Crikey! How bad is Benji Marshall?

[TruSaint]

Key point.. he will win more games then he will lose , for sure he has errors , but thats natural when you are constantly trying things .. when Benji does 10 good things then a silly kick the haters only ever want to remember the error. Every week the team understands his game the better he will look.

Yes indeed. No doubt he is trying and shows some real style.
Seems very focussed to me.
Good post.

 

[dragonreddy]

Many of us ( myself also) have been critical of Marshall.

I thought last night against a poor side i know, he was all class.

Didn't overplay his hand, some beaut touches, and involved in 5 of our 6 tries. Enigmatic players will make mistakes, but they will win you more than they lose. Duges must have thought Christmas came early with some of those passes.

Well done Benji. Let your footy do the talking.

I have been critical of Marshall too , but would be happy to see him do well with us , but i think the Sharks made him look good ,their line speed was non existant , and pretty ordinary all round so i will be interested to see how he goes against the better sides who will be in his face , hopefully he gains enough confidence each week to get him back to 2011 form,jury is out.

 

[hardbaby]

I have never been critical of the Marshall signing. It was good bang for buck in a crucial position. That's the hardest I have seen Benji run for years. His ball playing and kicking game were great but what stood out to me were his driving hit ups. Tough yards. Played like a champion whose pride has been dented. Good stuff and I'm proud if him.

 

[TheRev]

If you watch Adam closely he is the only one backing up for the offload,especially every time Merrin takes it up.

Precisely.. granted he does have the freedom @ Fullback to do it, but his presence also keeps the defence hanging on potential 2nd phase play.

One of the commentators mentioned the Dragons needed Dugans Kick Returns and Backing up.. well he was right on the Kick Return but couldnt be more wrong on the Backing up.. Dugan does do it occasionally, but we will look 5x the football side when forwards can hit it up and be confident that they arent doing it alone.. that they have support and that offloads are a genuine option.

 

[ggould]

Yep Cronulla depleted badly!! Yep Benji very good can only get better!! You can only play whats in front of you so good win!! Penrith a big test Soward has something to prove!! Lets hope Marshall and Widdop can kick some arse !!! Forwards over to you????

 

[Minh]

Let's not forget Marshall only a couple of seasons ago was a world class player, in fact arguably the best in the world and it's in a mix of your Thurston's, Inglis', Smith and Slater's.

 

[West coast dragon]

i noticed after every try we scored benji didnt get caught up in post try celebrations he looked very focused just walked back for the restart of play i say the critisism hes been getting from everyone including dragons fans has stung him and he looks determined to turn it around and play good footy and i hope he does and will cheer him on and i hope he sticks it up everyone who bagged him go benji go saints

 

[TruSaint]

i noticed after every try we scored benji didnt get caught up in post try celebrations he looked very focused just walked back for the restart of play i say the critisism hes been getting from everyone including dragons fans has stung him and he looks determined to turn it around and play good footy and i hope he does and will cheer him on and i hope he sticks it up everyone who bagged him go benji go saints

You r very astute. Watch the game again guys and watch every celebration, even those he created. Was nowhere to be seen.
To a point, I felt for him, but like you I think its a case of let me perform first.. rest to follow.

 

[TheRev]

i noticed after every try we scored benji didnt get caught up in post try celebrations he looked very focused just walked back for the restart of play i say the critisism hes been getting from everyone including dragons fans has stung him and he looks determined to turn it around and play good footy and i hope he does and will cheer him on and i hope he sticks it up everyone who bagged him go benji go saints

absolutely, but criticism aside, he knows he has everything to prove, he did just get the boot from Rugby & has had made plenty of fundamental timing errors early on.

Have to say the post-match interview where Benji talked about us being a proud club etc etc.. was the most bizarre feeling.. its going to take some time before I can actually think of him as a genuine Red V player, or having an understanding of our tradition etc.

 

[Puff2010]

Im with you on this issue DragonsNZ.
Benji gives us another very credible option and I have liked what Ive seen so far (given the limited time together).
He is certainly putting in and once the team gets use to his off loads and no look passes then the tries will come.
Lets not forget he & Whiddop are behind a pack going backwards.

 

[Slippery Morris]

Great to see Benji have a great game. Good confidence booster for a world class player. Not sure what more he could have done tonight than he already did. He looks like he has a lot of respect from the players especially Dugan. When Duges scored a try he was quick to point to Marshall. They are going to develop a nice combo.

He is going to prove to be a great signing and can't believe tehe bagging he has copped especially from Dragons fans.

 

[hazzbeen]

Great to see Benji have a great game. Good confidence booster for a world class player. Not sure what more he could have done tonight than he already did. He looks like he has a lot of respect from the players especially Dugan. When Duges scored a try he was quick to point to Marshall. They are going to develop a nice combo.

He is going to prove to be a great signing and can't believe tehe bagging he has copped especially from Dragons fans.

Benji is a great signing its been a long time since we have had a game breaker playing in the 7........

 

[Minh]

Great to see Benji have a great game. Good confidence booster for a world class player. Not sure what more he could have done tonight than he already did. He looks like he has a lot of respect from the players especially Dugan. When Duges scored a try he was quick to point to Marshall. They are going to develop a nice combo.

He is going to prove to be a great signing and can't believe tehe bagging he has copped especially from Dragons fans.

Soward was a great player and my favorite Dragon for a few years, but Benji when he was playing well was in another class altogether a couple blocks away, I still can't believe we have Benji Marshall in the team. Hope he turns back the clock and turns on the excitement machine.....

 

[Slippery Morris]

Benji/Widdop v Soward/Wallace. Should be a cracker of a battle.

The forwards will give the Soward/Wallace combo the big advantage.

 

[Russell Crowe's Band]

well its a confidence boosting win for him.
played pretty good.

 

[Joey_dragons]

Marshall is a champion player and will only get better n better.

 

[gorilla]

Benji = Slowhand.

 

[The Chef]

deja vu

 

[gorilla]

Benji = slowhand.

Just wait until next year.....

 

[Minh]

Marshall is a champion player and will only get better n better.

^^^ This.