Super Freak
International Captain
Forum Staff
- Jan 25, 2014
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WAYNE Bennett has revealed he talked Benji Marshall out of retirement and signed him over the phone after the former Kiwi Test skipper’s planned move to Melbourne fell through.
On the eve of Friday night’s Broncos-Storm blockbuster at Suncorp Stadium, Bennett has for the first time detailed the machinations that led to Marshall’s surprise arrival at Red Hill last November.
Marshall has become the bargain buy of the NRL season, with the Broncos throwing the 32-year-old a $100,000 lifeline after he failed to strike a deal with Storm coach Craig Bellamy.
The veteran of 27 Tests has recaptured his attacking mojo, offsetting the loss of injured pivot Anthony Milford with a sensational display last week against Canberra to keep Brisbane in the top four.
Marshall could easily be wearing Storm colours now as Cooper Cronk’s scrumbase partner, but if not for Bennett, the former Wests Tigers whiz-kid would have quit the NRL entirely.
His confidence and self-belief battered by a turbulent stint at the Dragons, Marshall feared he was finished ... until a phone conversation with Bennett culminated in a Broncos contract.
“I didn’t expect to ever see Benji Marshall in a Broncos jumper — never,” Bennett told The Courier-Mail.
“Benji was actually pretty close to going to Melbourne but when things didn’t work out there, Benji rang me.
“He wanted my honest advice. He asked where he should go. The Storm were apparently in talks with him but things fell through there.
“Anyway, we spoke for a while. I told him he had more to offer someone.”
Bennett then hung up. Thirty minutes later, as both privately mulled over the same possibility, the Broncos coach rang Marshall back.
“As soon as I got off the phone to him, I thought, ‘Bloody hell, why don’t I sign him’?” Bennett said. “So I rang Benji back. I said, ‘Why don’t you come and play for the Broncos?’
“Benji said, ‘I was just thinking that after you hung up’. I said, ‘OK, well let’s do a deal’ and we got it done.
“I was criticised for signing Benji, but he has been a great player for a decade and players like him don’t lose their ability.
“I made no promises to Benji. We had Anthony Milford, Ben Hunt and Kodi (Nikorima) as halves and I told Benji I wasn’t going to get rid of them to accommodate him.
“I said you will have to wait for an opportunity to come, if it comes, but he was happy with that.
“Some older guys in our game lose their hunger but Benji hasn’t — he’s still got the eye for it.”
Marshall confirmed he considered retirement after last year’s season of woe at the Dragons. Now, after just five games for the Broncos, Marshall feels rejuvenated and is set to ink a 12-month extension for a remarkable 16th season of NRL.
“I’ve got my happiness again,” Marshall said. “The reason I came here was to prove a point that I could still play.
“I thought about retiring. I had offers to go overseas or to another NRL club, but I didn’t know what to do. To be honest, I had doubts about whether I still had it.
“I thought, ‘Well maybe my time in the NRL is up’ and Wayne is pretty honest, he will tell me the truth. So we spoke on the phone and I started thinking about the possibility of playing for the Broncos.
“Look, the money isn’t big, but sometimes that is a good thing. It has put things into perspective about why I play this game.
“I knew I wasn’t going to be the first-choice half, but I wanted to push for the 17 and I am trying to make the most of this opportunity.
“I’m really enjoying mentoring the younger blokes. Until ‘Milf’ (Milford) comes back, I will do what I need to do.”
Bennett isn’t surprised Marshall has found a new lease of life at the Broncos.
“Benji never lost his ability, it’s part of his DNA,” he said. “Yes he is older now and can’t do some things he used to do, but Benji has always kept himself in good shape.
“He has always been a good trainer so I didn’t see any reason he couldn’t play good football for the Broncos.
“I thought he’s got young guys around him who can do some extra running, but he has the smarts, the skill level and the footwork, the great passes, the decision making.
“I watched him as a kid at the Wests Tigers and thought, ‘Geez what a wonderful player’. He was a kid I wished I could have coached and now I’m coaching him. It’s a pleasure to have him here.
