Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens slammed Benji Marshall as a defensive liability today despite the superstar marking his return from injury with a try-scoring double in a 38-26 victory over Newcastle.
Marshall scored two tries, booted a massive 40-20 which led to another try and a cross field kick for one more as the Tigers claimed a seven-tries-to-five win in front of 20,154 fans.
But Marshall's attacking brilliance was tempered by poor defence, missing four tackles, two of which led directly to Newcastle tries.
Sheens is fed up with Marshall's defensive attitude and is no longer prepared to make excuses for the Kiwi international, despite coming back from his fifth shoulder surgery.
"You can't allow tries to be scored through you either," said Sheens when asked about Marshall's moments of attacking brilliance.
"I would say there's an issue of self-preservation there. Some I can understand, others I can't accept.
"He finished last season doing that and this year I'm still concerned about his attitude and ability in defence, it's a worry.
"I can also understand if I had five shoulder surgeries I might be a bit worried too.
"But we've got to find a balance there and he has to understand he can't just allow tries to be scored through him or near him otherwise they're going to be chasing him all year.
"He is going to have to pull his finger out and make some decisions."
Marshall refused to talk afterwards, dodging reporters as if they were carrying a football not microphones.
Hooker Robbie Farah completed his first game in seven weeks after a back injury today but even he was told not to talk, offering only that Sheens gave his side a massive post-victory rocket.
Sheens was livid his side conceded several "soft" tries in a game he rated at "under 20s standard", with only a run of four successive tries midway through the second half getting his side over the line.
Fullback Brett Hodgson bagged a first-half double while Ben Te'o, Liam Fulton and Shannon McDonnell also scored tries for the Tigers.
Newcastle's Chris Bailey had a first half hat-trick and Cooper Vuna and Scott Dureau also crossed.
The victory ensured the Tigers remained entrenched in the top eight while it was Newcastle's third successive loss and left them in the bottom half of the table.
Newcastle coach Brian Smith was equally annoyed at his side's performance and refused to blame the short turnaround from Monday's intense loss to Melbourne for any lethargy today.
When Dureau darted over from dummy half two minutes after halftime for a 22-16 lead Newcastle had control, but they then meekly surrendered until a late revival.
"We lacked some intensity and we certainly lacked consistency within the game and we paid a pretty savage price in the end," said Smith.
"That is a blow out score for us, we have not had any of those this year and that's very disappointing.
"It just felt like it was a game ... if we got our stuff together we could have managed to win it.
"Collectively as a unit today we did not get that intensity or steely resolve or willingness to do extra for your mates to keep the opposition at bay."
