Should Wests Tigers fans be worried they might lose Benji?

July 17, 2026 — 3:40pm

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You have to wonder how much more Benji Marshall can take before he starts to contemplate pulling the pin on the Wests Tigers.

Now that would be a disaster for the club.

Marshall does not need the stress or the money. He is the unofficial mayor of Canada Bay. He could easily spend his days hitting the ball around Concord Golf Club, and maybe even lowering his impressive handicap of three.

Yet here he was again this week having to answer the hard questions about Jarome Luai and why the decision was made to set him free at the end of the year.

Marshall had a front-row seat to the early exit of coach Tim Sheens, the ongoing boardroom dramas, the Lachie Galvin soap opera, and the sudden departure of his good friend and confidante Shane Richardson at the end of last season – but the Luai split would have stung the most.

Why? Because Marshall knew he had finally found the long-term playmaker the club had craved since “King Benji” hung up the boots.

Wests Tigers halves pairings since the middle of July 2022

Adam Doueihi and Luke Brooks;

Adam Doueihi and Jock Madden;

Brandon Wakeham and Luke Brooks;

Starford To’a and Brandon Wakeham;

Daine Laurie and Brandon Wakeham;

Will Smith and Brandon Wakeham;

Daine Laurie and Luke Brooks;

Daine Laurie and Apisai Koroisau;

Daine Laurie and Will Smith;

Lachlan Galvin and Jayden........

© Brisbane Times