Benji: How I'll make Milford great

[Foordy]

Have to agree Pete can't see why Benji would sign to play qld cup.

A worst case scenario is if Benji is found out to be well past it, but in typical Bennett fashion gets picked week after week. I believe this is the worry that some people have with this signing.

My other concern with the Benji signing is Bennett viewing him as an insurance should we lose one of milf or hunt to a rival bid. Simply thinking you can cover that kind of loss with Benji to save some coin worries me

So he gets a pay check every week.

 

[Alec]

Definitely think he got promised a FG spot too. He isn't going to stick around for more than a year, is declining rapidly, feels like a nothing signing. He isn't going to push Hunt or Milford much at this stage.

 

[M.B.88]

We'll see guys.

 

[BroncsFan]

So he gets a pay check every week.

He'd probably get a bigger paycheck retiring and moving permanently into media. Now he runs the risk of dropping out of the spot light and diminishing his marketability if he were to be playing reserves all year

 

[Foordy]

He'd probably get a bigger paycheck retiring and moving permanently into media. Now he runs the risk of dropping out of the spot light and diminishing his marketability if he were to be playing reserves all year

he is also not ready to retire

 

[Super Freak]

I don't see much problem with this signing, to be honest.

It's 100k. It's not top dollar, it's pretty much minimum wage. It's about the same amount of money we would have spent on a youngster that either has very little NRL experience or no experience at all. Marshall has plenty of experience and he can teach our halves a thing or two, especially in the kicking department.

His best days might be behind him but he can still play some brilliant footy on his day.

He won't have as much pressure on him here as he did at the Dragons. He can just focus on doing what he does best instead of trying to do everything.

Bennett won't keep him in the side if he is going to be more harm than good.

 

[Porthoz]

I've seen news of it being $200K, which is still peanuts when you take into account that Marshall can be an asset, and hopefully help our halves go to the next level.

I seriously don't see the downside of this.

 

[Morkel]

I've seen news of it being $200K, which is still peanuts when you take into account that Marshall can be an asset, and hopefully help our halves go to the next level.

I seriously don't see the downside of this.

Same. Even if he doesn't play a single game, he's going to be instrumental in Milford's development.

Milford, in my opinion anyway, is still playing like a teen superstar. He'd put on a move, if it didn't work, he'd try the same again later, and again, and eventually it'd come off. And I think that's still what he's doing. There's very little variation.

In season 2016, the moves still worked, but only every 3 or 4 games and rarely against the better defensive teams. I think that he considers that sufficient. He wouldn't decline Lockyer's help if he didn't think he already had all the answers.

Marshall is a different tactic. He won't be a coach, he'll be a peer. These players are all competitive, Marshall knows he's near the end and will work his ring off to show Milford he's not going to be bested by a kid. To do so, he can no longer rely on his speed or step, he'll have to use every tool, every trick, that he's learned over his career, to change tack when Plan A doesn't work, when speed and elusiveness is not enough. The same tricks that Milford needs to learn. I can't think of a better way for those skills to rub off on him.

Worth giving it a go at the very least.

 

[jd123]

Superstar recruit Benji Marshall has stated

Sorry but I had to laugh at this opening statement.
Had we signed Cronk or JT, or Cam Smith, then I think the word "Superstar" could be justifiably applied, but for Benji? Come on, lets be realistic about this.

I feel like hunt is being somewhat over coached to implement a conservative game plan, restricting his ability to play what's in front of him.

It's like the game plan is "for this situation you must midfield bomb/grubber kick/ take the two"... or worse don't kick because you might give away a 7 tackle set.

From afar it's as if the coaching doesn't trust the halves at all and force hunt to play a very conservative game plan, because one of them has to.

For mine I can't see why macca can't be the "conservative" one organising the forwards out of our territory and then giving the ball to the halves when they call for it especially if there is a quick play the ball.

Surely the only management hunt and milf should be doing are the two forwards either side of them and positioning when it's time to kick.

Macca used to be very adept at knowing when hunt wanted the ball. I believe 2013-2014 there were many plays when hunt would wrap down the blind side and macca would work perfectly to get him the ball on the run. Very rarely do we see this kind of heads up play under the current game plan

I agree with this, Macca should be organising our forwards more and supporting Hunt.
Hunt always seems to play better when he chimes in with Macca than he does with Milf for some reason, not sure why.
If BH and Macca can share the kicking duties and run some plays together at tiring forwards that will allow Milf to run onto a ball and create his magic from there.

 

[Black Philip]

Sorry but I had to laugh at this opening statement.
Had we signed Cronk or JT, or Cam Smith, then I think the word "Superstar" could be justifiably applied, but for Benji? Come on, lets be realistic about this.

It shits me too and they do it all the time. Any time a former player gets in trouble with the law, even if he only has 1 professional cap under his belt, he's a "former star".

Journos LOVE hyperbole. If they ever are presented with an opportunity to sensationalise something, even if doing so distorts the truth, they will jump at it.

 

[Kyall]

How can Benji not be rated in the superstar status with everything his accomplished.

 

[Broncoman]

How can Benji not be rated in the superstar status with everything his accomplished.

I guess because he hasn't shown it for years. Move to Super Rugby killed him. Hope Bennett can get him working.

 

[Super Freak]

I guess because he hasn't shown it for years. Move to Super Rugby killed him. Hope Bennett can get him working.

I don't think his move to Super Rugby killed him. I think it was where he moved back to.

The Dragons attack even in 2015 wasn't anything special. It wasn't the style of attack Benji excelled in for so many years at the Tigers. I think he was given too much responsibility to run the ship when that is not his strong point. His strong point is his running game, his off-the-cuff style play which he wasn't able to do as much at the Dragons.

Benji is just not a 7. He is a 6.

 

[winslow_wong]

I don't think his move to Super Rugby killed him. I think it was where he moved back to.

The Dragons attack even in 2015 wasn't anything special. It wasn't the style of attack Benji excelled in for so many years at the Tigers. I think he was given too much responsibility to run the ship when that is not his strong point. His strong point is his running game, his off-the-cuff style play which he wasn't able to do as much at the Dragons.

Benji is just not a 7. He is a 6.

So benji is a runner. Milford is a runner and hunt is a runner. Who's steering our ship?

 

[M.B.88]

So benji is a runner. Milford is a runner and hunt is a runner. Who's steering our ship?

Macca and boyd

 

[Sproj]

It's actually funny - Milford, Hunt and Boyd are all five-eighths really and Macca started in under 20s in that position as well. Haha