Benji Marshall declines to respond as press conference concludes unexpectedly

Wests Tigers coach Benji Marshall expressed that his team has made significant progress in crucial areas and should have secured a win against the Knights on Friday evening.

However, the post-match press conference took a somber turn despite Marshall’s earlier compliments about his squad, when a reporter pressed him to clarify the key moments that led to the defeat.

“Benji, you mentioned a few pivotal moments that cost you the match. Could you expand on those?” the journalist inquired.

“No,” Marshall replied calmly, shaking his head.

The Tigers legend then paused for a moment before thanking the media and exiting the room.

It was evident that Marshall was visibly irritated by the question after having spent most of the press briefing highlighting the positives of their performance despite the loss.

Earlier, he remarked that he believed his team was the stronger side for the majority of the contest.

“There were two things; we were certainly unhappy with the outcome,” Marshall stated.

“I’m proud of certain aspects we can draw from that game.

“I believe we dominated portions of the match but we let ourselves down in a few instances.

“Overall, regarding the areas we want to improve, there were noticeable advancements, so we’ll focus on the positives. It’s Round 1, and while we would have loved to come away with a win today, we’re ready to work hard for next week.”

He further remarked: “I thought the energy in our defence was commendable.

“We defended our try line for probably six or seven consecutive sets despite making errors.

“That’s a promising sign; I thought they really fought hard in our goal-line defence, but there were just moments in the second half that we wish we could have back. That said, the result can’t be changed now, and we’ll put in the hard work for the upcoming week.”

Tigers captain Jarome Luai reflected on his debut match as a young Panther during the loss.

The 28-year-old commanded attention in Campbelltown, galvanising a new sense of hope and determination amongst his teammates.

Luai burst onto the field from the locker room, energised by the adrenaline of his long-anticipated first match.

When asked about his emotional reaction and leadership seen on camera before kick-off, Luai admitted he was overwhelmed by a “raw emotion.”

“I keep comparing it to my actual NRL debut,” he explained.

“I was a bit anxious leading up to that moment; there was a lot of buzz surrounding my debut.

“(The match) felt similar… it was definitely nice to get my first run with the boys.

“We’ve had a huge pre-season, and all that emotion surged as I had the chance to lead the boys out on the field.

“That’s the first game behind us. Now I can focus on how we improve as a team moving forward.”

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Luai acknowledged the contributions of former Roosters star Terrell May, who achieved impressive statistics with 175 run metres, two tackle breaks, and 19 hit-ups.

The four-time premiership winner stated he was not surprised by May’s performance, having seen his enthusiasm first-hand as they made their way to the game.

“He was outstanding tonight,” Luai remarked.

“I drove into the match with him, and he was buzzing to play. He couldn’t stop talking.

“The way he played really highlights what he brings to the team this year, and we’ll need that from him.”

Marshall defended the “misunderstood” 25-year-old, who, prior to joining the club, reportedly struggled with his passion for the sport.

“I think Terrell is often misunderstood,” Marshall explained.

“Once you get to know him, you see he’s incredibly astute, particularly when it comes to rugby league.

“All the talk about him losing the love for football was quite misleading because he genuinely loves it.

“The only thing he ever mentioned was that he prioritises his family over football, which is something we can all respect.

“Today, he stepped up and demonstrated he’s serious about being here. He wants to take charge and be a leader in the forward pack.”

“That’s precisely why we brought him on board.”