I have seen so many articles written about Benji Marshall and how he is failing in rugby and should go back to rugby league.
There have been articles from ‘respected’ writers like Brendan Cannon where he suggests that Benji is not up to rugby.
Or, the article that talks about ‘Code Floppers’, which suggests he is a flop.
Are we being too quick to judge the transformation of Benji from the NRL to rugby?
Let me state this, Benji hasn’t played rugby for over ten years and has enormous pressure on him to be the messiah for the Blues.
I got to see Benji, or as the Kiwis I was with called him ‘Benchy’, play against the Brumbies a week or so ago in the flesh. It meant I got to see him play in person, in particular his positional play during the twenty minutes he played.
One thing I would like to state before I state my thoughts on Benji’s play is that it has to be noted that he was not playing well for the Tigers. In fact my brother, who is a huge Tigers fan, was happy with the fact he saw him playing for the Blues.
Benji was unfit, non-committal and clearly not happy. This lead to him warming the bench for the Tigers, no different to now.
Also how critical in the past have people been on players who crossed from rugby league?
Look at Sonny Bill Williams. When he first went to rugby, he was heavily criticised. He was out of position, didn’t understand the game and so on. Yet given time, Sonny Bill grew into rugby, found his position and succeeded.
In the Brumbies versus Blues game, by the time Benji came on the game was gone.
The Brumbies had a fantastic kicking game that in the wet conditions worked, whereas the Blues had a poor or non-existent one. So for the last 20 minutes the Blues had to push for anything against a team in control.
Enter Benji.
In the plays that ensued from Benji’s entry, the Blues didn’t have much happening. But, at one point the Blues got a lineout on the Brumbies 22, and Benji encouraged the quick throw, took the ball and went forward, but the Brumbies shut it down.
The Brumbies shutting it down wasn’t the problem – Benji was trying something that nearly came off. What happened next was the problem. It is the thing that needs to change for Benji that will make his transition a successful one. Benji walked back to position.
This ordinarily would not be a problem in a breakdown in play. But I watched the Eels versus Broncos game when I got home and noticed an interesting trend in the No. 6 for the Eels, Chris Sandow. Sandow did some great things, but between each he walked back into position.
And let me go really local. In 2011 I went to a grand final between the Queanbeyan Kangaroos and the Queanbeyan Blues. The game was pretty even except for the six for the Roos.
He was outstanding in his play in kicking well, putting players through gaps and general game management. But I noticed that he walked between each great play the he did.
In rugby as the 10 or 15 you have to get into position quickly all game.
Remember that in rugby league – and I am not being critical, league fans – you have six tackles which are pretty much guaranteed.
In rugby every tackle, scrum and lineout is a contest. This means every play you have to be ready.
I will cede this point to the leagiues, rugby does have a lot of stoppages.
So is this Benji’s problem? Does he get the continuity of the game of rugby? And if not why not? Is it his fault or that of the coaches and players?
Given he has played only four to five months of rugby in over 10 years, are we being too harsh? I reckon Benji needs some time out of the spotlight, perhaps in the NPC. This will give him the idea of what is required.
In my opinion, Benji can be great, he just needs the right coaching and guidance in his play. The criticism will only highlight his failings, eroding his confidence.
And for what end? Wouldn’t it be great to see Benji throwing flick passes and putting through chip kicks? So give the guy a go, and get the right coaching and guidance for him that can make him the player we all knew he could be.
martin babu
Guest
I think benji can be a more awsome player than wot he is now he just need to sign up with the CRUSADERS.
Tiger33
Guest
In his last few years at the a Tigers Benji was fat, lazy and not committed to his team or team mates; consistently the worst player on the field. He's your problem now rugby. Good luck with him.
Thunderguts
Guest
and who would he replace in the current AB7,s. He does not have the skill set or stamina to play 7,s Agree that the ITM cup would have been a better pathway but would he agree to playing at a level which he would perceive as secondary.
