League: Captain in fine voice

Kiwis skipper Benji Marshall has made a smooth transition into captain's role. Photo / Getty Images

Wearing the captain's armband has not made Benji Marshall any more vocal on the field - according to some, it would be impossible for him to yap any more than he already did.

"When you play in the position that I do, you're the one doing most of the talking anyway," Marshall said as the Kiwis departed for London and the start of the Four Nations. "There's an added responsibility that goes with being captain but in terms of how I communicate on the field, there's nothing different."

Off the field, Marshall said he doesn't feel like a lone voice, calling on the experience of guys like Frank Pritchard and Nathan Fien to take leadership roles within the young and inexperienced squad.

"When you have a lot of senior guys around you who enjoy talking, it makes my job a lot easier. I don't feel I need to be constantly pushing my views because there are plenty of guys here who know the ropes. But if something needs to be said, I'll say it, and if guys need to be pulled into line, I'll give them a growling, absolutely."

Marshall was an obvious choice to succeed the follow-me skipper Nathan Cayless when he retired from international rugby league following the shock World Cup triumph last year.

If fit, his is the first name on the team sheet and Marshall has a natural star quality and, yes, that overused word, 'charisma'. Kids want to be like him, a dad would not object (too much) if he turned up at the family home on the arm of his daughter, and grandmothers want to cuddle him.

But there was a lingering worry that the burden of responsibility might ever-so-slightly dull the individuality that makes Marshall stand out from the pack of NRL halves. The man himself does not see that as a problem.

"Everyone is accountable for their own performance and I am in the same boat. My most important role in the team is not captaincy but ensuring that I play to the best of my ability.

"Obviously Steve [Kearney] has a game plan that he wants us to follow but my job is to make sure I play my game and everyone else has to do the same thing," Marshall said.

Support for his appointment has come from the unlikeliest source. Speaking to reporters, Australia captain Darren Lockyer said having the (c) beside his name made Marshall even more dangerous.

"Obviously it gives you a bit more responsibility which encourages you to take a bit more ownership and it gets you more involved," Lockyer said of Marshall's elevation.

"He's a player that's very unpredictable, if you give him room to move he can make life difficult."

Marshall remains adamant captaincy will not curb him.

"The only way captaincy changes what I was doing before is that it is my job to talk to the refs."

Which is as good a time as any to ask him how he thinks referees perceive him. After all, Warriors captain Steve Price was shocked to find that an anonymous survey of NRL officials found him to be the most difficult captain to deal with, as the prop believed he enjoyed a good rapport with the whistleblowers.

"I reckon they like me," Marshall said. "I know their job's pretty tough so I don't tend to argue. I talk to them nicely and in a good tone of voice so hopefully they like me."

After that, how couldn't you?