Benji Marshall dismisses reports linking Bulldogs centre to club
Benji Marshall has dismissed the possibility of unsettled Bulldogs centre Bronson Xerri joining the Wests Tigers, and voiced his disappointment his side had become embroiled in the centre’s stand-off with Canterbury.
Xerri has been dropped to the Bulldogs’ NSW Cup team this weekend following reports he was unhappy at the club and was set to seek a release. News Corp reported the possibility he could join the Tigers, pointing out that the player and Marshall shared the same manager.
But Marshall said that wouldn’t happen – and nor would the Tigers pursue North Queensland’s Scott Drinkwater, who had been shopped to the club as a potential fullback replacement should Jahream Bula exit.
“I like Bronson, he’s a really good kid, a really good footy player, but we’re not looking at Bronson,” Marshall said on Thursday. “I like Drinkwater, he’s a really good player, but we have a fullback [Bula]. We’re not looking at him either.
“What baffles me is we get thrown into these [conversations] and become a part of a story that’s not our story. Let’s stop it there. They’re not coming here.”
Xerri was axed for the Dogs’ Thursday night clash again at Canberra and replaced by Enari Tuala. The 25-year-old will play reserve grade in Belconnen on Saturday.
Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo said this week there were “a number of other factors around training and preparation and things like that” when asked about Xerri’s demotion.
Meanwhile, Melbourne have cash and are in the market for an outside back, but sources with knowledge of the situation not authorised to speak publicly confirmed Xerri had not been discussed by Storm officials. The source said the Storm’s preference was to sign a goalkicking back, with their last recognised sharpshooter, Nick Meaney, to join Perth next season.
Marshall has two handy centres in Heamasi Makasini and Taylan May. The latter will be out for up to six weeks with a shoulder injury, but Marshall said the damage could have been worse.
“The good news for Taylan is he didn’t chip the bone, so he just needs to get strength back into his shoulder, and get it rehabbed,” Marshall said.
“Defensively, Heamasi was outstanding [against the Cowboys], and for a guy who is 18, the maturity he showed in the game, [while] he didn’t have any superstar moments where he’s been compared to Jonah Lomu [like he was in the trials], but that doesn’t happen every week.
“If we get a good 7.5-out-of-10 performance from him each week, that’s good enough for me. I thought he was an eight.”
The Tigers thumped the Cowboys 44-16 in their opening game of the season, with plenty of excited fans snapping up tickets for Saturday’s clash against South Sydney on the Central Coast.
