Benji Marshall wants to leave Wests Tigers to play rugby
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Benji Marshall’s manager is to seek an immediate release from the Wests Tigers star’s contract so he can pursue opportunities in Japanese rugby.
Manager Martin Tauber has told News Ltd that in the wake of the NRL accepting Sonny Bill Williams’ return to the game he is keen to explore Marshall’s opportunities in the rival code.
Tauber believes the NRL’s registration of Williams has set a precedent other players can pursue.
“It is probably something I will raise with the chief executive in the next couple of days, when they come back from their exhaustive camp,” Tauber said on Wednesday.
“It’s an opportunity for them to earn additional income that would set themselves up financially for the long term.”
The NRL has previously rejected players moonlighting in rival codes, but there is a growing belief that future moves to stop players jumping codes in the off-season might be a restraint of trade following the Williams precedent, the News Ltd report said.
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November 15th 2012 @ 6:49am
Nafe said | November 15th 2012 @ 6:49am | Report comment
Who couldn’t se this coming…… Oh the ARLC. I thought this commission was supposed to help move the game forward?
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November 15th 2012 @ 9:43am
kellett_1992 said | November 15th 2012 @ 9:43am | Report comment
I hate to say it Nafe, but they have their television deal, they can put in writing anything else they want, but there is always this feeling of are they doing the right thing by our game. I would like to hope so. If Benji wants to leave he will be an enormous loss to the game of Rugby League, but what is the point in keeping him if he wants to leave?
Taking into consideration the whole Tigers debacle, it is no wonder why this would be used as the reason or excuse to get out, has nothing to do with how the Tigers club is being managed?!
November 15th 2012 @ 2:15pm
Will Sinclair said | November 15th 2012 @ 2:15pm | Report comment
MEDIA BEAT UP:
Dear Wests Tigers Members,
As many of you are aware, there have been media reports this morning suggesting Wests Tigers star Benji Marshall may seek a release from his current contract with the Club.
Let me put your minds at rest. This will not be happening.
I have spoken with Benji’s manager, Martin Tauber, this morning who assures me that Benji is totally committed to his contract with Wests Tigers for the next three seasons.
The most important message for you, as a Wests Tigers Member, is that Benji Marshall will remain an integral member of our team and will not be seeking a release from his contract.
Benji is currently with his team-mates at a pre-season training camp on the Central Coast. The boys have been working very hard under the watchful eye of new NRL Coach Mick Potter and Physical Performance Manager Hayden Knowles.
The team has really enjoyed interacting with our supporters on the Central Coast as was evident by the large turnout at The Dam Hotel in Wyong on Monday night.
Let me also take the opportunity to thank the many of you who have already renewed your Membership for 2013.
On behalf of everyone at Wests Tigers, we greatly appreciate your support and I’ll provide you with further updates on the Club on a regular basis.
Yours sincerely,
Stephen Humphreys
Chief Executive Officer
November 15th 2012 @ 7:16am
Manly Man said | November 15th 2012 @ 7:16am | Report comment
Tigers are stuffed.
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November 15th 2012 @ 7:36am
The Dog said | November 15th 2012 @ 7:36am | Report comment
Perhaps Benji should put the dummy back in his mouth and bugger off. As to the Tigers, their management is phenomenal. Gibbs, Fifita, Heighington, Ryan – all out. In come some offcasts from other clubs, along with Anasta who has regularly been voted Most Overrated Player. Add that to Adam Blair, who was nothing more than an air waster this season. Ad let’s not forget Tim Sheens. Tigers supporters need to take a hard gaze at the club management, which in nice terms, acan only be described as incompetent.
November 15th 2012 @ 7:38am
John said | November 15th 2012 @ 7:38am | Report comment
Is it just me or are the SBW and Marshall situations completely different. SBW is playing in Japan prior to his NRL contract starting which is completely different than a contracted NRL player playing for a different team and a different sport in the middle of a contract.
November 15th 2012 @ 7:52am
Pogo said | November 15th 2012 @ 7:52am | Report comment
His manager does say immediate release, which implies to me that he want’s out of his Tigers contract in order to take up a contract in Japan.
