Benji Marshall chasing that elusive NRL premiership
Roar Guru By Curtis Woodward, 14 Feb 2012 Curtis Woodward is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- 2012 NRL season, Benji Marshall, Brad Fittler, Brett Hodgson, Darren Lockyer, Laurie Daley, NRL, Robbie Farah, Rugby League, Scott Prince, Wests Tigers
Benji Marshall of the Wests Tigers (centre) in action during their NRL Round 14 match against the Parramatta Eels. AAP Image/Action Photographics, Renee McKay
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Benji Marshall is the biggest name in our game. But has the mercurial Wests Tigers playmaker done enough to be called a legend? There isn’t a man on this planet that thirsts for a Tigers premiership in 2012 more than Marshall.
Let’s get one thing clear, behind the flick passes, hot stepping and the high five’s, Marshall is a family man.
He cares about what people think and he cares about his place in history. The Kiwi captain knows that until he brings the Tigers a title, he won’t be remembered as anything but another poster boy.
Marshall played in the 2005 grand final where the Tigers trounced the North Queensland Cowboys and, yes, he setup perhaps the greatest grand final try in history. But he wasn’t the main guy then. He was a kid without the pressure. Back then, Wests shared the playmaking between Scott Prince, Brett Hodgson, Robbie Farah and Marshall.
The word legend is thrown around a lot these days. The modern era is filled with athletes that are constantly on our televisions, constantly in the newspapers, and constantly in our face. A true legend is a man that leads from the front – with the weight of the world on his shoulders and still performs. No matter the situation and no matter the cost, he brings glory to his team and his fans. That glory is an NRL premiership.
Laurie Daley won premierships with the Canberra Raiders in 1989 and 1990 as a kid and yet returned as a leader in 1994 and won it again.
Brad Fittler was barely out of school when he tasted premiership bliss with the Penrith Panthers in 1991. It would take another 11 years before Fittler would win it again, this time as the fearless Sydney Roosters captain with victory of the New Zealand Warriors.
The Newcastle Knights won their first title in 1997 with a brash young man by the name of Andrew Johns at number seven. Johns returned to the big dance four years later as the greatest player in the world and delivered his team the trophy.
These men all won premierships as boys. But they later returned as men and took what was rightfully theirs.
Then there’s Darren Lockyer – the man that Marshall strives to be the most. Marshall craves the respect Lockyer got throughout his career. The pressure Marshall puts on himself far outweighs the public pressure. Benji wants the history. He needs the grand final.
Last year was a tough one for Marshall with league greats preferring Lockyer. Brett Kenny and Terry Lamb both came out publicly and sided with the Brisbane great.
“It’s tough to split them but I’d still go with Locky,” Lamb said.
“Just for the way he always performs in pressure situations. If a game is in the balance, yes, Benji often comes up with a terrific play. But Darren Lockyer does it eight, nine times out of every 10.
“Then you also have to consider the influence he has over that young Brisbane side, the belief he creates in everyone around him. What he has takes years and years to develop.”
Only real success can put Marshall up there with the likes of Lockyer, Fittler and Johns. That real success is a premiership. Simply making the finals isn’t good enough anymore.
Marshall has the time and the genius to do it. But does he have the will to be a leader amongst men? Of course he does. Now it’s a waiting game.
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February 14th 2012 @ 7:58am
Patrick Angel said | February 14th 2012 @ 7:58am | Report comment
Still a great even if he never wins another one, because he won the Four Nations amd World Cup. Bigger achievement than a premiership when they happened.
Plus just the way he plays. Yes he stuffs up, yes the long kicking is just par, and his defense isn’t good, but if there’s someone better to watch pull a game out of nowhere I’d like to see them.
Title wouldn’t be out of the question this year though…
February 14th 2012 @ 10:11am
CurtisW1908 said | February 14th 2012 @ 10:11am | Report comment
The 4 Nations and the World Cup are bigger achievements ? Have to disagree
February 14th 2012 @ 10:30am
Patrick Angel said | February 14th 2012 @ 10:30am | Report comment
Given the context I’d definitely say so. The defenses he was lining up against were some of the best assembled, and he ripped them a new one like it was any old game.
If the Aussies won, no huge feat, but for the Kiwis it was a huge effort, and Marshall was front and centre.
PS Love your work.
February 14th 2012 @ 8:05am
Will Sinclair said | February 14th 2012 @ 8:05am | Report comment
The bloke will always be a legend to Tigers fans, I can tell you that much.
He has, virtually single handedly, turned the club into a commercial and football powerhouse. I can’t remember a player having such an extreme influence on a club. It’s been extraordinary.
And then there is the fact he turned down big bucks from elsewhere to re-sign with the Tigers, and commit to the club for life – an action that brings him more respect from the fans than any number of premierships.
He’s a living Tigers legend. And by the end of his career I reckon he’ll rightly be considered a living rugby league legend.
February 14th 2012 @ 9:52am
Josh Burnett said | February 14th 2012 @ 9:52am | Report comment
Great article Curtis, I enjoy your work mate.