“He values the game more than he ever has because he knows time is running out. He just lost the enjoyment ... so it’s good to see him happy in the game again.”
http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...s/news-story/07af5d05fc15afeaa28eff89b21529a0
On the eve of Friday night’s Broncos-Storm blockbuster at Suncorp Stadium, Bennett has for the first time detailed the machinations that led to Marshall’s surprise arrival at Red Hill last November.
Marshall has become the bargain buy of the NRL season, with the Broncos throwing the 32-year-old a $100,000 lifeline after he failed to strike a deal with Storm coach Craig Bellamy.
The veteran of 27 Tests has recaptured his attacking mojo, offsetting the loss of injured pivot Anthony Milford with a sensational display last week against Canberra to keep Brisbane in the top four.
Marshall could easily be wearing Storm colours now as Cooper Cronk’s scrumbase partner, but if not for Bennett, the former Wests Tigers whiz-kid would have quit the NRL entirely.
His confidence and self-belief battered by a turbulent stint at the Dragons, Marshall feared he was finished ... until a phone conversation with Bennett culminated in a Broncos contract.
“I didn’t expect to ever see Benji Marshall in a Broncos jumper — never,” Bennett told The Courier-Mail.
“Benji was actually pretty close to going to Melbourne but when things didn’t work out there, Benji rang me.
“He wanted my honest advice. He asked where he should go. The Storm were apparently in talks with him but things fell through there.
“Anyway, we spoke for a while. I told him he had more to offer someone.”
Bennett then hung up. Thirty minutes later, as both privately mulled over the same possibility, the Broncos coach rang Marshall back.
“As soon as I got off the phone to him, I thought, ‘Bloody hell, why don’t I sign him’?” Bennett said. “So I rang Benji back. I said, ‘Why don’t you come and play for the Broncos?’
“Benji said, ‘I was just thinking that after you hung up’. I said, ‘OK, well let’s do a deal’ and we got it done.
“I was criticised for signing Benji, but he has been a great player for a decade and players like him don’t lose their ability.
“I made no promises to Benji. We had Anthony Milford, Ben Hunt and Kodi (Nikorima) as halves and I told Benji I wasn’t going to get rid of them to accommodate him.
“I said you will have to wait for an opportunity to come, if it comes, but he was happy with that.
“Some older guys in our game lose their hunger but Benji hasn’t — he’s still got the eye for it.”
Marshall confirmed he considered retirement after last year’s season of woe at the Dragons. Now, after just five games for the Broncos, Marshall feels rejuvenated and is set to ink a 12-month extension for a remarkable 16th season of NRL.
“I’ve got my happiness again,” Marshall said. “The reason I came here was to prove a point that I could still play.
“I thought about retiring. I had offers to go overseas or to another NRL club, but I didn’t know what to do. To be honest, I had doubts about whether I still had it.
“I thought, ‘Well maybe my time in the NRL is up’ and Wayne is pretty honest, he will tell me the truth. So we spoke on the phone and I started thinking about the possibility of playing for the Broncos.
“Look, the money isn’t big, but sometimes that is a good thing. It has put things into perspective about why I play this game.
“I knew I wasn’t going to be the first-choice half, but I wanted to push for the 17 and I am trying to make the most of this opportunity.
“I’m really enjoying mentoring the younger blokes. Until ‘Milf’ (Milford) comes back, I will do what I need to do.”
Bennett isn’t surprised Marshall has found a new lease of life at the Broncos.
“Benji never lost his ability, it’s part of his DNA,” he said. “Yes he is older now and can’t do some things he used to do, but Benji has always kept himself in good shape.
“He has always been a good trainer so I didn’t see any reason he couldn’t play good football for the Broncos.
“I thought he’s got young guys around him who can do some extra running, but he has the smarts, the skill level and the footwork, the great passes, the decision making.
“I watched him as a kid at the Wests Tigers and thought, ‘Geez what a wonderful player’. He was a kid I wished I could have coached and now I’m coaching him. It’s a pleasure to have him here.
“He values the game more than he ever has because he knows time is running out. He just lost the enjoyment ... so it’s good to see him happy in the game again.”
http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport...s/news-story/07af5d05fc15afeaa28eff89b21529a0
