Off season: Is Benji the greatest NZ player?

[JJ]

Lots of chat on this, interested in what people think…

Overall career, not as Kiwi as such…

His high points were epic, in my lifetime I guess Jones, Wiki, Graham, maybe bc McGahan and I always have a soft spot for underrated types like Broadhurst…. Are in the discussion

I don’t think there’s much doubt Sonny-Bill could have been, and Bromwich is developing quite a cv…

I think Benji probably shades Stacey for his impact….

 

[SpaceMonkey]

He’s up there, definitely had the talent at his best, won a memorable premiership and came close to a second, and the length of his career is notable. But he lacked consistency and form for a good chunk of his career too. But if not the greatest he’ll go down as one of the most memorable, entertaining and well loved.

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Think it is pretty undoubted for me. The forgotten part about him as well is his courage, at an extremely young age he went through 5 shoulder reconstructions, and never shirked his work and got through 340 odd games

Still can’t get past the fact that some dunce left him at home for a tour and took Hiku and Lolohea as the halves and wouldn’t select him again for the kiwis

 

[Matua]

Still can’t get past the fact that some dunce left him at home for a tour and took Hiku and Lolohea as the halves and wouldn’t select him again for the kiwis

His treatment by the selectors during this period was frankly disgusting.

Not greatest for me though. Especially over JJ's list above (and I rate Bromwich one of our true greats, leaving him out in 2017 and bringing a domestic abuser who promptly switched to Tonga was idiotic).

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Still can’t get past the fact that some dunce left him at home for a tour and took Hiku and Lolohea as the halves and wouldn’t select him again for the kiwis

goddamn I’d even forgotten Lolohea existed. What’s he even doing these days?

 

[jaseg]

Eating, by the sounds of it.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

Eating, by the sounds of it.

I do remember even before he left he started to look as if he was trying to become the next Andrew Johns by developing his barge arse

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Think it is pretty undoubted for me. The forgotten part about him as well is his courage, at an extremely young age he went through 5 shoulder reconstructions, and never shirked his work and got through 340 odd games

Still can’t get past the fact that some dunce left him at home for a tour and took Hiku and Lolohea as the halves and wouldn’t select him again for the kiwis

What a dunce. Hope he never gets to coach the Warriors.

Wait...

Benji the greatest ever Kiwi? He'd definitely be up there, I have Simon, Ruben and Stacey ahead of him in my generation, plus Mark Graham would have to go in as an NRL Hall of Famer. However, a premiership definitely adds weight to the arguments for Benji. I suppose a bit of a lull in his career, the failed rugby thing etc takes away weight. One hell of a player, overcame a lot, and a genuinely great person too. One of the greats.

 

[sup42]

With my Warriors Goggles off he is by some distance.

Golden boot
Grand final
World cup
Four Nations
Anzac test

Kiwis Captain, returnee to the fold.

But most of all Marshall changed the way the game is played.

He laid the ground work for Wiz kids like Johnson and others who saw what was possible with a side step and touch footy skills.