Building a Family Culture: Benjiโฃ Marshall‘s Early Success at the tigers
Theโ Wests Tigers‘โฃ recent recruitment strategy, highlighted by the inclusion of the Fainu brothers โand the โคMaysโ – Terrell and Taylan – has โfostered โขa unique team dynamic under coach Benji Marshall. This approachโ goes beyondโ simply assembling a talented squad; Marshall has cultivated โa strong sense of connection โคamongst his players, rootedโ in a โขfeeling of shared belonging.
Coaches across professional sports continually seek the optimal methods to motivate peak performance. Marshall appears to have discovered a notably effective formula for the Tigers, centering onโ the concept of โคfamily within the โขteam. โฃHe actively encourages players’ children to join the team in the dressing room after matches, a small gesture that underscores hisโข commitment to this philosophy.Assistant coach Benjiโ Richardson believes Marshall hasโ assembledโค a group fully invested in the team’s vision. “He’s finallyโ got a crew who haveโค bought into what we want to do, understand their place is โฃsecure โคand understand each day Benji has a way of coachingโ and playing the game,”โฃ Richardson โคstated.
Though, early success doesn’tโฃ guarantee long-term โขstability, particularly โfor a coach still establishing โขthemselves. Veteran coach โฃWayne Bennett, speaking toโฃ foxsports.com.au, acknowledged Marshall’s potential. “Benji was a really smart player and a really โคsmart guy โto talk to about football and how it should โฃbe played,” Bennett said. “it was obvious to me he would finish up coaching. He’s very good with people.”
Bennettโ stressed โขthe importance of โorganizational support for young coaches. “But you need a club that’s goingโ toโ stand behind you. I was a young coach once andโ I’m only here becuaseโข a couple of chairmen stuck behind me at different stagesโ of โmyโ career when โI was onโค the edge. They give youโฃ that bit of time you needโ to get it done. The problem is everyone wants results and โthey thinkโ the nextโฃ guy โฃcan โฃget it for you, but it doesn’t work likeโฃ that.”
The NRL has โseen numerous players transition โคdirectly into coaching roles,โค and navigatingโ the shift from teammate to coach can be challenging. โMarshall’s playing career concluded in 2021 with a bench appearance in South Sydney’s Grand Final loss to Penrith.His final season under Bennett may have โaccelerated his coaching aspirations, and at 40 years old, he still โฃpossesses โthe physical ability to participate โin โขdrills with hisโค players.
The questionโ remains โคwhetherโฃ a coach should actively demonstrateโค skills alongside players, or maintain โa more detached, observational role.Richardson highlighted Marshall’s hands-on coaching style, comparing it to Bennett’sโฃ approach. “Ifโค you look at wayne Bennett, he’s on theโ field the whole time,”โค richardson explained.”Wayne Bennett and Benji don’t rely on what a lot of coaches do, whichโค is โnotโข pullingโ up a mistake and just gettingโ onto the next play. They will rely on looking at a drone afterwards.Butโ they’reโค hands-on then and there. They show you at the time, ‘you should have gone left that way, โor that pass wasn’t delayed long enoughโฆ’ They stop training to make sure they fix that mistake. that’s the wayโค he coaches.”
Marshall has recently shifted to observing games โfrom the sideline, aโค change Richardson โคbelieves enhances his effectiveness. “Benji is working out his style of coaching. now he’s onโฃ the sideline (during games), which I think is great. He feels more effective down there.”
Richardson concluded, “We’re lucky to have him. Peopleโค talk about loving the club, he actually loves the club – and the โfans too.”
Watch every game of theโ 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership LIVE with no ad-breaks during playโ on FOX LEAGUE, available onโ Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Join now and get your firstโ month for just $1.