Benji Marshall’s future may be in doubt, but he took his chances to make a new contact without suffering an all-round noble performance against the Rabbitohs.
Marshall finished the game with three line-break assists and two try-assists, adding to the fighting Broncos’ call for a lifeline to the 35-year-old.
However, the legendary five-eighth came to a poorly executed second duel in the final stages of the second half as the Tigers looked for a game-winning game.
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Marshall’s critical later mistake
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The Rabbitohs led 26-24 and with Wests’ season on the line, it was second rower Luke Garner who came up with a game-changing game to steal the ball from the Bunnies in a duel.
It gave the Tigers a full set in the South Sydney red zone, minutes left on the clock and the most unlikely victory in sight as they fell 20-0 early on.
“Benji would like to play that again,” said Brian Fletcher of the Fox League after the game.
In his credit, Marshall raised his hand to try to find the clutch torque when he went into the second tackle for Chris Lawrence.
The ball was way too heavy off the shoe, however, and jumped out dead, giving Souths a set of seven tackles when Wests missed the only opportunity they had to steal the win.
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Johnston drops a certain attempt
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Marshall was visibly shaken after the game, but his experience and class were so great that he refused to let his involvement in the last set of the game rule him.
Caught near their own line, the Tigers got off to an uninspiring start with three back-to-back hits.
Marshall then got his hands on the ball for the next three games and almost triggered something when he cut the ball out of Tommy Talau, which burst on the left edge.
“He [Marshall] He injured his ankle badly in the first half, ”said Tiger coach Michael Maguire after the game.
“He was in a bit of pain and he put that aside and worked hard for his teammates.”
While Marshall may not have found the right option in the previous sentence, the fact that he was trying to redeem himself instead of thinking about the mistake is the exact reason why it is worth tracking down.
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Two for PUNCH ON!
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Last week it was confirmed that this season would be Marshall’s last with the Tigers, which sparked discussions about where he would be best placed next year.
Fox League’s Braith Anasta discussed ahead of Thursday night’s game how Marshall is “in the shop window” and essentially playing to save his career from retirement.
Marshall only has two games left in his cherished Tigers flick and needs to find a new home if he is to continue playing next year.
A report earlier this week claimed it had received interest from English championship club Leigh Centurions, but no Super League club had made an offer yet.
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“You’re killing her!”
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He may be 35 years old, but Marshall is second in the NRL at 19, just one behind Cronulla’s Shaun Johnson.
His 18 linebreak assists are also the third highest in the league.
While Marshall was disappointed with his execution, it’s important to note that the Tigers would not have been able to win this game in the first place if it hadn’t been for the masterful five-eighths.
The Broncos are expected to be able to spend and are in dire need of experience.
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