Benji Marshall

At 39 years old, Benji Marshall has this physical status:

Rugby league career

Marshall made his NRL debut against the Newcastle Knights in Round 20 of the 2003 NRL season, becoming a replacement in the 14th minute as fullback. The Wests Tigers defeated Campbelltown 2412-12. Marshall continued to play for the Wests Tigers for the remainder of 2003 when his studies enabled him, while playing halfback. Marshall scored his first NRL try against the Penrith Panthers in Round 24. In his debut season, he had one try out of four appearances.

Marshall helped the Wests Tigers win the tournament in the pre-season World Sevens tournament. He started the season at centre until he dislocated his shoulder against the North Queensland Cowboys in Round 4. The Tigers struggled in attack during his time off season. When he returned from four weeks, he was recalled to a five-eighth position. Marshall started the club on a three-match winning streak. He dislocated the same shoulder four weeks before returning to Round 13. Marshall's season came to an end after he had surgery, and he ended the year with 2 tries from 7 matches.

Marshall sustained his other shoulder in the first trial match in 2005. Marshall played five-eighth for the club's second game of the season against the Bulldogs, who were defending premiers. Marshall demonstrated a passing, running, and kick game to complement his kicking game with an injury-free run. He was able to score individual attempts and set up tries for his coworkers. In 2005, Marshall made his New Zealand debut in the ANZAC Test. Marshall was a member of the Wests Tigers who defeated North Queensland Cowboys in the 2005 NRL grand final, where he impressively launched a 90-meter effort to Pat Richards, which was one of the finest attempts of grand final history. At about the 50-meter line to Richards, the attempt involved a trademark 'flick pass.' Marshall was named as the New Zealand five-eighth for the 2005 Tri Nations tour. However, surgery in his weak shoulder in the offseason had him out, and he also skipped the 2006 World Championship Tournament.

Marshall recovered from surgery against St George Illawarra in round 1, but he broke his cheekbone. He participated in the rest of the game and scored the winning try.

Marshall made his earliest appearance against the Cowboys a few times, displaying a mixture of stepping and perceptiveness. Carl Webb, Cowboy's prop, was injured in the 79th minute. In the ANZAC test, he pulled his shoulder out but recovered in three weeks while playing for New Zealand. He started delivering dominating performances for the Tigers but eight weeks into his come-back, he dislocated the same shoulder against North Queensland, and he missed the remainder of the season.

Marshall recovered from injury against the Melbourne Storm in Round 1 in 2007. Marshall had to adapt to changes within the company, including the departure of halfback, Scott Prince, and the added responsibility of goal kicking when fullback Brett Hodgson was recovering from a knee injury. "Marshall had to become something else," the Daily Telegraph later said, "he had to become an organizer, a tyrant, and a tactician." This never came naturally to him, but he made himself into that type of player because he had to do it."

Marshall was selected to play for New Zealand at five-eighth in the 2007 ANZAC test, kicking one goal in the 6–30 loss. Marshall suffered a fractured shoulder in a tackle in which his arm was jammed between Melbourne's Israel Folau and the Tigers' Taniela Tuiaki, but he didn't return until round 20. He missed the Centenary Trans-Tasman Test due to illness and also skipped the Kiwi Tour of Great Britain and France earlier this season.

Marshall's injury troubles halted in 2008 after he sustained a knee ligament tear in the third minute of the season's first game. In round 7, he was recalled. Coach Tim Sheens announced his intention to move Marshall to the halfback position during the 2009 season, as well as encouraging New Zealand coach Stephen Kearney to play Marshall in this role during the 2008 World Cup. The suggestion was turned down.

Marshall was selected in the World Cup's 24-man squad. On Saturday, he captained New Zealand against England for the first time. In the World Cup final victory over the Kangaroos, Marshall scored a try and kicked two conversions. In a game that was deemed "massive underdogs," the Kiwis win their first World Cup victory.

Marshall got his start at halfback with John Morris at five-eighth in round one of the 2009 season. Marshall began to make a difference in his new role, leading the Sydney Roosters to a 40–24 victory.

Marshall signed with the Wests Tigers for another two seasons until the end of 2011. Despite rumors that he would play rugby union in Japan, he continued to play rugby union in Japan in March. Marshall was named captain in that year's ANZAC examination, following Kiwi captain Nathan Cayless' retirement from international football.

