Wests Tigers coach Benji Marshall has defended his decision to jet off to Fiji for a mid-season family holiday, stating it was necessary to “recharge and refresh.” The Tigers currently sit second-last on the NRL ladder with just two wins from 11 games this year, and Marshall’s side is coming off back-to-back wooden spoons.
Marshall and CEO Shane Richardson used the club’s Round 13 bye to leave the country, with Marshall heading overseas to spend time with his family, while Richardson traveled to the UK to recruit players for the struggling franchise. The pair faced criticism for their decision, but after returning from his holiday ahead of the Tigers’ must-win match against the Dragons on Friday, the rookie coach defended his choice.
“I told all my staff to take the time off, mentally freshen up, and not even think about footy,” Marshall told The Daily Telegraph. “In my view, it’s important to recharge and refresh.
“I’ve played under a lot of coaches, including Wayne Bennett, and sometimes when you’re going through a rough trot like we’ve experienced with eight losses, doing more isn’t always the answer. That doesn’t necessarily mean you don’t care or work less. You want fresh energy.
“We’ve had 11 games straight. Yes, I’m in Fiji. I could have had these days off in New Zealand or even Sydney. Is it that big a difference? We’ll get back to work on Sunday and prepare for St George-Illawarra.”
After a positive start to the 2024 season, Marshall hasn’t been able to lead his side to sustained success. The Tigers coach was fast-tracked into the head coaching role at the expense of Tim Sheens to breathe fresh life into the club. However, as they sit second-last with a strong possibility of collecting the wooden spoon for the third straight season, his decision to leave the country drew criticism from multiple footy pundits.
Discussing the situation on NRL 360 last week, Gorden Tallis pointed out that iconic coaches such as Wayne Bennett and Craig Bellamy would never think of going on holiday in the middle of a season. “Do you think Craig Bellamy, he’s a 20-to-30-year coach, do you think that he goes away to Fiji?” Tallis asked. “Do you think Wayne Bennett does? If you’re coaching against those guys and they’re putting in more hours, normally they would do a better job than you, that’s all I’m saying.”
Braith Anasta added that taking a short holiday away wouldn’t matter if they were winning games, but in the current state, they should be doing all they can to turn things around. “If they’re winning more games, no one’s got a problem with it, right?” Anasta added. “It’s a bad look because they’re going terrible.”