Will, I totally agree with you. Although there is a lot to admire about Marshall, his level of club loyalty would have to be his most impressive quality.
Lets also keep in mind the huge amount of loyalty that the Tigers have shown to him. He spent more time in shoulder clinics than football fields in the first half of his career.
February 14th 2012 @ 1:37pm
Marcus said | February 14th 2012 @ 1:37pm | Report comment
Totally agree.
The Wests Tigers are who they are today because of Marshall .
He has brought in an entire generation of fans to the club – If he hadn’t turned up they’d be just another Cronulla . . .
February 14th 2012 @ 8:50am
kiwidave said | February 14th 2012 @ 8:50am | Report comment
Is the number of titles won really the appropriate way to measure a legend? Is Kevin Campion more of a legend than Benji because he has two titles to one? (Kevin Campion was a great player but he’s no Benji). Michael Hancock won more titles with Brisbane than Lockyer, is he more of a legend?
February 14th 2012 @ 10:13am
CurtisW1908 said | February 14th 2012 @ 10:13am | Report comment
Kevin Campion was a solid player .. as was Michael Hancock .. but we are talking about the absolute top of the class here.. anyone can win a title .. but delivering it to those players is what i am talking about
February 14th 2012 @ 11:29am
kiwidave said | February 14th 2012 @ 11:29am | Report comment
I guess my point is that it’s a team game, it’s unfair to expect Benji to deliver a title for everyone else on the team. Perhaps if Benji played for the storm all these years he would have picked up another title but would he have been any better?
If Benji spent his entire career playing for the Rabbitohs and never won a title would his step be any less elusive or his passing any less brilliant? If the tigers win this year will he grow a head taller and defend like Nathan Hindmarsh?
Why should a player be held in higher esteem due to his good fortune in being surrounded by other good players in a champion team, as compared to one who is the single shiny diamond among chipped stones?
February 14th 2012 @ 11:37am
Will Sinclair said | February 14th 2012 @ 11:37am | Report comment
“Perhaps if Benji played for the storm all these years he would have picked up another title but would he have been any better?”
Although the Storm haven’t won a title since 1999, remember!
February 14th 2012 @ 2:36pm
kiwidave said | February 14th 2012 @ 2:36pm | Report comment
Ah technically correct, the best kind of correct.
Insert manly if you like. Gist is I would consider Benji a great player even if he had never won one title. Much as I still think Stacey Jones was a great player.
February 14th 2012 @ 8:57am
Paul said | February 14th 2012 @ 8:57am | Report comment
I dont particularily like the prima donna But he can play footy and i think this year with the addition of Adam Blair and moving Moltzen to half the tigers are the favourites and should win it really. Im not a Tigers supporter.
February 14th 2012 @ 10:50am
Will Sinclair said | February 14th 2012 @ 10:50am | Report comment
Benji Marshall is the absolute opposite of a Prima Donna. I have a mate whose little bloke (a mad Tigers fan) is unfortunately a bit crook, and Benji will regularly call into their house, unannounced, after training to say g’day and see how he is doing.
And then you just have to look at his work with little Lleyton Giles.
Benji is as humble and approachable as a superstar could possibly be. He’s a quality player and a quality bloke.
February 14th 2012 @ 3:48pm
Tigs Fan said | February 14th 2012 @ 3:48pm | Report comment
My Benji experience was this.
I’m a huge Tigers fan and so is my 8 year old son. He’s a pretty quiet lad, very shy at first. We were in a Leichhardt a shop when Benji came into the store. My young bloke pointed out Benji and I said that he should go over and say hello. Being as shy as he is he wasn’t very keen. Benji walked past and saw my young fella pointing him out. My young bloke had a Tigers hat on but just wouldn’t say hello. Benji walked out of the shop, and Cameron thought he’d missed chance.
Unbeknownst to us, Benji then went into the local newsagency, bought a Tigers calendar. He returned to the shop we were, put out his hand and introduced himself – “I’m Benji, pleased to meet you, what’s your name?.
“Cameron”
“Nice to meet you Cameron, do you want a Tigers calendar?”
Benji then went to the counter, borrowed a pen and signed:
“To Cameron, all the best little tiger! Your mate Benji”.
I cut out the picture at the end of last year and hung it on the Cameron’s bedroom wall. It made Cameron’s day and I can tell you it’s his prized possession.
So, frankly, I don’t really care if he becomes the worst footballer about, because he’s confirmed himself as a decent human being.
February 15th 2012 @ 10:13am
Hoy said | February 15th 2012 @ 10:13am | Report comment
Good bloke.
February 14th 2012 @ 10:41am
League fan said | February 14th 2012 @ 10:41am | Report comment
Benji Marshall will definately go down as one of the greats of the game. He will certainly be remembered the same way as Johns, Fittler, Lewis etc. The guy is champion on and off the field with all the good work he does off the field as well. His book is a very good read as well.
