Tigers need Benji to Marshall their forces
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Benji Marshall in actions for the tigers against Souths (AAP Image/Action Photographic, Renee McKay)
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Benjamin Quentin Marshall has got some work to do in the next five weeks to salvage credibility for himself and the Wests Tigers.
The latter part of season 2012 has been ordinary for the Tigers’ attacking kingpin who once created panic for the opposition whenever he handled the Steeden.
Nowadays, rival teams pretty much welcome the sight of Marshall in possession. He rarely makes line breaks (only five all season) and he is baffling his outside men with crab-like, sideline to sideline runs.
In addition, there are just two tries against his name and his once slick passing game tends to falter under pressure.
I realise coach Tim Sheens wants Marshall to be a more ‘mature’ player these days, urging him to ditch the unorthodox plays he attempted in his early days as a first grader but nothing is working at this crucial time of year for the player or his team.
The Wests Tigers have slipped down to 10th on the table and with a traffic jam building around eight spot, one more loss will kill any chance of a berth in the top eight.
Marshall was way below his best against the Rabbitohs last week and looks to be suffering from a severe lack of confidence in his own ability, and of those around him.
It was a sad sight as Marshall, at the top of his game, is one of the league’s most exciting ball runners who can unlock the tightest of defences.
The Souths boys looked content to see him with the ball in hand. More often than not, he was going nowhere fast. Benji looked to be trapped in a maze.
By contrast, his opposite number, John Sutton, was superb for the Rabbitohs. He took the line on repeatedly and passed and kicked to near perfection. It was the classic five-eighth’s game and one of the reasons why the Bunnies are rumbling towards a top four spot.
Marshall needs to urgently take stock of the situation and grab this Monday’s game against the rejuvenated Parramatta Eels by the scruff of the neck. It’s now or never.
He must somehow find his rugby league mojo and steer the Tigers back to the winners list in this game and the ones that follow against the Dragons, Bulldogs, Roosters and Storm.
Wests Tigers were title favourites when the season began and serious questions will be asked if they crash and burn before the playoffs.
The Crowd Says (10) | Page 1 of Comments
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August 1st 2012 @ 6:40am
steve b said | August 1st 2012 @ 6:40am | Report comment
The giant killers will get em ,,they love monday night footy ha,ha, well i hope so …
August 1st 2012 @ 8:26am
soulranch said | August 1st 2012 @ 8:26am | Report comment
Wests Tigers need a halfback. They haven’t had a decent one since Scott Prince. Rob Lui was on his way to becoming a decent one but it turns out he’s a bit of a tool. As much as it pains me to say, Wests season is over and as it pains me even more to say, I can’t wait for Anasta to come next year
August 1st 2012 @ 4:17pm
Mango Jack said | August 1st 2012 @ 4:17pm | Report comment
They’ve got a half-back – Tim Moltzen. Why Sheens keeps moving him around is a mystery. There’s just no stability in the team.
August 1st 2012 @ 9:13am
George said | August 1st 2012 @ 9:13am | Report comment
Marshall is a fly by the night type player. The only thing consistant about his game is he is very much inconsistant hence why Farah is the captain and why its Marshall that always looks out of depth at times.
Throw in the media gig he has you can see at times he looks disinterested on the field, so instead of trying to grind out a win with mature smart play, he will throw the spectacular pass to no one and look stupid..
August 1st 2012 @ 10:33am
Billy Bronco said | August 1st 2012 @ 10:33am | Report comment
Too many distractions n Benji’s life. Ban him from any Media responsibiliites and put him back at 5/8, that will fix it!
August 1st 2012 @ 12:08pm
tonysalerno said | August 1st 2012 @ 12:08pm | Report comment
Benji Marshall has the weight of the world on his shoulders. The champion tiger is the barometer for the tigers’ performances this season.Granted the Tigers have had a lot of injuries and they ran into a red hot Rabbitohs side on Sunday but something needs to change if they are going to qualify for the finals. The Wests Tigers have been heavily criticised for playing too much sideways football; trying to go around teams rather than through them. The loss of Curtis Sironen and other halves partners has put much more pressure on Marshall to create something out of nothing as he is the focal point of attack which means he is targeted in defence.
This Monday’s match against parramatta is crucial to the Tigers’s finals aspirations but they could be in trouble because the eels side has nothing to lose.
August 1st 2012 @ 6:37pm
Tim Prentice said | August 1st 2012 @ 6:37pm | Report comment
Hi Tony, you described Benji as the WT barometer and said something needs to change if the lads are going to qualify for the finals.
B Marshall is a proven champion and needs to play like one this week and for the month that follows.
Otherwise, the Tigers will finish 2012 with a whimper.
He’s a big match player who needs to play some very big matches. Simple as that.
August 1st 2012 @ 5:00pm
GCTiger said | August 1st 2012 @ 5:00pm | Report comment
I can’t see why you have a player with natural flair and try and turn him into an organiser. It is like making a prop a center. Just get a natural half back with out the flair (Jeff Robson like) who does exactly what you want and leave the flair to the five eigth.
The tigers have gone backwards this year and have looked anything but organised or threatning. Moltzen doesn’t look comfortable at half or fullback but needs to spend a whole season in one position, even if that is in reserve grade.
Sironen looks like a forward and will end up there anyway so why bother. Anasta? that one still bemuses me.
Hopefully something clicks in the off season. Maybe Jacob Miller and Tedeshco.
August 1st 2012 @ 6:39pm
Tim Prentice said | August 1st 2012 @ 6:39pm | Report comment
I’d like to know what Jacob Miller has or hasn’t done to at least be tried at No 7.
He is a very skilful young player, GC, but opportunities to showcase his ability have been negligible. One has to ask: why???
August 2nd 2012 @ 4:24am
Pete75 said | August 2nd 2012 @ 4:24am | Report comment
A few things.
1- The Tigs have had a lot of injuries in the halves, but…
2- No excuse. This has been coming for a while because we have had….
3- No depth in the halves… we’re playing players out of position in the most important positions on the field including….
4- Halfback. Benji Marshall is a better runner than passer of the ball. He keeps crabbing across the field looking for gaps that aren’t there at 7 because he’s more suited to…
5- Number 6. Benji is the answer. I’d give Tim Moltzen a go at 7 because he isn’t a….
6- Fullback. Move Moltzen into the halves then leave him there. Rob Lui spent a season of indifferent for right up until about finals time last year. The problem is, if you do that, you’re left with…..
7- Beau Ryan at fullback. God love him! Deserves a first grade spot every day of the week. But when you’re playing him at fullback, you’re in big trouble because you’re….
8- Paying good money to Wingers. Just something I’d never do as a recruitment officer. I’m looking at you Mr. L. Tiquiri. I appreciate that your signing was a good one at the time, but paying big money to wingers on longish contracts is just…. I don’t want to swear. My fear is that doing so takes money away from…..
9- The Forwards. Gareth Ellis is leaving. We have a good bunch of forwards there, but we still lack a really big, stand up-in-the-middle-of-the-ruck-and-offload Prop. Failing that, at least a good punch-it-up-the-guts-and-bend-the-line Prop. Currently the Tigs have no…
10- Second Phase Play. It’s been non existent this year. If ever a team was more dangerous against a broken field I’m yet to see it. If ever a team was more impotent against a structured, flat defence, I’m yet to see that either. Which leads me to ….
11- Braith Anasta. A good footballer. Underrated. You can tell he’s underrated because he’s the player most voted overrated in the history of the game…. but…. where does he fit? 5/8th? Second Row? Lock?
He’s kind of the answer to the question nobody was asking….