"His heart isn't in it anymore. Something has to happen this week" - Andrew Johns on Benji Marshall's form
With that above statement comes the reality of the situation regarding the one time Golden Boot winner Benji Marshall. His form has been criticised all season long by fans and experts. In recent weeks, say the past 2 months, that form has undeniably gotten worse for Marshall. So bad now that 2 of the games greatest halfbacks, Peter Sterling and Andrew Johns fail to see a way in which Marshall should be selected for upcoming matches.
Peter Sterling, one of the games great halfback's last night on Triple M Radio was asked if it was time for coach Mick Potter to make the tough call and drop Benji. His answer?...."I didn't think that but tonight has probably turned me to the fact that you can't keep him there for sentiment now. Just on form you drop him" Sterling said. "So wether he racks up 199 or 200 games at the club, that shouldn't come into it no" Sterling added. "It would have been nice to say that would be a lovely way to farewell and all those kind of things but in the end you have to put out 17 players every week who are going to give it their all and put their bodies on the line. I think there is probably another 17 in front of him at the moment who are prepared to do that." Sterling said.
Sterling was particularly critical of Benji's application, admitting the fallen star could've done a lot more for his side last night "As I said at the time, when you pass the ball in this game you pass it to somebody in a better position to yourself. If there is nobody in a better position than yourself than you stick it under your arm, you put your head down and you take on the defence. We didn’t see that too often tonight. It’s not all about the runs. Forget the runs. When you go to the line to pass, I’m saying that it is all about putting your body on the line. The reason that I think he is struggling out there to get the support of the players is because when he takes the ball forward he passes well short of the line and says, 'well, here, you do it'."
"Benji is a good guy and he has done some great things for our game. He has held a very high profile. It’s sad but it has been so badly mishandled, the exit ... I just think he has got some really poor advice and he’s put himself in a position for criticism and all of the stuff he has done off the field, you can only do all of that if you back it up with what you show 80 minutes every week and he hasn’t done that." Sterling added.
It's a tragedy that it has come to this. Forget the fact that he's been poorly advised by his manager throughout this stupid fiasco. Forget the fact that just maybe Benji's ego has out grown it's limits in recent weeks. This whole thing only has partly to do with the mindset of a fallen champion who it's become painful to have to watch week in, week out lately. This comes back to the club and what's best for the club. In current form Marshall is no good for Wests Tigers. In fact his presence in the team seems to hinder the chances of the Tigers being successful in any match up. Last week versus the Eels was the prime example. The Tigers should've won that game with ease but they failed to seriously build consistent pressure which meant they would chase the game for the larger portions of time. Marshall's bumbling ways - a big reason for the fact.
I get the feeling the players too have lost Confidence in Marshall. This is a player who in recent weeks has thrown more passes either forward, to ground or that simply weren't on and ended with an error. This is the same player that makes as many mistakes and he does forces mistake through poor passing. This is also the same player who doesn't take the line on anymore. The same guy who has failed to find touch from a penalty now 4 times this year!! You get the drift here??? His heart ISN'T in it any more. Neither is mind. His application has been dreadful in the past two months, his body language like wise.
The worst thing about it is having to listen to him in the press talk about his form and how he wants to go out on a high and how he's not happy with his form. I could choose to listen to him resonate his poor form and feel sorry for him as he tries to get it back, but I just don't see the signs that he's switched on and ready to turn the corner. Mentally he appears gone. Call it tired, jaded, exhausted....whatever. The bottom line is he will be a very fortunate guy to see the season out. His form doesn't warrant selection. He's been the undeniable flop of 2013.
Congratulations Benji!
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