TotalRL stating he has been offered to SL clubs for next season. Should we be interested? Give him a year or two with Dodd working under him?
TotalRL stating he has been offered to SL clubs for next season. Should we be interested? Give him a year or two with Dodd working under him?
If he can still run, yes. If he can't, no.
I don't think I've seen him play since he was in his prime that I can remember.
Brilliant in his prime but no point now.
No chance, far too much of gamble, he's 35 now and would still probably want a fair wedge.
‘Offered to super league clubs’ is code for ‘let Toronto know there’s another over the hill player who wants one last big pay check’
Forwards win games. The backs decide by how much.
My initial thought was the Catalans Dragon Holiday Home for Antipodeans. He was still good last year so could easily do a job over here.
St Helens Rugby League Football Club
In his prime he was absolutely brilliant, one of my favourite players. Everything that you want from a running half- creativity, footwork & speed!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=009TzYp4HDY
I think even Benji Marshall himself will tell you that his best days are behind him, but still performing to a good standard in the NRL nonetheless.
I don't think Saints should be looking at him moving forwards.
Regards,
STEVO
One of my favourite players to watch over the years but he’s not what we need right now. Fages is solid if unspectacular and I certainly wouldn’t see him as a weak link that needed replacing.
I think over the next 12-18 months all of our spare resources will be spent on the pack. How many of the current forwards are likely to be lining up for us in 2022 for example?
Knowles, Walmsley, Lees, Smith, Bentley....any others?
So that’s at least 2 props, 2 2nd rowers and depending on the progress of Smith and Eaves maybe a hooker too that will all need to come in over the next year or 2 unless we get a couple of the younger lads suddenly breaking through.
So sorry Benji, your pension pot will have to get topped up elsewhere pal!
NEVER WRITE OFF THE SAINTS
Apparently he's been playing very well over the last year or two, but as people have said, it would be a hell of a gamble in a position where we don't currently need to take gambles.
Yep agree with this. Benji has been revamped the last couple of seasons, a classic example of a player who may not have the legs still but the brain is sharp as ever. Commentators in NRL were asking him if this was his last season but after 2 games were asking him if he would be staying on for longer.
I dont think he would be a buy for Saints, I would actually be surprised if he went to Europe at all, he does a lot of media work down here( alongside James Graham usually) and is a big role model for Maori youth in particular. A year or two away from Aus and NZ could jepodise that career path.
He is a very marketable player. Maybe Ottawa/New York are his likely destination, he could play on for a long time in League 1/Championship.
Our current squad allows us to look long term and we need to get some younger players for our pack.
I could agree with you but then we would both be wrong.
I'm normally one who is totally against signing a player of Marshalls age.
However with my Wigan hat on here goes.
At the end of this season we will lose O'Loughlin and Leuluai, a lot of experience, Smithies will replace Lockers and Harry Smith will replace Leuluai, both excellent young players.
Now the problem. If Hastings goes back to Aus, and I think it will happen we don't have another youngster ready at this time. Hanley could do a job but IMO he's not ready and is primarily a fullback. To go into a season with two young inexperienced halves would be suicide.
So with that in mind I would take Marshall on a one year deal with a second year option if Hastings goes. He was very good in todays game.
I wonder if that Williams lad from Canberra fancies a go over here, he looks o.k.
Last edited by Rogues Gallery; 30th May 2020 at 16:49.
I was thinking about this earlier, with Roby coming to the end do we look to Fages as a hooker in tandem with Smith/Eaves. I wouldn't like to lose Fages but I think we need be looking at a bit more creativity at Scrum half, especially as you say with Woolfe's dreary tactics.
I like Fages because I think he fits in well with the rest of the back line. Lomax, Naquima, Percival, Grace etc are all brilliant runners and players who are quick and can create things if we can get the ball to them. Fages is a bit more structured but he sets the field position up for those players to attack and I like the contrast he brings, I think he makes those players look better and does the thinking for them so to speak. Thought he had a really good season last year and was particularly good in the play-off’s IMO. I thought the way he stepped up at 7 given it was his first full season in that position was impressive as was his improvement from the season before.
Watching from the side of the pitch at Old Trafford, it was noticeable how loud and how vocal he was as well which will serve him well at both 9 and 7. Didn’t stop talking all game.
Think his biggest weakness and need to work on though is his long kicking. His short kicking is fine but his clearing kicks lack a bit of height and distance at times.
I think he could play 9 quite comfortably as well to be fair. He’s not a big defender but I think the rest of his skill set is transferable between 7 and 9.
Steve Prescott MBE (1973-2013)
V