KEY POINTS:
Injured Kiwis test player Benji Marshall has been pumping iron in the gym, promising to be stronger next season without losing his brilliant speed.
Marshall, who has missed the current Tri-Nations series after a shoulder reconstruction, said he had put on 6kg of muscle through lifting weights, taking him to 93kg.
"It's been full-on. I wake up sore in the mornings and go to bed early. I'm a lot more tired," he told the Sun-Herald. "The good part is this is the first [full] off-season that I've had and I can get stuck into the gym without any injuries. I've never done that before."
Marshall said the extra muscle had not affected one of his key talents.
"I've put on a few kilograms but I'm still the same speed," he said.
"By the start of the season I'm sure I'll be back to where I was before. I'll just be a bit bigger and a bit stronger."
Shoulder injuries have restricted Marshall's appearances in the National Rugby League and at international level. But he said his right shoulder felt good after surgery five months ago. "I've got my range back now and a lot of strengthening work has gone into it."
- NZPA
