Benji Marshall returns to league

[Amobokoboko]

Benji Marshall is set to return to the NRL after he and Blues coach John Kirwan agreed his switch to rugby union was not working out, the Blues have confirmed.
Marshall made the decision to seek an immediate return to the NRL following a meeting with Blues coach Sir John Kirwan this weekend.
Marshall's manager, Martin Tauber, has been instructed to open talks with NRL clubs.
Warriors chief executive Wayne Scurrah did immediately return the Herald's call, however the New Zealand club has not so far been linked to the former Kiwis star.
Marshall has been given just 212 minutes of game time in eight Super Rugby matches this season.
An Australian newspaper reported the 29 year-old decided to seek a release after a meeting with Kirwan in which it was suggested he either play the rest of the season in the lower tiers to help prepare him for the 2015 Super Rugby competition or return to rugby league.
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Link to the article [video]http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11241807[/video]

 

[Amobokoboko]

A bit early to call it quits. It's not his mistake the Blues are having a poor season.

 

[austingtir]

A bit early to call it quits. It's not his mistake the Blues are having a poor season.

Its obviously the right decision for Benji... Kirwan is pretty clueless when it comes to managing his players and to me it smacks of alot of pressure coming from upper management wanting results when they still dont have a decent flyhalf. The whole Blues organisation needs a clean out from the top down.

 

[smartcooky]

Kirwan has made a complete pigs breakfast of Marshall's conversion to Union. You cannot say that ANY of the (four?) players chosen by Kirwan to play at 10 for the Blues this season have played well. In hindsight, he might as well have just put Benji at 10 for all the pre-season games and just left him there in the season proper. They would be no worse off than they are now, bottom of the NZ Conference!

 

[ABs2011]

To those posters above criticising jk, I'm just wondering if u know the facts? Was it benji or jk that made the decision that he would not play itm?

 

[Amobokoboko]

The NRL season runs until August followed by the play offs which end early October. I reckon he just wanted some time off to recuperate from last years NRL season.

 

[steblin]

I'm sorry but this is weak by Benji. Blues have made a statement saying Benji has requested release from his contract.

In his on field time has he shown he's ready for the starting XV? No.

His best position by far is 15, is he better than Piutau? No.

I don't think the Blues have handled this the best, but at the same time did he expect to walk into the starting side? I don't think he deserves to, he needs to earn it, but half way through his first season he's decided its too tough and he's calling it quits. All I need to hear.

Next time Blues, forget players like Marshall and keep the likes of Anscombe and Fekitoa!! I'm a supporter of JK, but letting those two go is proving to be VERY poor decisions.

 

[Amobokoboko]

At least next season they will have more budget that they can use on younger players.

 

[Patchey]

This has been coming really hadn't it?

Disappointed at Benji for seemingly throwing in the towel so early. However I read earlier that he was set to be dropped to the development squad for a few weeks, so maybe that was the final straw for him.

JK has handled him pretty poorly, just as he's made a hash of managing a number of players recently (add Nathan Hughes, who is currently tearing up the Premiership, to the list of Anscombe and Fekitoa). Benji should have been made to play ITM and he shouldn't have been punted around the squad like an old football. He's clearly not a 10 and why he would be played there over Hickey is a mystery to me. He should have had a run of games at 15 and been given some backing. It seems to be he's been asked to come up with the good apropos of nothing and understandably failed to do so.

As a result it looks like he's going to be an embarrassing waste of money for us. I guess we at least have Ihia West now.

 

[nickdnz]

Can we please get a link for the first post.


As it is I'm not entirely suprised. It was clearly a mistake for him not to play ITM Cup - especially as he was free during that time and he could have really used that game time. Marshall has previopusly said he wouldn't play for a NRL club other than Tigers, I'm wondering whether that will still be the case.

What's interesting is what Kirwan has said in the build up to this. He's continually claimed he had no knowledge of Marshall having any intention of leaving. I can't help but feel he'd have just been better off giving 'no comment'. As it is I don't think he was handled well, but I really don't understand why they wouldn't have given him a run for Auckland or anywhere else prior to expecting him to make it in Super Rugby. The reality is he's not better than Hickey, doesn't have the potential of West and looked poorer than Noakes when he played last game - so you have to think that him not starting should have been something the Blues should have tried to fix prior to the season starting.

Really it's just a waste of money that hasn't turned out well for the careers of anyone..

I bet they'll now be after Barrett..

 

[bakakumon]

OptaJason ‏@OptaJason 4 hours

7.08 - Benji Marshall's average gain per carry (7.08m) is the fourth best in #SuperRugby this season (min 2 apps). Failure?

 

[nickdnz]

OptaJason ‏@OptaJason 4 hours

7.08 - Benji Marshall's average gain per carry (7.08m) is the fourth best in #SuperRugby this season (min 2 apps). Failure?