Unfortunately he doesn’t leave quite enough time to qualify for Japan at the 2015 RWC on residency, because that would be amusing.
November 15th 2012 @ 7:50am
James said | November 15th 2012 @ 7:50am | Report comment
The title of this article is a bit misleading. His manager is investigating a release but the tigers won’t release him for the offseason. His situation is completely different to $bw, Benji is a current NRL contracted player and $bw wasn’t.
If Benji wanted to sign 1 year contracts so he could play in the off season, go ahead. It would be silly with how easy injuries happen though.
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November 15th 2012 @ 8:04am
Brandz said | November 15th 2012 @ 8:04am | Report comment
SBW and Benji should both piss off how about that, no player is bigger then the game! Benji is the most overrated bloke in the game.
November 15th 2012 @ 8:05am
Crosscoder said | November 15th 2012 @ 8:05am | Report comment
The current contract till 2015 is not to play anywhere but the Tigers.The release from that contract means he would still play for the Tigers in our winter season,then play in Japan in the off season.
It is in effect a cancellation of the old and a new NRL contract, allowing for him to earn money in the off season.
That’s my interpretation.
November 15th 2012 @ 9:07am
cos789 said | November 15th 2012 @ 9:07am | Report comment
Thats what he wants to do. But its a bit dodgy.
November 15th 2012 @ 11:33am
planko said | November 15th 2012 @ 11:33am | Report comment
If I was the tigers I would agree put a big clause in it allowing them terminate his contract if he comes back lame !!!
November 15th 2012 @ 12:24pm
Emric said | November 15th 2012 @ 12:24pm | Report comment
wasn’t there arguments about players earning money in union while still being involved in league?? The Salary Cap argument? Wouldn’t this fall under the same issues?
November 15th 2012 @ 8:54am
NickF said | November 15th 2012 @ 8:54am | Report comment
Is Timmy Moltzen planning to go with him, he’s good with contracts, has the same manager too.
November 15th 2012 @ 10:27am
Mals said | November 15th 2012 @ 10:27am | Report comment
LOL, great call!
November 15th 2012 @ 9:07am
Australian Rules said | November 15th 2012 @ 9:07am | Report comment
Surely the club and the ARLC will respond to Benji with a massive…NO
November 15th 2012 @ 9:49am
kellett_1992 said | November 15th 2012 @ 9:49am | Report comment
Australian Rules, they could say no but one thing rugby league has always had is great development of juniors and a when Benji leaves or retires he will eventually be replaced. I feel for the tigers but whatever has been done to make Benji only want to do it now that $bw is back is a, bit concerning. The Nrl should just worry about its own players and stop worrying about getting them back.
November 15th 2012 @ 1:37pm
Australian Rules said | November 15th 2012 @ 1:37pm | Report comment
Once NRL players are paid in accordance with the market, I’m sure stories like this will become less frequent.
But it exposes a key issue which the ARLC need to sort out: Contracts
There seems to be a strange attitude to contracts in the NRL…if you want out, you’re out, easy!
It seems players (and their agents) have all the power and control over “binding” contracts. By contrast, the NRL and the clubs seem to have very little.
November 15th 2012 @ 3:00pm
kellett_1992 said | November 15th 2012 @ 3:00pm | Report comment
Unfortunately over time these players have been bred to be whinging little boys, who when they don’t get their own way they chuck a tantrum. I don’t agree with how players and agents have all the power, just wish there were players who’s wallets weren’t bigger than their heads. every player that has left and come back just think they can do what they like. If it is done the right way then go for it. It should revert to older ways in which once you signed, you finished.
November 15th 2012 @ 9:43am
Crosscoder said | November 15th 2012 @ 9:43am | Report comment
They should AR,in view of the fact,he has had dodgy shoulders in the past,and the fact the salary cap has jumped and will jump further.
To offset anything Japan ru might do,the NRL could also look at expanding the abilty to earn more via 3rd party deals.
I think his Mgr Taubert is using this ruse, also to push his earning capacity here.
