Benji MARSHALL [
Player Stats]
+ Submit additional information or a correction to this player 
Wed May 6, 2009
by Steve Mascord
AUSTRALIA Test star Greg Inglis has revealed in Rugby League Week he has been tormented this season by the previously unreported violent death of his cousin in February.
During an exclusive interview in this morning's RLW, the Melbourne superstar has spoken for the first time about his struggle to get over the death of 18-year-old Caleb Jarrett from a stabbing at Nambucca Heads during the pre-season.
While Jarrett's death was reported at the time, his relationship to Inglis was not known until now.
Inglis' auntie Francis Marshall also passed away due to natural causes around the same time and the Test centre - currently in camp in Brisbane for Friday's clash with New Zealand, tells the magazine: "It has affected me.
"It has been hard with my footy but I keep saying to myself that they'd only want to see me do my best and that has motivated me to train even harder.
"It was my cousin and untie and it's has been difficult and something that has taken time to get over.
"... at the end of the day I'm only human. You can't control what happens with your family and what life has planned for you though, and that hasn't been easy for me.''
There are sad parallels with Australia's 2008 World Cup campaign, on the eve of which halfback Johnathan Thurston's uncle was killed.
Elsewhere, ARL officials take a shot at the New Zealand Rugby League for telling players before last weekend's club matches they had already been picked for the Anzac Test.
Warriors coach Ivan Cleary tells RLW he did not even know that five of his players had been told of their selection going into Sunday's loss to St George Illawarra.
"It is fraught with danger to tell a player before a club game he is in a representative team and we traditionally do not do it because it can be unfair," ARL chief executive Geoff Carr said.
Sydney Roosters coach Brad Fittler calls for a ruling on the situation from authorities on the matter and Carr offers to take the concerns of NRL clubs to the NZRL.
And still on the big Test, we report on calls the "bash" Benji Marshall and referees coach Robert Finch admits the game could feature 2008-style wrestling because of the involvement on English referee Richard Silverwood.
Mark O'Meley's battle to keep his career alive is laid bare and the Mole reveals a rugby union superstar pondering a code switch and the representative forward who is about to sign a long term deal with his current club worth more than $1 million.
Plus Mark Geyer, Roy Asotasi, Michael Ennis, Robbie Farah and Luke Bailey plus the best in rugby league features and photography from around Australasia and the world.
Only in RUGBY LEAGUE WEEK, OUT NOW.
Sun May 3, 2009
by NZRL
Wests Tigers playmaker Benji Marshall was tonight named to lead the Pirtek Kiwis in the 2009 Anzac Test against Australia at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.
Marshall, who didn't play for the Tigers against the Bulldogs today, was included in an 18-man squad announced just after 7.00pm (New Zealand time).
However, the national selectors are scheduled to meet again later this evening to consider medical reports on St George Illawarra's Jeremy Smith and Penrith's Frank Pritchard before confirming the squad. Both have injuries from this weekend's round on NRL games.
Marshall (24) takes over from Nathan Cayless, who announced his retirement from international football last month after leading New Zealand to its historic Rugby League World Cup final win over the Kangaroos in Brisbane on November 22 last year.
It won't be Marshall's debut as Kiwi captain; he was first handed the task filling in for Cayless in the Pirtek Kiwis' 36-24 pool game victory over England in Newcastle during the World Cup.
Two other former test captains are named in the squad - Roy Asotasi (South Sydney) and Smith (St George Illawarra). Asotasi led the Kiwis in 2007 and again in last year's Centenary Test in Sydney before injury ruled him out of the World Cup while Smith captained the Pirtek Kiwis in their one-off test against Tonga last October.
"We're lucky to have plenty of natural leaders in our group," said Pirtek Kiwis coach Stephen Kearney.
"It was a huge honour for Benji to lead his country against England and it was job he really took to. This is another step. Benji enjoys the extra responsibility and he'll have plenty of leadership support around him from the likes of Roy, Jeremy and others."
Injuries had restricted Marshall to only three tests - all one-off Anzac Tests - before the World Cup but he appeared in six straight internationals in as many weeks in October-November last year.
The squad named tonight is widely based on the players used at the World Cup. Of the 17 in the line-up for the 34-20 win against the Kangaroos, only three have not been included for Friday night's return to Suncorp Stadium. Apart from the now unavailable Cayless, Vodafone Warriors prop Sam Rapira (11 tests) was ruled out with injury and Wigan's halfback-hooker Thomas Leuluai (18 tests) isn't being flown in this time.