February 14th 2012 @ 3:46pm
CurtisW1908 said | February 14th 2012 @ 3:46pm | Report comment
Thats why we hold Lockyer, Fittler, Johns and Daley higher than the rest. They’ve all won World Cups. They’ve all played in mediocre sides at one point or another (Besides Lockyer) and they’ve all been classed best player in the world at some point. And they’ve all won multiple titles. As I said the word LEGEND is thrown around alot. Benji, Stacey, Prince, Bowen etc are all amazing players off course. Perhaps we should have a system like the AFL . Immortals –> Legends –> Greats etc. I just think Marshall needs another grand final victory to be put with them.
February 14th 2012 @ 3:55pm
Pete75 said | February 14th 2012 @ 3:55pm | Report comment
Going by that measure I reckon he’s already a “Legend”, Curtis.
But I agree that he has some way to go before being considered an “Immortal”.
I do think, however, that what we’re forgetting is the reason we think of the likes of Lokyer, Fittler, Daley, Maninga and Johns the way we do is because they were able to perform at the very highest level for the entirety of their career. Benji certainly performs at a high enough level. Whether he is able to do it over the course of his whole career, well, only time will tell.
But it’s certainly looking good so far isn’t it?
Of the “Immortal candidates of today I’d nominate:
Jonathan Thurston
Benji Marshall
Cameron Smith
Billy Slater
Paul Gallen
I’ve probably forgotten one or two, but that’s roughly the top echelon of today’s players in my view.
February 14th 2012 @ 6:04pm
CurtisW1908 said | February 14th 2012 @ 6:04pm | Report comment
To become immortal is more than just being a legend .. i can’t explain it .. Slater has the making of an immortal .. I wrote as much in an article last year after he won the Dally M .. something along the lines of “Future Immortal” .. There wont be another immortal induction for atleast another 10 years .. If I was to cut it down more .. Johns and Lockyer are next in line. Slater perhaps in 20 or 30 years.
February 14th 2012 @ 6:43pm
Patrick Angel said | February 14th 2012 @ 6:43pm | Report comment
Why does noone ever mention Messenger when talking about immortals, I mean we judge players on the Dally M award and he was one of the major reasons the sport took off.
February 16th 2012 @ 10:23am
mushi said | February 16th 2012 @ 10:23am | Report comment
Post war players only
February 14th 2012 @ 6:59pm
Pete75 said | February 14th 2012 @ 6:59pm | Report comment
Agree.
Of the list I presented above, I’m not suggesting that all of them, or indeed any of them, will ever be inducted as Immortals. I was merely pointing out that those are the players that have the ability and form to go onto that accolade.
Agree that Johns and Lockyer are the strongest candidates as the next Immortals. Frankly there’s daylight between them and anyone else. I think the beauty of the RLW Immortals award is that it allows time between the end of a players career and becoming an Immortal. That way there’s time to assess whether they’ve really entered rugby league “Immortality” by whether people still talk about them and still regard them as the best.
The only other potential candidate in my opinion is Peter Sterling.
February 14th 2012 @ 4:23pm
JezRu said | February 14th 2012 @ 4:23pm | Report comment
There a great players and also great teams. Sometimes we get lucky and see the two together. I don’t think the number of premierships is an indication of a players standing in the game or their influence on results. As has been proven over a long time it is very hard to win a premiership let alone multiples (Benji has one).
I personally rate Nathan Hindmarsh as one of the great modern day forwards yet he will in all probability never win a premiership. Does this make him less a player or just one of the unfortunate ones who never quite had the team around him to get the job done? Wayne Pearce would be an example of another. The flip side is there have been plenty of mediocre players who have won multiple premierships, do they rate higher because of these achievements or are they part of the lucky few?
Benji is a champion player and a Tigers legend now and forever regardless of additional silverware.
February 14th 2012 @ 6:10pm
Crosscoder said | February 14th 2012 @ 6:10pm | Report comment
Benji Marshall is an amazing ,unpredictable and brilliant player.
I was down at Toyota Park a couple of years ago,and this guy with ball in hand from within his own quarter line,shimmied,dummied,swerved past,seemingly the whole Shark’s team to score and he had the Shark’s crowd roaring with appreciation.
The guy is worth the price of admittance alone.Should the Sharks not make the G/F this year,the Tigers are one team I want there ,and the Storm(oro sentimental reasons) the other.
February 14th 2012 @ 11:50pm
CurtisW1908 said | February 14th 2012 @ 11:50pm | Report comment
Was that late 2005? Fitzhenry scored in the end? I was there .. Sharks fans were on their feet .. it was an amazing moment for anyone that was there
February 15th 2012 @ 7:49am
Crosscoder said | February 15th 2012 @ 7:49am | Report comment
Thought it was later than that maestro.Thought he scored when in the clear.Perhaps Fitzhenry was on the wing,and Benji delivered the final pass to the upcoming fullback defender.Now you have thrown seeds of doubt in me.
I know he razzled and dazzled and rocked my booties,and I was backing the opposing team.The Tigers fans went off their brains.
February 15th 2012 @ 12:25pm
Pete75 said | February 15th 2012 @ 12:25pm | Report comment
Here it is, 2005. This was the moment when I thought we could push well into the semis. One of the great trys.