Tigers 54 Cowboys 10
KEY POINTS:
SYDNEY - Benji Marshall gave himself a pass mark. More than 17,000 Leichhardt Oval league fans didn't hesitate to hand out an A-plus.
In his first National Rugby League (NRL) match for three months, the Kiwis star produced a mixed bag but his impact was instant as Wests
Tigers swamped a struggling North Queensland 54-10 on Monday night.
The attacking instinct and trademark mid-air sidesteps were still there, and his pop pass laid on the first try. There was also his fair share of mistimed passes.
But the roaring Tigers faithful didn't care as memories flooded back of their 2005 NRL title run in which Marshall starred.
In May his season was in jeopardy as his troublesome right shoulder went under the knife. Now Benji from Whakatane was suddenly back and showing promising signs.
As Marshall wandered to the bench to clock out, most in the packed grandstand stood to applaud just before his test teammate Dene Halatau racked up the Tigers' 10th and final try.
"It was allright. I didn't expect too much from myself because I haven't played for a while. I played better today than I did at the start of the season for the whole eight games," Marshall said.
Veteran coach Tim Sheens marked his star pupil's report card with an R, for rusty, but wasn't demanding a top-drawer performance.
Fullback Brett Hodgson was also back after seven weeks away with a fractured cheekbone, to celebrate his 200th NRL match.
Their teammates lifted noticeably, hooker Robbie Farah the star.
"It'll be a month before both boys are really at their best. Their timing, their speed, their endurance, everything will be better in a month. We'll build to that rather than try and flog it into them," Sheens said.
A bulked-up Marshall, 22, was thankful just to get through his 57th NRL match unscathed.
"I'm just happy to be back in the team. I've been training really hard and if I can build each week on my performance I'll be pretty happy.
"That's a good starting point for me, the next couple of weeks will tell."
He admitted to rare jitters waiting for the 7pm kickoff on a chilly winter's day.
"Today was the longest day ever. I was a little bit nervous but when I got to the game everyone was talking, they were pretty pumped up and it made me pumped too."
Sheens played Marshall at halfback but offered the sanctuary of the right wing on defence, both to protect Marshall's shoulder and use his strike weapon to return kicks.
Marshall expects that role for the rest of the season, the one he filled to great effect in the memorable 2005 grand final win against the Cowboys.
The Tigers raced back into the top-eight playoff frame, albeit against an under-strength Cowboys whose playmaker Johnathan Thurston is struggling with his own shoulder problems.
The key now is to back it up just five days later against Gold Coast on Saturday.
After a frustrating two years, Marshall admitted glimpses of 2005 were there.
"It was very similar. It was just an attitude change on attack and defence, and having `Hodgo' back, he leads the way and talks us through." Farah was meanwhile giving Marshall the plaudits.
"He's a great talker on the field and it gives us that little bit extra direction around the park.
"You guys see the spark and the energy he brings to the game but his talk is just as important for us."
Wests Tigers 54 (Bronson Harrison 2, Taniela Tuiaki, John Morris, Brett Hodgson, Chris Heighington, Daniel Fitzhenry, Robbie Farah, Ben Galea, Dene Halatau tries; Benji Marshall 4 goals, Hodgson 2 goals, Farah goal) North Queensland Cowboys 10 (Justin Smith, Matt Bartlett tries; Johnathan Thurston goal). Halftime: 16-4.
- NZPA
