Benji Marshall hits back at rumours of disharmony as Wests Tigers survive a late comeback by the Roosters
Fresh off the back of a morale-boosting win against the Roosters, Wests Tigers coach Benji Marshall has come out firing against rumours of friction at the club following more player movement.
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Wests Tigers coach Benji Marshall has come out firing against rumours of disharmony at the club.
Fresh off the back of a morale-boosting win against the Roosters, Marshall said unnecessary outside pressure is put on his team.
“All the shit that happened during the week that was just unfair and not true, it starts because we are losing,” Marshall said.
“It gets reported, then every podcast jumps on it and every news article jumps on something that is not true.
“The thing with me and Adam was crazy. And we have to defend that. It just puts pressure on the club that we don’t need from something that is not true.
“Again, letting juniors go … we didn’t let any juniors go. They didn’t want to be here. That’s where it’s at, and we want guys who want to be here.”
Staring down the barrel of a seventh-straight loss, the Tigers started strongly against the Roosters, shooting to a 20-0 lead after 30 minutes and led 28-10 after 50.
However, the similarly undermanned Roosters rallied late and came within a whisker of snatching an unlikely victory after scoring three unanswered tries in the closing 25 minutes.
Despite scoring four tries to the Roosters’ five, it was an amazing effort from the Tigers considering they were missing the mercurial trio of Jarome Luai (Origin), Api Koroisau (concussion) and Jahream Bula (injury).
Brothers Latu, Samuela and Sione Fainu were sublime, with all three crossing for a try apiece. Latu was particularly impressive with a hand in three of the Tigers’ four tries, indicating to fans he is a more than adequate replacement for departed playmaker Lachlan Galvin.
Centre Adam Doueihi was also integral, with his seven goals from seven attempts helping Tigers to their first win since Magic Round, easing the pressure on under-fire coach Benji Marshall.
“This win means a lot,” Latu told Fox Sports.
“Not just for us, but for our fans and especially our coach. He’s been through a lot and we just did it for him.
“I just played my game and played what was in front of me.
“I played all my juniors with Samuela, so I feel really comfortable playing alongside him.”
The Roosters were also depleted going into the match, with Connor Watson, Lindsay Collins, Robert Toia, Spencer Leniu and Angus Crichton all missing on Origin duty, but they still came into the game hot favourites, having won their last eight matches against the joint venture club.
The Tigers opened the scoring in the 10th minute when Starford To’a’s late offload created a try for Charlie Staines and they extended their lead eight minutes later when Egan Butcher’s high shot on Sunia Turuva gave Doueihi an easy shot at goal and an 8-0 score line.
Latu was the first Fainu to get on the board when he raced away to score after scooping up a dropped ball from Hugo Savala in the 23rd minute, while Sione joined him six minutes later after crashing over from short range.
The Tricolours staged a mini comeback in the closing stages of the first half, with consecutive tries to Daniel Tupou and Mark Nawaqanitawase making it 20-10 at the break, but the Tigers pushed the score out to 28-10 after 50 minutes when Samuela’s try was followed up by a second Doueihi penalty goal.
Desperate for quick points, they rallied again late with debutant Tom Rodwell setting up Savala to put them back within 12, and when Nawaqanitawase grabbed his second in the 75th minute, it was suddenly game on once again.
Doueihi looked to have got the Tigers home when he kicked his fourth penalty in the 78th minute, but Tedesco made it a two-point ball game with 17 seconds remaining.
Originally published as Benji Marshall hits back at rumours of disharmony as Wests Tigers survive a late comeback by the Roosters
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