Benji......cares???

So at what point does Benji Marshall begin caring again? We've heard for weeks a player who is "sad to be leaving" or wants to "give it my best shot for the fans". So far though we've yet to see it. There is plenty of talk suggesting Marshall has lost interest already, that he can't wait to move on from what has been a most difficult stint in the departure lounge. The way it's ending, Wests Tigers fans almost feel the same way.

Benji Marshall has been the pin up boy at Wests Tigers forever, people associate the Tigers with Benji and Benji like wise with the Tigers. His achievements at the club are exceptional and it was always going to be hard to see him go. However the past 2 months have tainted that legacy. I don't see the passion in his eyes anymore and his body language suggests he's struggling to fathom any motivation to play his way out of a horrific form slump. His decision on the weekend to parade himself in an Auckland Blues jumper may not have seemed a big issue. Consider this though. Marshall did that without any permission from his current employer. Not only did he endorse a rival code and teams colours, but Marshall who's current NRL deal includes lucrative third party sponsorships chose to endorse sponsors other than those he is currently paid by. To call it unprofessional would be true. Given recent events, would it be fair to call it arrogant and intentional?

It brings me back to my original point. At what point does Benji Marshall begin caring again?? His form on the field suggests he's stopped caring. His decision making off field suggests the same thing. He offered another insight into his mindset in the now infamous Auckland Blues video, when he thanked his fans but made no mention of the Wests Tigers or any support staff his career has been developed with. No thanks for a club that stuck by him and kept faith in during his low points. Some would call this another sign of an egotistical Marshall, still smarting from having his retirement package taken off the table at Wests Tigers. Maybe he does have a point to a degree but his reaction to it was childish and his actions since equally childish.

I want it known also that i'm okay with Marshall's defection to rugby. After all, he's entitled to make his own decision. However when it comes to assessing the way he has handled this whole chapter I will admit that I've lost respect for him. His name now comes with a badly tainted asterix next to it. Marshall has spent a lot of time blaming others for his demise when in actual fact he's handled it no better, if not worse. To call him a petulant brat wouldn't be harsh. It's fair to say he's thrown his toys out of the cot.

So back to my original point. When will Benji Marshall begin caring again? Most likely never and sadly for some Wests Tigers fans including myself, I cannot wait to see the back of him.