"We just felt it's too difficult bringing players back from the Super League for a one-off test here so this time we have considered players from English clubs," said Kearney.
Coming in for Cayless and Rapira are Asotasi and 2007 Kiwi prop Jeff Lima (Melbourne) while Frank Pritchard (Penrith) and Iosia Soliola (Sydney Roosters), who were ruled out of the World Cup with injury, have been recalled.
The squad has a familiar look with so many of the successful World Cup squad predictably retained.
"Where we have lost players who were at the World Cup, we've been able to call on others who all have significant experience at both international and NRL level," said Kearney.
"This test has nothing to do with the World Cup, though. That has gone. We don't have a good record in the Anzac Test. We have to find a way of showing we can be competitive in what's a very important fixture."
Kearney will wait before confirming the Pirtek Kiwis' final 17-man line-up. After a major media session tomorrow morning, the team has its first run tomorrow afternoon. There'll be more training runs on Tuesday and Wednesday plus a session at Suncorp Stadium on Thursday.
The full squad is:Roy Asotasi (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
Adam Blair (Melbourne Storm)
Greg Eastwood (Bulldogs)
David Fa'alogo (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
Nathan Fien (Warriors)
Bronson Harrison (Canberra Raiders)
Lance Hohaia (Warriors)
Jeff Lima (Melbourne Storm)
Issac Luke (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
Simon Mannering (Warriors)
Benji Marshall (C) (Wests Tigers)
Jason Nightingale (St George Illawarra Dragons)
Sam Perrett (Sydney Roosters)
Frank Pritchard (Penrith Panthers)
Jerome Ropati (Warriors)
Jeremy Smith (St George Illawarra Dragons)
Iosia Soliola (Sydney Roosters)
Manu Vatuvei (Warriors)
ISSUED ON BEHALF OF NEW ZEALAND RUGBY LEAGUE
======================================================================================================
 2009 NRL Telstra Premiership
Wests Tigers
15 games; 2 tries, 39/55 goals, 86 points.
[View] Round 1 [16 Mar 09] W 34-26 v Raiders (H). [HB] 10 Pts; 5/6g
[View] Round 2 [21 Mar 09] L 14-42 v Cowboys (A). [HB] 2 Pts; 1/3g
[View] Round 3 [27 Mar 09] W 40-24 v Roosters (H). [HB] 12 Pts; 6/6g
[View] Round 4 [04 Apr 09] L 22-42 v Panthers (A). [HB] 6 Pts; 3/4g
[View] Round 5 [12 Apr 09] L 10-23 v Sea Eagles (A). [HB] 2 Pts; 1/2g
[View] Round 6 [20 Apr 09] W 16-6 v Storm (H). [HB] 4 Pts; 2/3g
[View] Round 7 [26 Apr 09] W 26-24 v Knights (H). [HB] 6 Pts; 3/5g
[View] Round 10 [17 May 09] L 22-23 v Rabbitohs (H). [HB] 6 Pts; 3/4g
[View] Round 11 [22 May 09] L 18-20 v Broncos (H). [HB] 6 Pts; 1t (37th), 1/1g
[View] Round 12 [31 May 09] L 0-14 v Warriors (A). [HB]
[View] Round 13 [05 Jun 09] L 10-26 v Panthers (H). [HB] 2 Pts; 1/3g
[View] Round 14 [15 Jun 09] W 23-6 v Eels (A). [HB] 6 Pts; 3/4g
[View] Round 15 [21 Jun 09] L 12-14 v Storm (A). [HB] 4 Pts; 2/2g
[View] Round 16 [26 Jun 09] L 10-21 v Dragons (H). [HB] 6 Pts; 1t, 1/2g
[View] Round 17 [04 Jul 09] W 54-20 v Rabbitohs (A). [F8] 14 Pts; 7/10g
======================================================================================================
2008 World Cup
New Zealand
5 games; 2 tries, 4/6 goals, 16 points.
