
Marshall was initially expected to retire at the end of last year but signed a one-year extension with the Tigers.
Wests moved up to sixth place with Sunday night’s win over the Bulldogs.
They don’t have much depth in the halves and could do with Marshall as a back-up as they push for their first finals berth since 2011.
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One thing’s for sure, while Reynolds has been playing well and doesn’t deserve to be dropped I’d hate to have to see Benji finish his career in reserve grade or sitting on the sidelines
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I assume this is just a media beat-up, just pure media rubbish, and will treat it as such.
If there’s any truth to the story, then Benji will have tarnished his legacy again, which he built originally previously tarnished, then rebuilt.I fully expect him to release a statement saying that this rumour is rubbish.
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We would be mad to let him go, given Grubs injury history coupled with his form is up and down
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Benji shouldn’t finish his career warming the bench but Reynolds is making it hard for him to come back into the team.
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I wonder who let this idea slip to the media?I would put my last dollar on his manager being behind this speculation.
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Strange times we are in that when players get dropped that signals they could be shortly in someone else’s colours. There has been enough injuries in recent times to show that having depth could be the make or break of any clubs chances in this current style of footy.
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If Benji spits the dummy and goes to another club and I’ll be very disappointed. Disappointed that the Wests Tigers’ best ever player wouldn’t be finishing his career where it began but also disappointed that he would abandon his beloved club in favour of feeding his ego. I’m sure it’s rubbish.
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Benji Marshall has no intention of quitting WT and is privately filthy at suggestions that he is on the hunt to find another NRL club this year (Daily Telegraph)
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@JD-Tiger said in Benji could be playing for rival club this year:
I assume this is just a media beat-up, just pure media rubbish, and will treat it as such.
If there’s any truth to the story, then Benji will have tarnished his legacy again, which he built originally previously tarnished, then rebuilt.I fully expect him to release a statement saying that this rumour is rubbish.
It better be …or he can go screw himself
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Didn’t he come back to give us more depth, not with the assumption of playing every game? We still need him here until we can build more depth in our halves.
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Benji will end up on the coaching staff/ board here in the future ala Robbie . I highly doubt he would leave for another NRL club . If he did leave it would definitely be to the UK . Also , we finally have a team that has a chance to do something , and he surely would recognise that. Even if he isn’t on the field , there’s plenty of ways for a legend like him to influence the team . He just seems to care too much about the tigers, and his standing within this organisation to ever make the same mistake again .
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I seriously doubt Benjii is looking at quitting. He would know his worth, even when sitting on the sideline. He’s effectively an extra assistant coach and a mentor for the young kids.
He doesn’t need to hit the field again to be an integral part to help the club get back to the top.
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u hear from Madge every week how hard he is going in training, and the same from the other players
i dont see why he would leave
DT Dribble
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FAKE NEWS…