Radiation
Guest
He should be playing Sevens because eh would be an awesome sevens player. He needed a year in the ITM Cup
allblackfan
Guest
NZ rugby treats its league recruits differently to the ARU. The ARU always throws its doors open to RL recruits; the NZRU tends to throw them in the deep end and see if they can swim. Class always floats, I guess! There is no doubt Benji is struggling, partly because of a lack of cohesion and partly because of his style of play. He needs to bed down a full season (and by season I mean ITM Cup as well). Piri Weepu had it right when he said Benji should have come to the Blues via the ITM Cup. I watched the Blues play the Highlanders and there were two blokes playing for the Dunedin men who should have given Benji encouragement to stick in there -- Aaron Smith, who plays a lot like Benji (why run straight when you can bob and weave) and Fiumaki Tanaka, who is even smaller then Benji (yes, you RL lbokes, read that right!) who has had to overcome the language barrier as well. Benji. He's doing some stuff off the ball well but as he has already said; he is struggling with positional play. Super rugby is not the place to be learning that. Wonder how well Sam Burgess will do at Bath!
soapit
Guest
fair enough, i was just surprised anyone in rugby nz ever really bothered with these kinds of marketing coups given its dominance there
Sandow
Guest
For me and my teammates over the years, always been the benji flick, the benji steps, the benji long balls. Just about every young footballer in Aus and NZ wanted to be just like benji. Give him a go JK!
Thunderguts
Guest
up until his move to Rugby the bulk of Marshalls following in NZ were League followers and many of these moved to Rugby because of Marshall.
Sylvester
Guest
I'll reserve judgement until he gets more than cameo game time. So far, a victim of Kirwan's erratic "rotation" policy.
Thunderguts
Guest
you are right 6 years he was a good rugby league player but even in 2013 the writing was on the wall.
soapit
Guest
but again how many extra people is he gonna be getting through the gate. people like him but i would have thought that most who follow of benji would have already been reasonably into rugby, especially considering how it already dominates the nz market
Rugger
Guest
Must admit I have lot of respect for Brandon Cannon but his recent article was out of line and un-called for. Rugby should embrace him and yet we criticise him.
nerval
Guest
Is there a youtube highlights reel of Greg Martin in his prime, so that those of us who object to his oafish "welcome" of Marshall into the game might be able to compare and contrast their respective footballing skills?
Thunderguts
Guest
First and foremost Marshall is a Kiwi bro and is held in high regard amongst his followers irrespective of what code he plays. Followers on Facebook right from the time the deal with the Blues was announced have been promoting the virtues of Marshall as a champion of the people. One has to feel sorry for Marshall as his mana has been diminished as a result of his lack of game time and his apparent inability to adapt to the main game. It is now over to Blues management to exit the situation with empathy and respect.
soapit
Guest
yeah i wondered about that, would he really have had that much value for marketing as a nz leaguie heading to rugby? wouldnt have thought too many kwis would make any more effort to watch because benji was playing.
Common Sense
Guest
Could of atleast grounded it. :)
soapit
Guest
this isnt a sledge so hope its not coming across that way. i agree that those other possibilities are ...possible and that i didnt leave much wiggle room with my categoric statement but i really havent been impressed with what little i do know about 'the plan'. buying him to learn 10 at super level was always going to be difficult...its never been done before. he has a decent running and kicking game so could easily have made a fist of fullback at least while he got comfortbale being on a rugby field. so thats mistake one for mine, backed upby them using him in the back three lately, essentially admission back three might have been a better way for him to learn the game. i also think giving him so little game time is a poor way to go about it. imo if ur going to bring these guys across you have to be prepared to wear some short term pain in order to give them opportunity to learn in match conditions. mistake 2. in fact looking again at my original statement this could perhaps be a lost in translation issue. there obviously was a plan and i wasnt saying there wasnt (though i can see how it read that way - on reading your reproduction this afternoon i misread it myself, its just i dont think very much of it (therefore i think its not much of a plan) like i said you coud be right and benji is slow but i consider those 2 mistakes fairly basic ones and are unlikely to get the best out of their investment regardless of other factors. btw isnt henry the forwards coach only?
Peter Breckenridge
Roar Guru
mate check out the stuff on www.news.com.au or www.rugbyheaven.com.au. there is a lot there.
soapit
Guest
correct. it seems fairly likely to me but as i'm not in the inside of the situation i dont really know. if you want people in the know with these things perhaps a fan discussion site isnt the place to be looking.
leftfield
Roar Pro
That is the problem though isn't it, we needed a dominant 1st5 and instead we signed an unproven bloke who might be a good fullback, excpet we already have an allblack there. We've had a few fairly bad 1st5s since Spencer left, we had Nick Evans but he didn't stay. The problem I think has been looking for quick fix solutions from outside the area (Kirkpatrick, Gopperth, Stephen Brett etc) when we should be able to find a good player from within the blues region (I realise Spencer wasn't originally from Auckland but he at least moved here).