Benji turns back clock for big win

BENJI Marshall has turned back the clock to lift Wests Tigers to a 30-20 victory over Parramatta and into the NRL’s top four.

In doubt during the week with an ankle injury, Marshall was at his light-footed best yesterday as he had a hand in three of the Tigers’ five tries as they leapt to a 30-6 lead before the Eels recovered late.

After being one of the grittiest teams in the opening three rounds, the Tigers turned it on in the first hour as they almost tripled their try tally for the season.

The result kept Parramatta in last place, the first time in the Brad Arthur era they’ve gone winless over the opening month.

Mitchell Moses had a day to forget against his old club. He kicked for Will Smith’s matchopening try but then made key defensive errors in the lead-up to two Tigers tries.

Meanwhile Marshall was superb, getting the Tigers on the board in the 15th minute when he jinked and stepped his way across the field to help Robbie Rochow surge over the left edge.

He then gave the Tigers the lead when he threw a long cutout ball for Kevin Naiqama to easily shrug off Moses and bounce across to make it 12-6.

The Eels also lost hooker Kaysa Pritchard to a serious concussion, adding to a side that will still be without Jarryd Hayne and Clinton Gutherson for at least three more weeks and Bevan French for one.