Marshall dropped as Reynolds returns
Author
Brad WalterNRL.com Senior Reporter
New Zealand great Benji Marshall has been dropped from the Wests Tigers starting team, with Josh Reynolds named in the No.6 jersey for Saturday night's clash with Canberra.
Marshall, who is equal second in Dally M voting after the opening four rounds, was one of five players axed by Tigers coach Michael Maguire from the team beaten 28-23 by the Titans and has been named in jersey No.18.
Second-rower Luke Garner, winger Robert Jennings, back-up dummy half Billy Walters and interchange forward Oliver Clark were also dropped, while prop Thomas Mikaele moves to the bench.
Besides Reynolds, the new faces are winger Tommy Talau, former Kiwis Test prop Russell Packer, second-rower Michael Chee-Kam and front-rower Zane Musgrove.
Chris Lawrence shifts from the interchange to second-row in place of Garner, while Talau replaces Jennings and Musgrove starts upfront for Mikaele, while Packer and Chee-Kam were named on the bench.
Round 5 - Marshall dropped, Taumalolo in line for return
Round 5 - Marshall dropped, Taumalolo in line for return
Maguire hinted at changes after the match, which the Tigers twice led by 10 points before allowing the Titans back into the contest.
Marshall kicked a 77th-minute field goal to give the Tigers a 23-22 lead but the Titans regained possession from the re-start and Phillip Sami scored to give the Titans their first win in almost a year.
The result left the 2014 premiership-winning coach to question the hunger of his players, who have had hard-fought wins over St George Illawarra and Cronulla and suffered a 42-24 loss to Newcastle.
"That performance is unacceptable for where we're at," Maguire said.
Deep down I was very, very confident because I knew I had done nothing
Wests Tigers utility Josh Reynolds
"I’m sick and tired of the ups-and-downs of performance. We need to change that.
"If you can’t be hungry enough to win a game of football then you need to look in the mirror, and those are the sort of things we need to be honest about."
Reynolds' recall continues a rollercoaster 12 months for the former NSW Origin five-eighth, who made just seven NRL appearances last season and had been 18th man for the last two matches.
Off the field, Reynolds successfully fought to clear his name after domestic violence charges were dropped by police and he was booked on Monday for driving with an expired licence.
He had been on his way home from Bankstown Airport after the team's return from Brisbane when stopped by police for a random alcohol and drugs test at 1.30am.
After recording what he described as a "false positive", Reynolds was then taken to Sutherland Police Station for a further test, which was negative.
A third swab was sent for testing at a laboratory and Reynolds insists he has nothing to fear.
Marshall field goal gives Wests Tigers a lead
Marshall field goal gives Wests Tigers a lead
"First of all I was in shock ... but deep down I was very, very confident because I knew I had done nothing," Reynolds told Sydney radio station 2GB on Tuesday.
"I've got nothing to hide. The guy who did my second test was a really good fellow.
"When the test came back negative he said 'I know you have had a bad run over the last month or whatnot but in the whole time I have been a copper I have never seen a test change from this point', so it has never gone from negative to positive."
The Tigers informed the NRL of the incident and no action has been taken against Reynolds, who said he was unaware his drivers licence had expired.
https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/06/09/marshall-dropped-as-reynolds-returns/