Marshall returned to his old position of five-eighth from July, although both Marshall and coach Tim Sheens insisted that Marshall had been switching between first and second receivers throughout the entire season. He went on to be named 5/8 in The Rugby League International Federation's Team of the Year.

Marshall signed a new deal with the Tigers in early 2010, promising to remain at the club until the 2015 season, saying, "I just can't see myself as anything other than a one-club guy." Marshall was an automatic pick for the NRL All Stars in 2010.

Marshall scored two tries against the Parramatta Eels in March 2010 to become the highest try-scoring for the Wests Tigers, smashing the record of 43 set by Daniel Fitzhenry in March. He captained New Zealand at five-eighth in their loss to Australia in the 2010 Anzac Test. Marshall kicked a 51-meter field goal later this year, the longest in NRL history, according to a match against the Titans. Marshall did not miss a game due to injury this year, and his form was expected to be close to his career-best. In 2010, he appeared in 34 games, the most of any NRL player.

Marshall led the Kiwis to victory in the 2010 Four Nations tournament, despite two late tries in what was described as "perhaps the best game of his life." Since being named the year's best international footballer, he was also honoured with the Rugby League World Golden Boot Award. He was named one of the year's best players by a Big League magazine.

Marshall, New Zealand's captain, was second on an automatic pick in the 2011 All Stars Match.

Marshall was charged with assault in March after another man sustained a facial fracture during an altercation with Marshall at a McDonald's restaurant in Sydney. The judge dismissed the lawsuit in August after finding she had a legitimate doubt that Marshall caused the injury.

Marshall scored two tries against the New Zealand Warriors in round 14 of the 2011 season. He had scored a try against every team in the NRL earlier this season. He had surpassed Brett Hodgson as the highest scorer in the Wests Tigers' short history, scoring 797 points in 151 games before the season's end. Marshall was the top point-scorer for the 2011 NRL season. Marshall travelled to England with the Kiwis after the post-season test against Australia in Newcastle.

The annual RLIF Awards dinner was held at the Tower of London on November 3rd, 2011; Marshall was named stand-off half the year.

Marshall led the NRL All Stars team to victory in the inaugural Arthur Beetson trophy in 2012. Despite the club's poor showing, he was one of the few players to play in every Wests Tigers game for the year, and the NRL led the NRL in try assists and line-break assists in the regular season. The club trialed a number of players at halfback in 2012 before Marshall switched from five-eighth to five-eighth in May, following Robert Lui's retirement in the off-season.

Marshall kicked two goals to become the first Wests Tigers and 43rd player in Australia to score over one thousand points in the second game of the regular season. He was nominated for the Dally M halfback of the year at the end of the season.

Marshall played his 20th game as New Zealand test captain during the post-season Trans-Tasman Test 10–18 loss to Australia in Townsville, breaking the previous record for the Kiwis' most capped captain' for the Kiwis, which was previously held by Gary Freeman since 1995.

Marshall was selected to play in the 2013 NRL All Stars match as the incumbent New Zealand national captain. Marshall was fired as the team's captain weeks after, according to New Zealand coach Stephen Kearney. "It was the proudest moment of my career, captaining my country," Marshall said. I was lucky enough that I managed to smash the record for most caps as Kiwi captain. Steve's and the New Zealand Rugby League's decision was made, but it wasn't just a decision that I'm going to have to live with."

Marshall was pushed to the bench by May, when the Wests Tigers were on a losing streak. "We need to change something around," Coach Mick Potter said. We can't just keep doing what we've been doing and expecting a result. Benji, as you might imagine, was dissatisfied. Disappointed is obviously not difficult enough." Marshall admitted early on that he was playing poorly and without hope. "I've barely taken the line this year, and I've barely been attacked." "I was barely contributing to the team in the first six rounds," he said.

After the club refused to offer him a contract extension and upgrade that had not previously agreed to, Marshall requested a release from the remaining two years of his Wests Tigers contract to pursue a career in rugby union in July. He completed the remainder of the season before retiring and leaving the Wests Tigers as the club's all-time top try and point scorer.

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