Benji happy for Dragons to remain underdogs

“I DID everything at the Wests Tigers, but I’ve done nothing since I’ve been at the Dragons. I want to do something at the Dragons. Something big.’’

So says Benji Marshall, who can help St George Illawarra lock up a finals berth with a victory against his former club at ANZ Stadium tonight.

Marshall won a premiership with the Tigers a decade ago but is now hungry for more success in his rugby league second coming with the Red V.

After a loss to the Titans, a forgettable win over Penrith, and a flogging at the hands of the Broncos, it’s hard to imagine the Dragons will grant Marshall his premiership wish this year.

Marshall, however, said he was happy for the Dragons to fly under the radar.

“That’s good, we’re sweet with it, and what it does is takes the pressure off us,’’ Marshall said. “At times this year when we have relieved a bit of pressure and no one was talking about us, we probably played our best.

“I watched the game back against the Titans and we weren’t that poor. We had little lapses in six sets of six, which probably cost us the game.

“Losing was sad, but you have to move on.

“It will be a relief to get there (to the finals).

“Once you get there it’s so exciting and fresh. The 26 weeks (of the regular season) is a long time, it’s very easy to be tired and have niggling injuries. When the semis come those injuries go away.’’

The Dragons look likely to round out eighth spot, with no side ever winning the competition from that far back. Parramatta were able to make the grand final from there in 2009 while Canterbury finished seventh last year and also made the decider.

Tigers skipper and Marshall’s good mate Robbie Farah said it was important for his own club to build on their performance against the Warriors last weekend and finish a forgettable year with successive victories.

Farah and Marshall, who respectively lost a mother and father to pancreatic cancer, helped promote the #Purple OurWorld cause during the week, which will include every player wearing purple socks in tonight’s match.