NZ Kiwis and NRL great Benji Marshall is eyeing a move into coaching, after calling time on his playing career after the 2021 season.
Marshall, 36, signed off on his time in the NRL after 2021's Grand Final, where his South Sydney Rabbitohs were defeated by Penrith Panthers.
All up, Marshall made 346 first grade appearances across stints with the Rabbitohs, St George Illawarra Dragons, Brisbane Broncos, and Wests Tigers - with whom he won his only NRL Premiership, back in 2005.
And after wrapping up his playing career, Marshall has returned to the Tigers as a club ambassador, while Premiership winning coach Tim Sheens is also back at Wests as its director of football.
But Marshall doesn't see himself in an ambassadorial role for long, and has set his sights on a shift into coaching the Tigers' youth setup.
"I'm keen to coach the juniors," Marshall tells Sydney Morning Herald.
"When you're building a club back up, it's about bringing through the next wave of players. I wanted to help the hookers, halves and fullbacks in the junior grades so by the time they arrive in the NRL they are ready to make the transition."
Marshall left his second stint with the Tigers after the 2020 season, and joined the Rabbitohs after his contract with Wests wasn't renewed.
But the former Kiwis captain also says that he holds no ill-will towards the club over his exit, hence his return.
"When you're not wanted you take it to heart, but once you accept it and move on it's all good. I finished at Souths in a grand final," he says. "How can I be angry?
"The biggest thing I learned about footy during my career is, 'nobody is bigger than a club'. When you talk about me and the club, I've had a massive influence on the history of this club, and they've had a massive influence on my life. That will never change."
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