BENJI

[innsaneink]

The kid is a potential superstar however he has only been playing league for two or three years and he isn't the biggest kid on the block - he has to learn the rigours of football week in and week out. He has age and hopefully time on his side. If Prince and Reynolds can form some sort of combination it will help Benji's career to develop without the pressure of having to perform.

Yeah...to ease him into it when Sheens feels its the right time...that would be the preferable way....rather than have to be tossed into the deep end. I'm sure he'd handle it though better for him to mature at his own pace. Sheens had to put pressure on a young Fittler and throw him in the deep end .....he handled it. But Benji aint Brad....but theyve been compared already by some of the best footy brains goin round,I actually wish it would stop.

 

[The Colonel]

Its to much pressure to be compared to great players. I would like to hope they would let him develop as the next Benji Marshall and be done with it. There have been so many kids labelled as "The Next........" and they have disappeared by the wayside.

 

[Mighty Tiger]

The kid granted is something new and something many of us fans from both Balmain and Wests havn't expereinced for a while let anytime at all!

But what we need to remember is this kid has only played the game for what 12mths, he is only still a kid and he will have bad times ahead of him but it will be how he recoveres from those that will make him see out his full potential.

I think the kid is awesome but on the other hand he really has a hell of alot more to experience and we do need to still remember this. I wouldn't rush him straight into the side for round 1 unless he was truley ready, sure he would carve them up off the bench but on the other hand we don't know that with his inexperience he won't be a disaster as well.

Give the kid time to show us all of what he is made of before we start talking about how great he is and how he will perform in the rep arena

 

[The Colonel]

I would hope that you would start to see more and more of him after about round 8. Hopefully with the new recruits that the Tiges have they shouldn't need to play him before then.

 

[Mighty Tiger]

To be honest I would prefer him to be included onto the bench for the tougher games like against the Panthers, Broncos and Roosters compared to against sides like Souths, Manly and the Eels.

But in saying this I guess it will all depend on how he performs in first division and how he impresses in the trial games as well.

I mean if the kid is red hot during the trial games then why waste that? should put him straight onto the bench (could also be given a job like Blacklock and sit on the wing whist he can go looking for the ball when ever he wants to)

 

[The Colonel]

Mate.... I've never known an Eels v Tiges game (apart from the 64-12 thrashing) that isn't tough.