You and me both mate. I’m 43 and am an old Balmain supporter. Since I was 9 we’ve played finals 3 times. I’m pretty much over it and couldn’t care less if we folded. In some ways it would be a relief.Snake and Avo you both might be correct in what you say. At this point it’s very hard to see anything changing what little hope I had is just about gone after 60 years of being a tigers supporter I’m starting to think it’s about time to give it away
@avocadoontoast well I’ve got 5 years on you avo… and that’s why I’ve been over this joint for the last 2 years SIMPLES!!
Let’s remember what Chairman Lee did to this club. He brought back Sheens and signed Benji to coach as part of a 2y transition deal. It was a huge gamble but on paper not crazy. Sheens was a legend who left the club with bad blood but he came back for the love of the club (and the $). He then by round 10 of the first year of Sheens’ return he hires Scott Fulton and essentially sacks Sheens right hand man O’Sullivan because Ray Hadley gave him a call to tell him he was good (ray is is godfather). And so the sheens situation gets toxic rapidly and we end up having to pay sheens to go away and promote Benji to head coach in year 2 with the roster still bent heavily out of shape. This is 3/4 through year 2 of the 5 year plan. Yes there has been some mistakes from Benji but we are not being helped by the mess of the roster he was gifted and by the absolute reaming we are given weekly by the officials. Benji needs help, I doubt Morris is the problem so that means that Robbie needs to go next year and we need to bring in another experienced assistant coach (by that I mean a cartright type guy who isn’t going to ever be the head coach but who has a lot of experience and who can do more of the X’s and O’s). Unless Benji chooses to leave there is zero chance that he gets sacked not least for the fact that he appears to be able to attract decent talent. Hopefully richo can weave his magic and clean out several of our underperforming senior players and kids who are never going to make it in our system and replace them with the best of the NSW cup plus a strike prop/lock/centre and we go again next year.
Well, it's been 57 years as a Balmain and then WT fan (and member from 2011-2022) for me and I have lost hope and lost interest over recent years. Last night (and this season) has done nothing to change that mood. At least I get over embarrassing efforts more quickly these days, given that I half expect it. Surely the Marshall experiment as head coach has to end?
@tigertownsfs I don’t want to keep labouring a point but why are we bringing in other people to prop up a coach because he can’t coach?
as for the recruitment part, he’s signed two players, one on massive money, and api’s cousin. Not convinced on that. Galvin asked to leave and his re-signings were abysmal.
Well, it's been 57 years as a Balmain and then WT fan (and member from 2011-2022) for me and I have lost hope and lost interest over recent years. Last night (and this season) has done nothing to change that mood. At least I get over embarrassing efforts more quickly these days, given that I half expect it. Surely the Marshall experiment as head coach has to end?
Agreed. I’ve become completely disengaged. The coaching this year hasn’t inspired me to think the future is bright or we are heading in the right direction
@the-last-ronin Benji by his own admission is a part time coach not willing the coaching roll to encroach on his family life .. we that’s fine for him . This coaching gig is not a part time deal, as already posted if the coach has to be propped up to fill his own inadequacy in coaching he has been found out ! Benji needs to be removed at seasons end as history tells mid season next year he will be gone and this is worse . The team has shown no improvement actually getting worse he has had more than enough time to put his mark on this team to show moving into next season there are positives! Unfortunately bringing in one player that is NRL level will not help this cause .. Once a coach starts apologising to the fan base it’s over !!
@snake I agree. And those who are asking for more time for Marshall to learn his craft, look at how long it has taken Ciraldo to turn the Dogs around, and he had years of experience as an assistant coach in one of the best systems in the modern game!! As had Fitzgibbon at the Sharks, O'Brien at the Knights and Ryles will bring that to Parra.
Marshall was an assistant coach for less than one year under a guy (Sheens) who was well past his prime. By comparison to those others it could take him a decade to get to their same standard.
