Five reasons why the St George Illawarra Dragons are a great fit for Benji Marshall
WITH the St George Illawarra Dragons having signed Benji Marshall, we reveal five reasons why the Red V is a great fit.
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WITH the St George Illawarra Dragons having signed Benji Marshall, we reveal five reasons why the Red V is a great fit.
FULL STORY: BENJI SIGNS WITH DRAGONS
1. The Dragons need a halfback
St George Illawarra have struggled to find a No. 7 since the retirement of premiership-winner Ben Hornby at the end of 2012. Since then, the Dragons have trialled the likes of Nathan Fien (now retired), Josh Drinkwater, Michael Witt, Adam Quinlan and Sam Williams – with little success. The Dragons have already tried three halfbacks this year alone in Witt, Quinlan and Williams. Even the hulking Kyle Stanley trained in the halves during the off-season, although he has been used mostly as a bench utility this year. Halfback is a piece of the puzzle the Dragons are desperate to fill – and Benji could well emerge as the side’s trump card.
2. Widdop will take charge, Benji can improvise
Marshall plays his best football when not burdened with organising duties and instead given free rein to play what he sees. Benji’s best football at the Tigers, including the surge to the 2005 title, came with Scott Prince calling the shots inside him. But after Prince left, the Tigers made the top eight in just two of the ensuing eight years. Likewise, Benji’s best football for New Zealand, including shock wins at the 2008 World Cup and 2010 Four Nations – came with Nathan Fien as chief organiser. At the Dragons, Gareth Widdop will play the team leader role, allowing Benji to do what he does best – improvise.
3. Complete cut of Tiger ties
Benji admits he became disinterested, unfit and lazy at the Tigers. He became too comfortable in the Tigers’ culture, and that culture of lethargy was in danger of continuing at the Sharks, who feature a glut of ex-Tigers in Beau Ryan, Chris Heighington, Blake Ayshford and Bryce Gibbs. The Dragons’ regular first grade squad features no ex-Tigers, making the Red V a totally new start for Marshall.
4. Benji will complete a representative spine and backline
With Test stars Brett Morris, Josh Dugan and Jason Nightingale in the backline, English international Gareth Widdop in the halves and Country Origin hooker Mitch Rein delivering the ball, Marshall will be in an environment, for the first time since 2005, where he has the least amount of pressure on him. A less pressured Marshall will allow him to carefully choose his spots opposed to trying to produce a miracle play every time the ball touches his hands. Unlike his latter years at the Tigers, the Dragons aren’t reliant on Marshall – playing conditions he will flourish under.
5. Ad-lib attack and offloading forwards will suit Marshall’s style
Marshall is at his brilliant best when he can attack by reacting to what he sees opposed to sticking to a structured plan. And the Dragons’ new cavalier approach in attack, highlighted by the compulsive offloads of Trent Merrin, will create plenty of second-phase and broken play opportunities for Marshall to exploit. Likewise, if his teammates can keep an open mind and live by the mantra ‘back-up Benji’, then signing the former Kiwi international will soon pay dividends for the Dragons.
Originally published as Five reasons why the St George Illawarra Dragons are a great fit for Benji Marshall
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