Sticking point that could earn Benji a new deal

3 years ago 342

As the timepiece ticks down to Sunday's NRL expansive final, Benji Marshall fans are nervously wondering whether it volition beryllium the past clip they spot the ageing superstar successful nonrecreational rugby league.

Marshall, 36, dropped a weaponry this week erstwhile he declared helium surely has not decided to bent up the boots, but astatine the aforesaid clip is unsure whether helium volition get astatine that decision erstwhile the expansive last is over.

He was handed an 11th-hour lifeline by South Sydney this twelvemonth and present has the accidental to triumph a premiership 16 years aft starring Wests Tigers to glory.

Since that 2005 triumph Marshall has endured a tumultuous vocation that led him to rugby national successful Auckland, backmost to the NRL with the Dragons, past Broncos, past Tigers again, earlier arriving wherever helium is today.

Prominent rugby league commentator Phil Gould says Sunday's expansive last is the cleanable mode to extremity 1 of the NRL's astir captivating careers, nary substance the result.

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"I've been an unabashed admirer of Benji Marshall close passim his career," Gould told James Bracey connected Wide World of Sports' Six Tackles With Gus podcast.

"He's matured into specified a large person and a large playmaker, it's an inspired determination to nonstop him astir again this twelvemonth from Wayne Bennett.

"Retirement? I deliberation this would beryllium the cleanable time to beryllium his past day, but I don't cognize however helium feels, oregon if his emotion of shot means helium volition play until they person to instrumentality him disconnected successful a wheelchair.

"This would beryllium specified a fantastic moment, a fantastic representation to play your past crippled successful a expansive final.

"We've seen large players implicit the years, but precise fewer players get to play their past crippled successful a expansive final. Win oregon lose, it's inactive a memento that you cherish forever.

"I'd hatred to spot him spell astir different twelvemonth and play with a weaker side, decorativeness the twelvemonth connected a atrocious enactment oregon an wounded oregon thing similar that.

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"He's got a accidental astatine a fairytale decorativeness here, Benji, a expansive final, peculiarly if they win. But determination would beryllium a batch of large memories for him adjacent if helium played successful a losing side."

The antheral who brought Marshall to South Sydney, manager Wayne Bennett, is leaving the nine aft Sunday's expansive final.

The Rabbitohs are losing seasoned halfback Adam Reynolds to the Broncos, but the nine has a fig of young playmakers acceptable to measurement into the NRL and statesman a caller epoch successful the cardinal and myrtle.

On apical of that, South Sydney person bought Anthony Milford for the 2022 season, though his declaration whitethorn present hinge connected the result of assault charges laid against the maligned playmaker earlier this month.

Andrew Johns said if Milford's Bunnies declaration is torn up, Marshall whitethorn beryllium offered one.

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"I deliberation he's acceptable capable to support going if helium wants to (keep playing)," Johns said of Marshall connected Wide World of Sports' Freddy and The Eighth.

"You tin spot helium inactive enjoys playing, truthful it shows helium inactive enjoys grooming if he's fit, helium looks fresh. If they triumph a expansive final, putting yourself successful Benji's shoes, that's it, you discontinue connected that.

"But I deliberation it each depends connected Anthony Milford, he's got immoderate dramas astatine the moment, and what happens there.

"If helium wins (the expansive final) I deliberation that's it."

Fellow fable Brad Fittler doesn't privation to spot Marshall, who volition beryllium 37 by the clip adjacent play starts, spell to different nine and fail.

"I don't deliberation Benji would privation to spell to a squad that's not doing arsenic good arsenic Souths, I deliberation that would beryllium incredibly hard," Fittler said.

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"If helium stays astatine Souths that could work, it depends connected the Milford happening of course. But determination wouldn't beryllium galore teams extracurricular South Sydney wherever helium would bask it, it would person to beryllium a winning team.

"If helium was coming successful (to a team) wherever each helium was doing was defending, past his enjoyment for the crippled could crook astir truly quickly.

"The information Souths person done truthful good this twelvemonth has benefited Benji, and if it had to beryllium different squad I'd beryllium a spot tense if it wasn't 1 of the starring teams."

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