Benji Marshall’s NRL head coaching debut carries intense intrigue for a man who refuses to follow the norm | Bulldog’s Bite
Benji Marshall refuses to let football dominate his life, won’t quit social media or follow the trail others have blazed. Can he succeed if he won’t put in the hours? Experts are split.
A rock star who will revolutionise coaching or a rookie clipboard holder who won’t put in the hours to succeed?
Wests Tigers’ Benji Marshall will officially start his highly-anticipated coaching tenure this Saturday amid questions over his new-age methods.
His players say Marshall sees the game differently to most.
One Wests Tigers player told his manager that Marshall will sometimes arrive at his Concord office three hours after other staff members.
There is a general expectation that coaches start work between 5am and 6am every day. Marshall doesn’t operate that way. Who says all coaches have to follow the same path and routine?
In November last year, Marshall said: “I’m not your typical head coach. I do like time away from it. I’m not 24/7 coaching.”
A former premiership-winning coach read the comment and said: “F… me dead, this won’t end well.”
Another coach said he would be lucky to give himself the luxury of half a day off a week.
Marshall will do it his way … but will it work?
The path Marshall has chosen to walk will become much clearer after Saturday afternoon’s game against the Raiders in Canberra.
This masthead asked an NRL club CEO about Marshall’s different approach and his refusal to be a “24/7 coach.”
His response was fascinating.
“The conventional wisdom towards coaching is overplayed,” he said.
“It’s not all about sitting there watching hour and hour of video. Surely there’s more than one way to skin a cat.”
Marshall had a swagger that elevated him to the top of rugby league. An immensely gifted player who changed rugby league forever.
But can that flamboyant personality resonate into a hardworking coach over the laborious grind of an NRL, covering every minute detail about a looming game?
Without referring directly to Marshall, one coach said: “When you’re starting out, you have to do the hours.”
Unlike other coaches, Marshall remains on Instagram and has pulled in 194,000 followers.
Nothing wrong with that but, again, Marshall is unlike the stereotypical coach. Who says you have to work 18 hours a day and stay off social media to be a success?
Marshall rubs some up the wrong way, others are drawn to his charisma.
It was generally agreed that Marshall coached Wests Tigers last year but Tim Sheens copped the criticism. Now, Benji is out there, open for trolls, fair game for fans.
On Saturday Marshall comes up against Canberra’s Ricky Stuart, who blazed a similar trail into coaching with precious little experience. After retiring as a player in 2000, Stuart guided Canterbury’s Jersey Flegg side to the title the following year, before taking over as the Sydney Roosters NRL head coach in 2002 and winning a premiership in his first year.
However, the list of great players who have failed as coaches is long and ugly. International players, dud coaches. The very best have failed with some legends posting a modest 30 per cent win ratio.
And some coached Wests Tigers. Terry Lamb had a 30 per cent winning record, while Jason Taylor and Wayne Pearce also struggled.
One ex-Sydney-based coach said: “The difference between playing and coaching is massive. As a coach, you’ve got all the responsibility but as a player you only have to look after yourself.”
One rugby league great with a poor coaching record is Bulldogs champion Paul Langmack, who won five from 35 games in charge of Souths in 2003 and 2004.
Langmack was named first grade coach despite telling club officials at the time he didn’t want the top job.
“My first ever game as a coach wasn’t in the juniors – it was in the NRL,” Langmack said. “I went straight into a Melbourne Cup against Might and Power without a run – I had no hope.
“In some ways, a lesser player will coach better because he has had more demons and adversity than a great player. The great players think this comes naturally to everyone but it’s a rare talent.
“He wouldn’t know what it’s like to be an average player. Guys like Benji Marshall and Wally Lewis were one-of-a-kind so it’s very hard for them to understand what it’s like to be an average player.”
Perhaps Marshall’s personality may help his side forget claiming the past two wooden spoons, winning just eight from 48 games, and watching and reading an off-season from hell.
Wests Tigers CEO Shane Richardson debunked claims around Marshall’s worth ethic.
“He is highly organised – early for every meeting,” Richardson said recently.
One gets the feeling something big will unfold in Canberra. Will a coaching superstar begin his journey or will Marshall come under instant scrutiny?
He is certainly shaking things up. Saturday will be captivating.
PACKED OUT PARRA
Parramatta is poised to create rugby league history by playing in front of four successive sellout crowds.
The Eels filled CommBank Stadium last weekend against Canterbury and will confront Penrith at a full BlueBet Stadium this Friday night.
Parramatta officials are then anticipating a further sellout against rivals Manly in round three and again against Wests Tigers on Easter Monday, both games being played at CommBank Stadium.
THE US GLEE EAGLES
Manly skipper Daly Cherry-Evans hopes his side can emulate the famous Dallas Cowboys.
Cherry-Evans wants Manly to become America’s rugby league team, as Dallas is known in the NFL.
“I’d love to go back, for sure, and if our club wanted to become America’s favourite team in Australia, then that would be awesome,” Cherry-Evans said. “We really immersed ourselves in Vegas.
“It was a fantastic experience, pretty crazy, something special. The spectacle will grow and grow and grow.”
BRYCE FOR BLUES
I will call it early – don’t be surprised if Parramatta’s Bryce Cartwright is being discussed for NSW selection around State of Origin time.
He has a massive fan in Eels assistant coach Trent Barrett.
“Trent said Bryce is ready to explode and this will be his best season ever,” said Cartwright’s manager, Allan Gainey.
“Bryce has put on about five or six kilograms and had an enormous off-season. He is firing.”
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