[View] Pool A [26 Oct 08] L 6-30 v Australia. [F8]
[View] Pool A [01 Nov 08] W 48-6 v PNG. [F8]
[View] Pool A [08 Nov 08] W 36-24 v England. [F8]
[View] Semi Finals [15 Nov 08] W 32-22 v England. [F8] 6 Pts; 1t, 1/1g
[View] Final [22 Nov 08] W 34-20 v Australia. [F8] 10 Pts; 1t, 3/4g
======================================================================================================
2008 NRL Telstra Premiership
Wests Tigers
18 games; 6 tries, 18/24 goals, 60 points.
[View] Round 1 [16 Mar 08] W 24-16 v Dragons (H). [F8]
[View] Round 7 [27 Apr 08] W 20-16 v Sharks (A). [F8]
[View] Round 10 [18 May 08] W 38-26 v Knights (A). [F8] 8 Pts; 2t
[View] Round 11 [25 May 08] W 20-18 v Gold Coast (H). [F8]
[View] Round 12 [02 Jun 08] L 10-19 v Roosters (A). [F8]
[View] Round 13 [07 Jun 08] W 40-16 v Cowboys (H). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 14 [15 Jun 08] L 6-44 v Eels (H). [F8]
[View] Round 15 [20 Jun 08] L 18-19 v Broncos (A). [F8]
[View] Round 16 [29 Jun 08] L 26-28 v Warriors (H). [F8]
[View] Round 18 [14 Jul 08] L 18-30 v Storm (H). [F8]
[View] Round 19 [20 Jul 08] W 36-12 v Rabbitohs (A). [F8] 8 Pts; 4/7g
[View] Round 20 [26 Jul 08] L 10-24 v Panthers (A). [F8] 2 Pts; 1/2g
[View] Round 21 [03 Aug 08] W 56-4 v Bulldogs (H). [F8] 20 Pts; 1t, 8/10g
[View] Round 22 [08 Aug 08] W 18-10 v Dragons (A). [F8] 14 Pts; 1t, 5/5g
[View] Round 23 [18 Aug 08] L 12-40 v Eels (A). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 24 [23 Aug 08] L 16-48 v Sea Eagles (H). [F8]
[View] Round 25 [29 Aug 08] L 6-32 v Sharks (H). [F8]
[View] Round 26 [07 Sep 08] W 28-12 v Gold Coast (A). [F8]
======================================================================================================
2008 International Test Matches
New Zealand
2 tries, 8 points.
======================================================================================================
2007 NRL Telstra Premiership
Wests Tigers
12 games; 6 tries, 40/52 goals, 104 points.
[View] Round 1 [16 Mar 07] L 16-18 v Storm (A). [F8] 4 Pts; 2/3g
[View] Round 2 [24 Mar 07] L 8-19 v Sea Eagles (H). [F8] 4 Pts; 2/2g
[View] Round 3 [30 Mar 07] L 20-22 v Eels (A). [F8] 12 Pts; 1t, 4/5g
[View] Round 4 [07 Apr 07] L 24-25 v Cowboys (A). [F8] 8 Pts; 4/5g
[View] Round 5 [15 Apr 07] W 14-12 v Sharks (H). [F8] 10 Pts; 1t (74th), 3/3g
[View] Round 7 [27 Apr 07] W 34-18 v Bulldogs (A). [F8] 14 Pts; 1t, 5/6g
[View] Round 8 [05 May 07] W 30-12 v Storm (H). [F8]
[View] Round 20 [30 Jul 07] W 54-10 v Cowboys (H). [HB] 8 Pts; 4/7g
[View] Round 21 [04 Aug 07] L 14-30 v Gold Coast (A). [HB] 2 Pts; 1/3g
[View] Round 23 [18 Aug 07] W 29-28 v Sharks (A). [HB] 12 Pts; 1t, 4/6g
[View] Round 24 [26 Aug 07] L 12-37 v Rabbitohs (H). [HB] 4 Pts; 2/2g
[View] Round 25 [31 Aug 07] L 24-26 v Knights (H). [HB] 16 Pts; 2t, 4/5g
======================================================================================================
2007 International Test Matches
New Zealand
1 games; 1/1 goals, 2 points.
[View] Bundaberg Rum Test [20 Apr 07] L 6-30 v Australia (A). [F8] 2 Pts; 1/1g
======================================================================================================
2006 NRL Telstra Premiership
Wests Tigers
11 games; 3 tries, 4/4 goals, 20 points.
