Wests Tigers coach Benji Marshall has defended his mid-season family holiday to Fiji, saying he needed to “recharge and refresh.” Despite the Tigers sitting second-last on the NRL ladder with just two wins from 11 games and coming off consecutive wooden spoons, Marshall and CEO Shane Richardson took advantage of the club’s Round 13 bye to leave the country. Marshall spent time with his family overseas, while Richardson traveled to the UK to recruit players. Both faced criticism for their decisions.
Marshall, back from his holiday ahead of the Tigers’ crucial match against the Dragons on Friday, stood by his choice. “I told all my staff to have the time off, mentally freshen up, and not even think about footy,” he 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.”
Marshall’s decision came under fire from several NRL commentators. Gorden Tallis pointed out that iconic coaches like Wayne Bennett and Craig Bellamy would never consider a holiday mid-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 holiday wouldn’t be an issue if the team were winning. “If they’re winning more games, no one’s got a problem with it, right?” Anasta said. “It’s a bad look because they’re going terrible.”
