Kearney gives Marshall some hope for Kiwis
Stephen Kearney has told Benji Marshall the door isn’t shut on a recall to the Kiwis, despite not selecting him for the end-of-season tour to England.
Marshall, the former Kiwis captain, hasn’t represented his country since 2012 and there were suggestions he could return after injuries to halves Shaun Johnson and Thomas Leuluai.
However, Kearney announced on Friday that Marshall hadn’t made into the wider squad for the three-test series, which starts in Hull on November 1, regardless of his ankle injury.
Kearney said Marshall was disappointed with the news, but the Kiwis coach told him he’ll be in the frame again next year.
‘‘I spoke to Benji on Wednesday, he was going in to get an MRI and asked me that question [if this was the end of the road for him].
‘‘My response to him was definitely not. Next year we’ve got a pretty full calendar in terms of potential test matches and a Four Nations tournament at the end of the year.
‘‘If he has the desire to still want to play for New Zealand, then he’ll go into the mix with everyone else next year.
‘‘Obviously he was a little disappointed,’’ Kearney added.
‘‘But I indicated to him that he’d certainly be considered next year if he wanted to be and he definitely wanted to.’’
The non-selection of Marshall increases the chances of the Warriors’ Tuimoala Lolohea and Kodi Nikorima from the Broncos going on the trip and Kearney says he’s keen to develop depth and see if younger players have what it takes to play test footy in the halves.
But while Kearney says Marshall could make it into the Kiwis next year, it seems unlikely.
With Johnson and Leuluai fit and other options explored on the upcoming trip, Marshall will be well down the pecking order, regardless of how well he plays for the Dragons.
When asked what the circumstances would have to be for Marshall to be selected next year, Kearney said: ‘‘I can’t tell you that this year but, as I said to Benji, when next year comes around it’s a totally different situation and we’ll assess the position when we get to that stage.’’
There were three players added to the Kiwis train-on squad on Friday, hooker Issac Luke and centre Bryson Goodwin from the Rabbitohs and Dragons winger Jason Nightingale.
‘‘Bryson finished off the year really well,’’ Kearney said. ‘‘He was part of a pretty disappointing finish for Souths but I thought he was one of their best players.’’
Meanwhile, Kearney addressed the reports earlier this week that he was set to replace Andrew McFadden as coach of the Warriors.
The story came from the NRL 360 TV Show’s Queensland correspondent, Ben Dobbin. The Warriors strenuously denied any approach had been made to Kearney and he said there was no truth to it.
The wider Kiwis group consists of about 40 players and more will be named over the next three weeks as their NRL seasons end.
Train-on camps will begin next week in Auckland and Sydney, with the 23-strong touring side to be announced soon after the NRL grand final on October 4.
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