Well...potentially yes. He hasn't been stellar.

 

[Chikwa]

From what I saw on twitter ! He was basically shown the door .By being told he wasn't up too the required standard and he should play in the Lower leagues.Is there any truth to this?
Any how he is showing a lack of mental fortitude ? It was a big decision to switch from league to union and to give up so easily shows to the rest of the world that he lacks the humility and perseverance.

 

[Amobokoboko]

Link to the article added. I doubt that he will go back to the Tigers.
His old coach, Tim Sheens, has left Tigers and the current combination of Anasta and Brooks works really well. I also reckon his contract might push the salary boundary quiet a lot. Some of my Kiwi friends say he should join the Warriors but I prefer to stick with Leuluai. Maybe he could become (a very expensive) impact player?

 

[smartcooky]

OptaJason ‏@OptaJason 4 hours

7.08 - Benji Marshall's average gain per carry (7.08m) is the fourth best in #SuperRugby this season (min 2 apps). Failure?

Same as Willie Le Roux (7.08) who tops both the "carries" and the "metres gained" stats (114/818m), and better than Julian Savea (90/637m - 6.77), Jesse Mogg (94/606m - 6.41) and Charles Piutau (94/581m - 6.18) who are the next three on the "metres gained" list behind Le Roux.

 

[iINDOMINUSxx]

wow that didn't take long

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I bet dr koukash is on the phone offering him all the money under the sun

 

[ABs2011]

Link to the article added. I doubt that he will go back to the Tigers.
His old coach, Tim Sheens, has left Tigers and the current combination of Anasta and Brooks works really well. I also reckon his contract might push the salary boundary quiet a lot. Some of my Kiwi friends say he should join the Warriors but I prefer to stick with Leuluai. Maybe he could become (a very expensive) impact player?

Tigers have been reported as saying they DONT want him.

Supposedly the only two teams in the running are Melbourne and St George although of all the teams in the comp the warriors were the only team who were "unavailable for comment".

 

[ABs2011]

Can we please get a link for the first post.


As it is I'm not entirely suprised. It was clearly a mistake for him not to play ITM Cup - especially as he was free during that time and he could have really used that game time. Marshall has previopusly said he wouldn't play for a NRL club other than Tigers, I'm wondering whether that will still be the case.

What's interesting is what Kirwan has said in the build up to this. He's continually claimed he had no knowledge of Marshall having any intention of leaving. I can't help but feel he'd have just been better off giving 'no comment'. As it is I don't think he was handled well, but I really don't understand why they wouldn't have given him a run for Auckland or anywhere else prior to expecting him to make it in Super Rugby. The reality is he's not better than Hickey, doesn't have the potential of West and looked poorer than Noakes when he played last game - so you have to think that him not starting should have been something the Blues should have tried to fix prior to the season starting.

Really it's just a waste of money that hasn't turned out well for the careers of anyone..

I bet they'll now be after Barrett..

Yup this is the key to the whole story for me. It has never been clear WHY Benji didn't play ITM cup. Was it the Blues making that call? OR Benji? The biggest failure of this whole thing seems to be that someone (Blue, Benji or maybe both) thought Benji would be able to play Super Rugby without any lead in Rugby. Many people including me pointed that this was a very bad error in judgment to feel this was the right track for Benji and as it turns out the whole thing has been a complete failure!

SO - who was it? The Blues or Benji? For the life of me I cant see how the Blues could have been so naïve, so I have to come to the conclusion that Benji had it written into his contract because he was arrogant enough to think he could stroll in to arguably the toughest Rugby comp in the world, playing at one of the most difficult positions, without having to do the ground world first. Now after half a season, my interpretation is that he has packed a sad and told them he doesn't want to play anymore. IF this is the case I think it is very very poor from Benji, so good riddance if you ask me. It also comes as no surprise that not only do the Tigers not want him back, but they are top of the table in the NRL now without him!

I'm not convinced that the fault here rests with the Blues as much as some seem to. I think Benji has been the catalyst of most of these issues! The biggest mistake the Blues made was signing him in the first place!

On the other point bolded above Nick - it will be very interesting to see what happens from here. As I said in a previous post, the Tigers have gone on record saying the do not want him, so seem Benji is going to have to back track on a commitment again! If he wants to go back to the NRL then it would appear he will have to play for someone other than the Tigers. Cant wait till he plays against the Tigers at Leichardt Oval , the BOOS will be deafening!!

 

[ABs2011]

I should add though, all the news reports seem to be implying that the Blues were the ones that made the call to not give Benji any rugby before Super Rugby. I have yet to see any statements about this from either Benji or the Blues though. It will be interesting to see what happens here, because IF it was the Blues that made this massive stuff up then some serious questions need to be asked of everyone involved and the franchise as a whole! Why on earth would they deiced to go down that track though....? It makes ZERO sense!