Benji at half - question for Tigers fans

[Magpies Forever]

Benji will be a top no7 by the end of the season if the rest of the side goes okay. With the forward pack looking bigger and stronger than in previous years their should be a platform for Benji to show his tricks.I think the silly errors will decrease with experience

OK, I hope Marshall can succeed at half but I do not think he will ever be a great half like he is a 5/8, at best a good 1/2.

Tell me though, at what stage of the season do you try something else if he is not quite getting things right as 1/2- at what stage do you try a proper 1/2 to make a realistic performance judgemnent on how the team is going / can go?

Do we accept another season of what could have been and continued excuses eg "still learning in the 1/2 role". To me the only acceptable outcome for this year is a spot in the final 8 or people have to go. I'm not worried about making the GF or anything like that- just in the final 8. That means, no more than 1/2 way through season, if things not totally working try something else.

 

[851]

Anyone still think Marshall is a halfback,mate we need half real quick,bring in Lewis or Dunley and push Benji to 6.

 

[Navjot]

Benji's passing game at the moment worries me more than anything, no look ones, along the ground most times etc, hospital ones, his tackling is improving one on one, and he ran a bit more which was better, but a halfback must have a better passing game than that rubbish hes dishing up.

 

[matty-ducati]

mate, as a long time saints supporter I can unequivically say that Head is f**king useless. I don't know why we bothered getting him back. Hornby is ordinary, Head is diabolical.

wanna swap head for morris? in the pase few years ur whole team has been useless, best team on paper for many years and failed. Hope u dont take offence to that.

 

[Tigers_are_Pro]

Marshall is playing total rubbish. His passing is woeful, he tries all the flashy stuff and always f**ks up. It's excruciating to watch. It's like his ego is overtaking him and he wants everyone to watch one of his spectacular passes to come off and then go on saying Benji this, Benji that.

 

[Tiger Hawk]

Total rubbish? He was ordinary last night but there were plenty with him. Super Gareth had a worse game by far. Even Robbie looked flat out of dummy half. Our pack was dominated, we gave away stupid penalties and turned the ball over too often. He can't produce miracles, try as he did.

Positively, in defence he looked even better than round 1 and he looks more confident running the ball than last year.

 

[Everlovin' Antichrist]

Benji's passing game at the moment worries me more than anything, no look ones, along the ground most times etc, hospital ones, his tackling is improving one on one, and he ran a bit more which was better, but a halfback must have a better passing game than that rubbish hes dishing up.

He has perfected the right to left dribble along the ground pass...

 

[hybrid_tiger]

He is not a halfback.

I have an idea for Sheens - BUY A SPECIALIST HALFBACK INSTEAD OF TRYING TO MANUFACTURE ONE.

How f**king hard is it?

Marshall is not an organiser. He's a five-eighth who chimes into the attack at various times. He is not a player to lead the tea around the park. He's instinctive, not controlling. He's not a leader.

Put Scott Prince in this team right now and we would make the top four.

 

[sharks_4_06]

i dont know if it has been posted but i have been told that u guys are talking to Adam Dykes ex sharks player to play this year to partner Marshall.

 

[Talanexor]

I think the problem is that there is a serious lack of quality halves going around. Plenty of backrowers and decent outside backs, but very few good halves and props.

Benji might only be a good halfback, instead of a great 5/8 - but even a good halfback is better than anything else going around at the moment.

On a side note - has anyone every thought of putting Farah at half and moving Benji back to 5/8?

Morris is rubbish, but he's less rubbish at hooker than anywhere else.

I know Farah has played half before, but I can't say I've seen too many Tigers games with him at halfback. Was he successful?

 

[MacDougall]

I think the problem is that there is a serious lack of quality halves going around. Plenty of backrowers and decent outside backs, but very few good halves and props.

Benji might only be a good halfback, instead of a great 5/8 - but even a good halfback is better than anything else going around at the moment.

On a side note - has anyone every thought of putting Farah at half and moving Benji back to 5/8?

Morris is rubbish, but he's less rubbish at hooker than anywhere else.

I know Farah has played half before, but I can't say I've seen too many Tigers games with him at halfback. Was he successful?

He was better than what we've seen from the others but he is too valuable at dummy half to lose I'd say.

 

[Marshall_magic]

Give a bloke like Wayde Dunley ago, what's to lose?

 

[N.C.]

Marshall could be a great half if he gives himself a chance. He's too impatient. It's hard to keep saying "that will come with time and exposure to the role" but I genuinely think this is true. You can train for it in the off-season all you like but there's no substitute for a run when the pressure is on. Marshall will get there but he has to be prepared to do his apprenticeship...

We wont make the eight this year, whether Marshall plays at 6 or 7... We've got too much going on behind the scenes - too many distractions. Salary cap issues forcing us to source and play hacks and nuffies, a coach who says "heads will roll" but who'll persevere with his favourites regardless, and we're up against teams who are taking results more seriously than we are.

BUT - If we can make it through this year relatively unscathed on the injury front, and we have a good look at our recruitment and our defensive coaching (wishful thinking...) then there's every chance that Benji will be more settled in the 7 for 2010. I guess what I'm saying is that this is an ideal time to be "experimenting" with a player like Benji because let's face it, we're gonna lose more than we win so we might as well get something out of the season...

 

[Magpies Forever]

Marshall could be a great half if he gives himself a chance. He's too impatient. It's hard to keep saying "that will come with time and exposure to the role" but I genuinely think this is true. You can train for it in the off-season all you like but there's no substitute for a run when the pressure is on. Marshall will get there but he has to be prepared to do his apprenticeship...

We wont make the eight this year, whether Marshall plays at 6 or 7... We've got too much going on behind the scenes - too many distractions. Salary cap issues forcing us to source and play hacks and nuffies, a coach who says "heads will roll" but who'll persevere with his favourites regardless, and we're up against teams who are taking results more seriously than we are.

BUT - If we can make it through this year relatively unscathed on the injury front, and we have a good look at our recruitment and our defensive coaching (wishful thinking...) then there's every chance that Benji will be more settled in the 7 for 2010. I guess what I'm saying is that this is an ideal time to be "experimenting" with a player like Benji because let's face it, we're gonna lose more than we win so we might as well get something out of the season...

Sorry NC but I dont accept that WT should accept another mediocre year without someone being held accountable. Nor, should the prime NRL squad be considered a learning platform- that is for the lower grades or possibly, at best, maybe 20 or so minutes each game. The sponsors and fans should be able to expect our best players in each position to be on the field at any time.

If its another mediocre year the coaching staff and the recruitment staff shoudl go.

We no longer have any real room to manouvre in getting fresh blood in for next year now Marshall and Farah are re-signed- they would have soaked up large amouints of our cap. The way I figure it we only have the following players off contract at seasons end:

Lazarus, Ayshford, Dunley, Tagive, Collis, Morris, Payne, Halatau, Trimarchi, Galea and Hanbury.

Of those only Morris would be soaking up a large amount of the cap I think.

 

[N.C.]

Let's be clear on this - I am not saying this is something I can accept... It is, sadly, what I expect. Our beloved football team is a shambles and it aint gonna be fixed anytime soon, no matter what you do with one B. Marshall...

 

[Magpies Forever]

True- it is a big hole we have to dig ourselves out of. I'm waiting for the spin cycle to ramp up from Teflon and Cousins.

Has anyone noticed Longmuir has been absolutely silent and his much touted newsletters to the fans have quietly slipped away?

 

[N.C.]

Maybe the membership drive didn't yield enough coin to cover the cost of stamps?