Among the supposed comments from Stefano, he said he was waiting to see who the new Parra coach would be until he made a decision on his future. That's hardly a ringing endorsement of Marshall's coaching from one of the WT (allegedly) elite players.
Marshall as head coach is an experiment that has quite obviously failed. Too many players' performance and attitude shows it, IMO.
Benji is not a quitter. He’s not going to quit. He gets at the very least one more year before he gets cut. Let’s see what they can do with the roster and coaching setup over the off season but I cannot see this club cutting its all time most favoured son after 1 season in charge.
this is not a comment on Benji’s ability to coach. It’s bonkers that we have a coach with no experience and we are the reigning double spooners! It’s just the path dependency of where we are and the risks in appointing the club legend with no experience.
It’s a slap in the face to the supporters to keep him in the role.Benji is not a quitter. He’s not going to quit. He gets at the very least one more year before he gets cut. Let’s see what they can do with the roster and coaching setup over the off season but I cannot see this club cutting its all time most favoured son after 1 season in charge.
this is not a comment on Benji’s ability to coach. It’s bonkers that we have a coach with no experience and we are the reigning double spooners! It’s just the path dependency of where we are and the risks in appointing the club legend with no experience.
I have to absolutely disagree with this. Benji needs to stay and sort the mess out he was left with. He gets a full pass this year, regardless of where we come or how we perform on the field. Next year will be a different story. You are not going to fix everything straight away. We currently just don’t have the talent. That’s the issue and it’s the senior members of the group that are letting us down the most. Bring through as many juniors as you can this year, which Benji is already doing, and build from the youth. That’s the future. That’s the way out of this hole that has been dug by many years of previous mismanagement of the club.It’s a slap in the face to the supporters to keep him in the role.Benji is not a quitter. He’s not going to quit. He gets at the very least one more year before he gets cut. Let’s see what they can do with the roster and coaching setup over the off season but I cannot see this club cutting its all time most favoured son after 1 season in charge.
this is not a comment on Benji’s ability to coach. It’s bonkers that we have a coach with no experience and we are the reigning double spooners! It’s just the path dependency of where we are and the risks in appointing the club legend with no experience.
@mike giving a coach extra time absolutely makes sense, but Benji hasn’t shown anything to suggest he is a coach. We don’t have the luxury of time to sit around and wait to see if he can coach. The survival of the club is on the line.
On talent, he’s the guy that signed or re-signed Staines, To’a, Sullivan, Twal, Alaimalo, Doueihi, Olam etc.
I have to absolutely disagree with this. Benji needs to stay and sort the mess out he was left with. He gets a full pass this year, regardless of where we come or how we perform on the field. Next year will be a different story. You are not going to fix everything straight away. We currently just don’t have the talent. That’s the issue and it’s the senior members of the group that are letting us down the most. Bring through as many juniors as you can this year, which Benji is already doing, and build from the youth. That’s the future. That’s the way out of this hole that has been dug by many years of previous mismanagement of the club.It’s a slap in the face to the supporters to keep him in the role.Benji is not a quitter. He’s not going to quit. He gets at the very least one more year before he gets cut. Let’s see what they can do with the roster and coaching setup over the off season but I cannot see this club cutting its all time most favoured son after 1 season in charge.
this is not a comment on Benji’s ability to coach. It’s bonkers that we have a coach with no experience and we are the reigning double spooners! It’s just the path dependency of where we are and the risks in appointing the club legend with no experience.
i agree 100% with this approach Mike, but Im also seeing ongoing, seemingly systemic mistakes from Benji that have nothing to do with the valid points you raise. issue like the constant chopping and changing of our edges, mystifying use of the bench, grinding Api into the ground.
@avocadoontoast The seasoned supporter knows exactly where this is heading . You do not tolerate what is happening with the coaching , a professionally run organisation would rectify this situation this season not let it fester into next season then half way through punt the coach then putting the club back another two seasons . Oh the Weststigers !Club legend or not …