[View] Round 1 [10 Mar 06] W 24-15 v Dragons (H). [F8]
Injury: Suffered broken cheekbone - out for up to six weeks 39th minute
[View] Round 4 [02 Apr 06] W 30-28 v Storm (H). [F8]
[View] Round 5 [07 Apr 06] L 12-32 v Cowboys (A). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 9 [07 May 06] W 24-18 v Sea Eagles (H). [BE]
[View] Round 10 [14 May 06] L 16-18 v Knights (H). [BE]
[View] Round 11 [20 May 06] L 12-34 v Warriors (A). [F8] 4 Pts; 2/2g
[View] Round 12 [28 May 06] W 44-4 v Rabbitohs (A). [F8]
[View] Round 13 [04 Jun 06] W 24-14 v Cowboys (H). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 14 [09 Jun 06] L 12-16 v Sea Eagles (A). [F8] 4 Pts; 2/2g
[View] Round 15 [17 Jun 06] W 26-14 v Roosters (H). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 16 [24 Jun 06] L 20-24 v Panthers (A). [F8]
======================================================================================================
2006 International Test Matches
New Zealand
1 games; [View] Bundaberg Rum Test [05 May 06] L 12-50 v Australia (A). [BE]
======================================================================================================
2005 NRL Telstra Premiership
Wests Tigers
27 games; 15 tries, 60 points.
[View] Round 3 [27 Mar 05] W 37-36 v Bulldogs (H). [F8]
[View] Round 4 [03 Apr 05] W 32-26 v Roosters (A). [F8]
[View] Round 5 [09 Apr 05] W 24-6 v Warriors (H). [F8]
[View] Round 6 [16 Apr 05] L 20-44 v Cowboys (A). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t (71st)
[View] Round 7 [23 Apr 05] L 16-26 v Eels (A). [BE]
[View] Round 8 [01 May 05] L 32-40 v Dragons (H). [F8]
[View] Round 9 [08 May 05] L 26-34 v Sea Eagles (A). [F8]
[View] Round 10 [15 May 05] W 32-16 v Knights (A). [F8]
[View] Round 11 [22 May 05] W 28-16 v Raiders (H). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t (8th)
[View] Round 12 [29 May 05] L 4-21 v Warriors (A). [F8]
[View] Round 13 [05 Jun 05] L 14-30 v Storm (H). [F8]
[View] Round 14 [10 Jun 05] W 34-18 v Sharks (H). [F8] 8 Pts; 2t (16th, 72nd)
[View] Round 15 [18 Jun 05] L 22-40 v Broncos (A). [F8] 8 Pts; 2t (16th, 61st)
[View] Round 16 [26 Jun 05] W 32-24 v Dragons (A). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t (36th)
[View] Round 17 [01 Jul 05] W 49-24 v Sea Eagles (H). [F8] 8 Pts; 2t (20th, 73rd)
[View] Round 18 [10 Jul 05] W 26-16 v Roosters (H). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t (16th)
[View] Round 20 [24 Jul 05] W 42-20 v Souths (H). [F8]
[View] Round 21 [31 Jul 05] W 46-6 v Sharks (A). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t (29th)
[View] Round 22 [07 Aug 05] W 22-14 v Raiders (A). [F8]
[View] Round 23 [14 Aug 05] W 28-16 v Cowboys (H). [F8]
[View] Round 24 [19 Aug 05] W 54-2 v Bulldogs (H). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t (29th)
[View] Round 25 [27 Aug 05] L 22-34 v Storm (A). [F8]
[View] Round 26 [04 Sep 05] L 22-38 v Panthers (H). [F8] 4 Pts; 1t (5th)
[View] Finals Week One [09 Sep 05] W 50-6 v Cowboys (H). [F8]
[View] Finals Week Two [18 Sep 05] W 34-6 v Broncos. [F8] 4 Pts; 1t (16th)
[View] Qualifying Finals [24 Sep 05] W 20-12 v Dragons. [F8] 4 Pts; 1t (4th)
[View] Grand Final [02 Oct 05] W 30-16 v Cowboys. [F8]
======================================================================================================
2005 International Test Matches
New Zealand
1 games; [View] Bundaberg Rum Test [22 Apr 05] L 16-32 v Australia (A). [F8]
======================================================================================================
2004 NRL Telstra Premiership
Wests Tigers
======================================================================================================
|
Marshall, Benji
rleague UK Edition
rleague RSS Feed
