No Favouritism: Benji Marshall Claims Tigers Were Shortchanged in Defeat to Warriors

Benji Marshall, coach of the Wests Tigers, made a subtle reference to the match officials following his team’s defeat on Sunday evening, though he chose not to elaborate further to avoid potential fines.

In wet weather conditions, the Tigers relinquished their lead late in the match, falling 26-24 to the Warriors after a relentless try from Leka Halisima and a penalty goal from Luke Metcalf.

The match was a thrilling see-saw encounter between two of the NRL’s most improved teams early in the season, but injuries and costly mistakes plagued the joint venture.

In a post-match media conference, Marshall expressed his pride in the team’s performance under challenging conditions at Campbelltown Stadium.

“It’s disappointing for the boys that the result didn’t favour us, but the level of adversity we faced today was significant,” he remarked.

“Losing [Adam] Doueihi before the match and Samuela Fainu early on meant we had Jack Bird playing centre and Sione [Fainu] in the back-row… there were some extraordinary efforts out there.”

“As a coach and as a club, I’m genuinely proud of the effort. Although we didn’t get much of a helping hand today, that was clear. We need to focus on the positives and prepare for next week.”

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When pressed about his comments regarding ‘no favours’, Marshall noted the penalties imposed on rival coach Ricky Stuart and declined to openly criticise the referees.

“You were watching the game, so you can interpret it how you will,” he commented.

“I don’t wish to follow in Ricky’s footsteps and potentially face a fine by discussing the referee, as that is a touchy subject, so I won’t get into it. I think it’s clear enough.”

Metcalf’s penalty goal that sealed the win for the Warriors came in the dying moments after Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad remained on the ground from a high tackle, with the Bunker siding with the Warriors on the ruling.

The Tigers now find themselves with a record of two wins and two losses, lamenting several missed opportunities against a team vying for a place in the top eight.

Next up, the Tigers will travel north to take on the Brisbane Broncos.