BENJI Marshall's management has vowed to ignore all requests to negotiate with their star client - even from Wests Tigers - until well into next season.
In a calculated risk, the international five-eighth has shelved contract negotiations until at least two months into the 2008 season, believing he can force up his asking price by returning to the form that made him one of the top players in the league in 2005.
Currently on a contract worth about $400,000 a season, Marshall could not command anywhere near that price after two seasons decimated by injury.
"I don't want to have any conversations until at least eight to 10 games in," his manager Martin Tauber said. "We'll be keeping the same modus operandi all the way through. He's got to prove himself first. He's got to get his confidence back, and once he gets that, we can entertain any offers."
Marshall, off contract at the end of next season, has already been the subject of interest from the Gold Coast Titans, with officials there keen to see the former Keebra Park High student return to the holiday strip. Despite the "injury-prone" preface being firmly attached to his name, the 22-year-old will remain one of the most sought-after players on the open market next year.
Marshall played just 13 games last season, succumbing to shoulder problems that have beset him for years. Further recent shoulder surgery has made it unclear whether he will be fit to start in round one against St George Illawarra next year, which may further complicate his contract talks. But Tauber said despite his run of injuries, Marshall was confident he could return to his blistering '05 form, which helped the Tigers to a grand final win over North Queensland.
"Then he can write his own ticket," Tauber said. "He's focused on playing good football at the start of the season. We may entertain some offers later in the year, but not before."
■ Eels officials have banned halfback Tim Smith from drinking alcohol until the end of next season and fined him $1000 after his latest off-field indiscretion.
Smith yesterday had talks with chief executive Denis Fitzgerald, coach Michael Hagan and football manager Andrew Hill after a man accused him of using obscene language last Sunday.
The 22-year-old Smith, who has been involved in other alcohol-related incidents, telephoned the man and apologised for his actions - said to have been witnessed by the man's two-year-old grand-daughter.
"Tim admitted he has a problem with alcohol and will continue to have counselling sessions with a leading specialist in alcohol-related behaviour," Hagan said.
■ Canberra's Adrian Purtell has been cleared to resume full training after being sidelined since round 11 last season with deep vein thrombosis.
The condition had forced Purtell, a centre, to take medication to thin his blood to reduce the clotting in his leg. The potentially career-threatening condition has not fully cleared, however the risk of further damage is deemed to be low.
"I will take a week off training just to make sure that my blood is back to the right thickness, but after that I'll commence full contact training," Purtell said.
■ New Zealand Rugby League yesterday announced it was forecasting a NZ$1.25million loss for the 2007 financial year after losing $400,000 on the Centenary Test in Wellington alone.