The SBW decision has opened a pandora’s box IMO,he stuffed up Canterbury when he left (without a by your leave),now his 1 year sojurn at the Roosters has created further friction.I’m sorry but I am becoming more convinced than ever that SBW can’t see beyond his mirror.
And Benji’s mgr like any decent manager would, is utilising the SBW decision as the big club.
I realise it is a free enterprise country,and every man/wom,an is entitiled to do one’s best for oneself,but contracts are now like the paper one uses in the little house.Disposable at the whim of anyone.
November 15th 2012 @ 1:26pm
Mr Taylor said | November 15th 2012 @ 1:26pm | Report comment
What mirror is SBW suppose to be seeing? Its SBW and only for SBW its the way it should be for every sportsman.
November 15th 2012 @ 1:35pm
Crosscoder said | November 15th 2012 @ 1:35pm | Report comment
The mirror that only shows his reflection.Team sport is a little bit more than just me(the individual),ask the Hindmarshes,El Masris,Peteros etc.
November 15th 2012 @ 2:09pm
Mr Taylor said | November 15th 2012 @ 2:09pm | Report comment
Its a team sport but when it comes to contracts and family is every man for himself. Your teammates ain’t going to give $5000k when you break a leg or neck.
November 15th 2012 @ 2:09pm
Mr Taylor said | November 15th 2012 @ 2:09pm | Report comment
Its a team sport but when it comes to contracts and family is every man for himself. Your teammates ain’t going to give $5000k when you break a leg or neck.
November 15th 2012 @ 2:25pm
Crosscoder said | November 15th 2012 @ 2:25pm | Report comment
There is a differnce between a player who gives his all of for a team,and does not leave them adrift mid season without telling them,,than a bloke like Mat Rogers who gave his all for his team ,and switched at the end of his contract.
One upfront and honest with his teammates,the other.Next question.
November 15th 2012 @ 2:38pm
Mr Taylor said | November 15th 2012 @ 2:38pm | Report comment
Lets make it short. There’s a different between a league player switching to rugby half way his season and Matt Rogers who left after his contract. That’s the one.
November 15th 2012 @ 5:34pm
Crosscoder said | November 15th 2012 @ 5:34pm | Report comment
You still don’t get it.
It’s not the fact a player leaves ,it’s how they leave.
November 15th 2012 @ 6:01pm
Mr Taylor said | November 15th 2012 @ 6:01pm | Report comment
No, Its the fact that a player wanted to earn more money for him and his family. Nothing wrong with that unless to those who have been brought in that victim mentality all their life.
November 15th 2012 @ 8:25pm
Crosscoder said | November 15th 2012 @ 8:25pm | Report comment
OK your teammates mean nothing,that is the crux of the matter. If he had left at teh end of teh year so be it.it was dumb ,plain dumb.
November 16th 2012 @ 12:49am
Mr Taylor said | November 16th 2012 @ 12:49am | Report comment
They are only teammates and some of them were already his closest friends which he met up after at one of the players wedding. He’ll i don’t even keep in contact with 80% of my rugby and league teammates from the past so it doesn’t matter. Family comes first for Pacific Islanders.
November 16th 2012 @ 2:43am
JVGO said | November 16th 2012 @ 2:43am | Report comment
Benji is probably the face of the NRL in Sydney and one of its most admired characters. He is being groomed by Ch 9 for a media role, being paid already I’d imagine, and would be nuts to blow his ties to the nRL in Sydney (and NZ of course). He will not do it. Even in the NZ market he is the Kiwi captain and and synonymous with RL and even going ot the All Blacks he would just be another member of the team like SBW. Him and his girlfriend are probably in the New Idea or whatever every second week. The future possiblities for Benji in the NRL are about as good as you could get.
November 16th 2012 @ 4:11pm
Crosscoder said | November 16th 2012 @ 4:11pm | Report comment
Teammates that you play with week in week out,FHS a world of a difference.The better you liase and play together, the better the team goes.it’s called team harmony.He helped shoot it to threads.
You dont’ahve to socialise with them,or become friends 10 years down the line.Its the time at the Dogs that mattered.