Benji Marshall Frustrated as Tigers Let Victory Slip Against Knights
Wests Tigers coach Benji Marshall was left frustrated after his side squandered a golden opportunity to claim victory against the Newcastle Knights, falling short in a match they looked poised to win. Despite showing promising signs throughout the contest, the Tigers once again found a way to lose, continuing a frustrating trend for the team in 2025.
Marshall, who has been working to instill resilience and discipline in his squad, didn’t hold back in his post-match assessment. “It’s frustrating because we put ourselves in a position to win, and then we let it slip,” he said. “We worked hard all week on closing out games, yet we didn’t execute when it mattered.”
The Tigers had led for most of the match, with their attack clicking early and their defense holding strong. However, a string of errors and missed opportunities in the final stages allowed Newcastle to storm back into the contest. Costly penalties and poor game management proved decisive, with the Knights seizing momentum and scoring late to snatch the win.
Marshall pointed to a lack of composure and execution under pressure as key factors in the defeat. “At this level, you can’t afford to switch off, even for a moment,” he said. “We have to be smarter, we have to be better.”
With the loss adding to an already challenging start to the season, the Tigers will need to regroup quickly. Marshall remains confident his side can turn things around, but he made it clear that finding ways to lose simply isn’t acceptable. “We’re not far off, but near enough isn’t good enough,” he said. “We have to learn how to win these games.”
