Benji, Zoe Marshall under fire over ‘terrible’ look

NRL figures have come out to support Benji Marshall and wife Zoe after the glamour couple came under fire.

Benji Marshall and wife Zoe Marshall. Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images.

Benji Marshall and wife Zoe have come under fire over a mid-season holiday to Fiji.

The Wests Tigers coach has taken a break to the island paradise while his club sits in crisis at the bottom on the NRL ladder.

The former mercurial playmaker was no-doubt in desperate need of some downtime after he found himself in the middle of a “firestorm” last week with rumours the club is preparing for a multimillion dollar roster clean out.

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However, the 39-year-old has been publicly questioned over his holiday break where he and his family — wife Zoe, three-year-old daughter Ever and six-year-old son Fox — are getting some quality family time.

The Tigers have a bye this week, but haven’t picked up a win since they pipped the Eels on Easter Monday 17-16 in Round 4. It’s one of just two wins this season under Marshall.

With Wests Tigers CEO Shane Richardson also out of the country in the UK, Marshall’s departure looks particularly bad, according to some.

“Do you think Craig Bellamy, he’s a 20-to-30 year coach, do you think that he goes away to Fiji?” Broncos legend Gorden Tallis said on Fox League’s NRL 360 on Monday.

“Do you think Wayne Bennett does?

“If you’re coaching against those guys and they’re putting in more hours, normally they would do a better job than you, that’s all I’m saying.”

Image from Instagram. NRL legend Benji Marshall and award winning podcaster wife, Zoe.

NRL 360 host Braith Anasta also said: “If they’re winning more games, no one’s got a problem with it, right?

“It’s a bad look because they’re going terrible.”

Marshall has previously been questioned over his “family first” approach and was forced to defend himself earlier this year.

Marshall in March scoffed at suggestions he doesn’t have the work ethic to be successful, declaring “you don’t play 347 games with a poor work ethic”.

Marshall, who has the job of leading a team he guided to a premiership in 2005 out of the mire as coach, was bemused at talk he doesn’t do the long hours required and defended his willingness to prioritise family time.

He said he simply “didn’t get” the criticism.

“I come into work early before the players, work as hard as we can until we get what we need done, then we go home,” he said.

“Because I prioritise my family between 5-8pm every night to find a work-life balance, that doesn’t mean I don’t care about my job or care about working hard.

“I don’t get it.”

Wests Tigers chairman and former NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell responded to the criticism of Marshall this week by telling The Daily Telegraph: “Results at the halfway point are clearly not what we as a club had hoped for.

Benji Marshall of the Wests Tigers and wife Zoe Marshall. Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images.

“Our CEO is abroad on business, overlapping our bye round. Our football staff and players have been given time off to freshen up. RLPA mandate is 3 days for players. Players and staff are encouraged to spend this time with family, and get away from footy for a few days.

“All senior staff are available if needed 24/7 via phone. Football staff and players will resume as a group after this short break to begin preparations for our R14 match v Dragons - Fri 7 June.”

Meanwhile, the pressure on Richardson has been even greater than the treatment Marshall has received.

Veteran Daily Telegraph reporter Phil Rothfield questioned Richardson’s decision to leave Australia with the Tigers rooted to the foot of the NRL ladder, facing a sponsorship crisis and searching for a long-term home ground resolution.

“What I find quite remarkable is that their chief executive officer, Shane Richardson, has taken himself to the UK for two weeks amid this crisis,” Phil Rothfield said on NRL360 on Monday.

“Why isn’t he back here working on finding a sponsor, sorting out a home ground?”

NRL360 panellist Brent Read, however, leapt to the defence of Richardson, clarifying that he’s there in an attempt to find potential recruits playing in the Super League.

“He’s looking at players in Super League, he’s also looking at clubs over there that might be interested in some Wests Tigers players,” Read responded.

“They don’t have a recruitment manager.”

— with foxsports.com.au