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The Roar

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You've changed, Tigers tell Benji

15th March, 2015
5

Benji Marshall has changed his game for the better.

That’s the opinion of his good friend and former Wests Tigers teammate Robbie Farah as the duo prepare to go-head-to-head when St George Illawarra visit Campbelltown Stadium on Monday night in the concluding game of the NRL’s second round.

The Dragons were clunky in their opening-round loss to Melbourne, but Farah is convinced that is just early season rust.

“From the bits I have seen of him, Benji looks a lot more controlled,” Farah said.

“I know he really enjoys the coaching of Mary (Paul McGregor) over there and he is really working hard on his game.

“I have heard him say he has come to grips with the fact he is not 22-year-old Benji anymore, he is the 30-year-old Benji.

“He is adapting accordingly and you are starting to see the benefits of it.

“They threw a lot at Melbourne, a lot of shifts, a lot of changes of direction, so you see Benji and Widdop both going across the field a lot.

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“Once they take it to one side of the field they bring it straight back to the other so we have to be ready for that.”

After returning to the NRL in the middle of last year after a brief flirtation with rugby union, Marshall led the Dragons to victory in round 20, in his only match against the side he won the 2005 premiership with.

“You have to put friendships aside for the one game or the one week and just play the game,” Farah said.

“You always want to try and get the bragging rights over your mates and last year they got the win over us so it would be nice to get one back on him.

“While it is weird, he is not the first mate I have played against and he won’t be the last, you just get on with it.

“But we have to be on our guard across the park, because when you play against Benji you have to expect the unexpected.”

KEY STATS
* The Dragons won four the last six matches against the Tigers, three of those by 16 points or more
* These two sides have the worst Monday night record in the NRL over the past three seasons: the Tigers have won just one of 10 since 2012, while the Dragons have won one of 12 over the same period.
* Aaron Woods is a player to watch for the Dragons. The Tigers prop ran 19 times for 190m last week in the win over the Titans and made 26 tackles without missing one.
* Josh Dugan will play his 100th NRL game if the former Raider recovers from an ankle injury in time.
* The Dragons have won just 11 of away from home in the past three seasons.

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