Benji Marshall signs with the Blues

88show

Yes I am kiwi living in Dublin.
Shot callers. Play makers. under pressure players
If there isn't another play maker joining the ranks of the elite all rounders under a NZ flag, If he does as he did for the Tigers, for the Blues,
JK might have secured himself a final place in 2014.
I played 2nd grade for Wests as it was known back then when this weedy kid was running with the prems and he would make your neck snap watching him step some of the Wests and NRL best backline with ease.
he's aged and lost his focus in my view, a great player and gives heart and soul to his art, so a refocus time with one of the great coaching innovators, JK
and with the 3 wise men surely watching his progress
I think he'll come round fine and make inroads if there are any left, where Cruden and superman Carter have left holes!?
certainly not one thinks, but then again we all thought that there was no better than Fox/Mertens
Benji for a black jersey soon, but at whose expense?

my 10cents

.ak

What position do people reckon he will play?

irishbucsfan

I guess 15.


(For a second when I saw this thread I thought Ben Marshall had signed for Cardiff)

88show

15,
12,
10
Who knows
ITM Blues coach wants him running asap but thats a tall order to finsh ARL and straight into ITM Cup rugby

the baby bull elephant

.ak wrote: »

What position do people reckon he will play?

The talk is of him playing 15 with Piatau playing 13 to try and make up for no Ranger.

Morf

He's not much of a kicker of the ball. Poor enough off the tee. Any time I saw the Tigers they were running it on the 5th tackle from anywhere and everywhere.

Phenomenal in open play but I'll be honest that I didn't see him all last NRL season.

Although it might be foolish for a Union team I'd love to see him at 10 getting as much ball as possible. He'd be as exciting as Copper at the Reds.

themont85

Can't defend and dodgy shoulders.

Past it as a League player and hasn't looked himself for 18 months. How is he going to cope woth no 10 metre rule and not being able to run sideways?

Won't be good enough for 2015.

lurtz

bit of negativity surrounding him here. I am incredibly excited to see such a talent play union,he has more rugby in one of his fingernails then most other players in the world. see how he goes before you start making assumptions about whether or not hes past it

themont85

lurtz wrote: »

bit of negativity surrounding him here. I am incredibly excited to see such a talent play union,he has more rugby in one of his fingernails then most other players in the world. see how he goes before you start making assumptions about whether or not hes past it

I've seen how he's gone for 18 months

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience

themont85 wrote: »

Can't defend and dodgy shoulders.

Past it as a League player and hasn't looked himself for 18 months. How is he going to cope woth no 10 metre rule and not being able to run sideways?

Won't be good enough for 2015.

He's still 28 years old, has undoubted talent and even if he hasn't been playing very well in his code for the last year a move to union might be the best thing for him

Stev_o

Ill be amazed if he gets anywhere, honestly you have more chance of ROG and Cooper tackling SOB then Marshall being able to tackle Peter Stringer.

irishbucsfan

Stev_o wrote: »

Ill be amazed if he gets anywhere, honestly you have more change of ROG and Cooper tackling SOB then Marshall being able to tackle Peter Stringer.

He'll be a start in Super XV so!

Swiwi.

I hardly ever watch league these days, but I guess if you're converting over to Union with a somewhat suspect defense, 15 is probably the best place to be, in the sense that you get more time to line up your tackles, rather than the direct runs down the 10 channel etc. I'd say he'll start at 15, but if turns out he can tackle, I wouldn't mind seeing him at 12. He reminds me a bit of JOC, the little I have seen of him.

SBW is being tipped to return to the Chiefs as an aside.

Swiwi.

irishbucsfan wrote: »

He'll be a start in Super XV so!

Neither SOB nor Stringer play SXV, so I guess Marshall is safe so!

hype101

Would scrumhalf be an option?.. Possible position of weakness for the ABs in my view.. He'll struggle to get ahead Dagg/Ben smith/ even Baritt.. Centre doesn't look penetrable either with SBW/Nonu/Kahui/Smith.. With his hands he could make a magician of a scrumhalf I reckon

Swiwi.

hype101 wrote: »

Would scrumhalf be an option?.. Possible position of weakness for the ABs in my view.. He'll struggle to get ahead Dagg/Ben smith/ even Baritt.. Centre doesn't look penetrable either with SBW/Nonu/Kahui/Smith.. With his hands he could make a magician of a scrumhalf I reckon

No, that is one area where the ABs are actually strong at the moment. Aaron Smith & TJ Perenara are good, Kerr-Barlow is a work in progress, and Andy Ellis, despite being out of favour, played well again this year.

SBW has not yet signed to come back to NZ, and Kahui is always injured and is off to Japan anyway. Nonu can't find a Super XV side because it appears he's "problematic", and Father Time is catching up with Nonu/Smith anyway.

NZ's backline areas of weakness at the moment are definitely midfield, especially 13, and left wing where there is Julian Savea and then your guess is as good as mine with the departure of Hosea Gear.

Swiwi.

hype101 wrote: »

Would scrumhalf be an option?.. Possible position of weakness for the ABs in my view.. He'll struggle to get ahead Dagg/Ben smith/ even Baritt.. Centre doesn't look penetrable either with SBW/Nonu/Kahui/Smith.. With his hands he could make a magician of a scrumhalf I reckon

Out of the interest the NZ public have voted

10 - 28%
12 - 24%
15 - 43%
Other - 5%