Wests Tigers players won’t oppose plans for Benji Marshall to miss part of the 2010 NRL season for a stint in Japanese rugby union if it means keeping the star playmaker at the club.
New Tigers captain Robbie Farah said on Thursday he’d be open to the idea of allowing Marshall to miss pre-season training and a couple of regular season games for a lucrative summer playing in Asia.
“If it means keeping him at the club I’m sure everyone will be pretty open-minded about it,” said Farah.
It has been reported Marshall could earn up to $1 million for just 10 games in Japan and his manager is currently investigating those opportunities.
The Tigers remain in negotiations to extend Marshall’s contract but are waiting until the Kiwi Test star has examined all of his offshore options before making an offer.
“At the moment his manager is negotiating with us as if there is virtually no proposal (from Japan),” said Tigers coach Tim Sheens.
“That possibility (however) is holding things up. We’re in no hurry and neither are they.”
The problem facing Marshall and the Tigers is that NRL contracts forbid players to participate in rival codes, as former Penrith captain Craig Gower learned in 2006 when his Italian rugby stint was blocked.
Marshall, however, can circumvent the NRL rules by letting his current deal expire in October and then not re-sign with the Tigers until he returns from Japan.
As an uncontracted player, Marshall would be free to play anywhere in the world before returning to the NRL.
But that is a risky move for a player with a history of serious injuries and Sheens admitted he would be wary of Marshall playing in a competition the club knows nothing about.
“I know nothing about what they do there and what the level of competition is or what the fatigue factor would be on him, let alone the actual dates of the competition,” he said.
“(But) we can’t do anything until something is put in front of us.”
Tigers chief executive Scott Longmuir indicated he would be willing to explore all possibilities to keep Marshall, with the view of pairing him with ex-Canberra halfback Todd Carney in 2010.
Carney remains de-registered from the NRL after his axing from the Raiders but is firmly in the Tigers’ sights for next year – giving them enough firepower should Marshall miss the opening rounds.
Meanwhile, Farah insisted he would play at least one trial match before the NRL season begins despite having off-season back surgery.
Farah wasn’t named to play South Sydney at Redfern Oval on Sunday but is pushing for a chance to face the Roosters in the Foundation Cup on February 21.
“We’ve got the Foundation Cup in a couple of weeks and I haven’t ruled myself out of that one yet,” said Farah.
“We have Shellharbour the week before the competition starts so I would like close to a full game against them.
“At this stage I think I will have a trial under my belt.”
The Tigers are celebrating their 10th anniversary in 2009 and will mark the occasion with a new predominantly white jersey to be debuted on Sunday.
Crosscoder
Guest
sledgehammer BTW I am no relation to Steffy wherever she/he or it may reside. You need to get out a bit,I have heard the term union as well as league used instead of rugby. In good ole Victoria they refer to both codes as rugby. Both codes have the title rugby in their name.The dictionaries refer to rugby as having to types:15 man and 13 man. Australian Rugby union Australian Rugby league. League is a collection of sport clubs competing against each other. In reality there is no such code as league.It is rugby league. The French rugby league,had their name taken away during and after the war ,and had to be called 'game of 13".It was the latter part of the 20th century,beore they fought to get back their true name"rugby a' trieze" . The recent rl world cup was not called the League World Cup,but the Rugby League World Cup. It is presumptious and lazy journalism to call either code just rugby or league.Call them by their correct titles rugby union and rugby league,until such time as one or booth decide to have a name change,or have a patent on the actual name.
OldManEmu
Guest
Sledge -its just steffy - he/she/it is kind of contrarian.
westy
Guest
Normally a diehard league fan refers to rugby as union in Australia. That has been my experience at any rate.
sledgeandhammer
Guest
since when is league called rugby? This is australia, not the nth of England..i've honestly never heard an aussie league fan call their game rugby? Is this a new trend?
Crosscoder
Guest
Benji has done some amazing things playing rugby with the Tigers,however his time off the field with injury has been a lowpoint. Should he decide to go to Japan on a sporting holiday, for a few games of union to earn big bikkies,and then return for a season of rugby in the NRL,one cannot begrudge him for that. .
Steffy
Guest
Nope
OldManEmu
Guest
Steffy you mean he plays league or he plays Rugby :)
Steffy
Guest
He plays rugby or he plays union - fannying around in a half baked union competition in Japan will kill his fitness and his abilitiles
greg stenner
Guest
Well on marshall dont really care weather he plays or not .really he doesnt commit each week (well when hes not injured)so i good stint over there wouldnt hurt. On robbie farah he needs to play each week for the tigers we are a 100% better team when hes playing and im wishing him well for the new season .Tim sheens could easly coach the roos but im hoping he doesnt hope he commits hes time to the tigers.