Is having only one marquee player detrimental to a club?by Tony Currie

Is a marquee player really a marquee

player if he is the only one at an NRL club?

We have the situation at the North Queensland Cowboys and Wests Tigers where most of their resources are firmly invested in Johnathan Thurston and Benji Marshall respectively.

There is no argument regarding their star power, attraction and importance to their team.

The problem is when all the team’s attack is centred on one person.

It is a tremendous responsibility to be given to one individual but is it too much to have all your eggs in one basket? The Cowboys and Tigers have made their strategic decisions and believe their premiership hopes rest with these marquee players.

Unfortunately these two players are human and as such can suffer form lapses.

They may endure varying factors that can affect their form.

These might include injury, health, personal problems, family problems and general everyday life issues.

I personally believe that these two clubs have erred in their strategies.

I also must qualify here that there might be justification due to the

player markets at the time of contract negotiations.

So, what are my reasons? It is easy to argue the positive benefits but let’s take a look at some points that are

hurting these clubs. I have already

mentioned the fact that most attacking play is centred on Thurston and Marshall.

This also has an effect

of stunting the growth of potential future play makers existing in each team.

These players are reduced to minor roles and their true potential is

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not realised. In many cases their

potential is seen by rival clubs and subsequently the player moves for greener pastures.

Another fact is that opposition teams conspire to focus all their energies on reducing Thurston and Marshall’s impact in games.

When this is done effectively both teams hit a wall with no other options in attack provided by team mates.

It is also co-incidental that both players occupy the halfback position.

As any would-be judge would agree a halfback is only as good as their forward dominance.

As of late both clubs have not really set the world on fire with their packs not stamping authority over the opposition.

If we look at the teams in the top four at the moment we can see definite similarities in their make-up of talent.

Table toppers, South Sydney, have the magnificent Greg

Inglis riding roughshod at fullback with great contributions from a powerful pack of forwards, try-scoring machine, Nathan Merritt, and a rejuvenated halves combination in Reynolds and Sutton.

There is certainly a lot of variety in attack with the Rabbitohs and their standing supports this.

Surprise performers, the Roosters, are well stocked with quality players with Sonny Bill Williams a true marquee star.

Minichello at fullback is a proven performer as good as any custodian in the NRL.

He is ably backed by a very good set of halves.

Mitchell Pearce and James Maloney have clicked and can lay claims to be the form combination at present.

They also have at their disposal arguably the fastest man in the game in centre, Michael Jennings.

The Melbourne Storm, as we all know, has the big three in Billy Slater, Cooper Cronk and

Cameron Smith. If one of these stars

goes down then the others pick up the slack and continue to plan.

They are getting on in age but still are the core of Melbourne’s attack each year.

Coach, Bellamy, seems to have the knack of recruiting players who excel when combined with the big three.

The Manly Sea Eagles have also managed to get the ingredients correct.

The Stewart brothers (Glenn and Brett), Jamie Lyon, Cherry-Evans, Keiron Foran and Anthony Watmough add the quality coupled with a hard working forward pack.

Now I might be proven wrong in the long run but at the moment the statistics point to teams with a spread of quality talent are always at the forefront.

At present, Wests Tigers coach, Michael Potter, has dropped Benji Marshall to the reserves bench.

Is it in direct reference

to his form or is it an attempt to blood new talent for the Club’s future? The Tigers are on a six match losing streak and are occupying last place on the NRL table for the first time in their joint venture history.

At the end of the day a Coach’s future is determined by his success on the field.

Is Potter showing his hand and will there be fireworks down the track with his marquee player? What of coach, Neil Henry and his future prospects at North Queensland? He has only one more season to make his mark.

I believe his only hope for survival is to recruit players to take responsibility off Thurston.

Thurston definitely needs the support which will enhance his talent and help prolong his career.

Is having only one marquee player detrimental to a club? Think about it.