League: Marshall could still play for Kiwis

New Zealand's Benji Marshall in action. File photo / NZ Herald

Stephen Kearney says the door is still open for Benji Marshall to play for the Kiwis, despite his omission from the train-on squad for the upcoming Four Nations tournament.

There was no room for Marshall in the initial 21-man roster named from the clubs not involved in the NRL playoffs but the Kiwis coach insists it's not the end.

"Anything is possible and there's every opportunity for Benji to wear the black jersey [again]," said Kearney. "At this particular stage, it won't be in 2014 but I am not writing anything off. The way he has come back has been a real credit to him and in 12 months time we all might be singing a different song."

Kearney added that the recent focus had been on developing Shaun Johnson and Kieran Foran as the premier halves combination, with an eye on the 2017 World Cup. Marshall's return to league late in the NRL season had counted against him, although Kearney conceded his Dragons' form had been tracking in the right direction.

"I'm sure he would be disappointed but [Benji] has had a few knock-backs over the last 18 months [and] he will rise above it," said Kearney.

The Kiwi selectors have included three players - Valentine Holmes (Junior Kangaroos), Suaia Matagi and Fa'amanu Brown (both Samoa) - who have also been named in other national squads but are confident the trio will opt for the Kiwis if given the choice.

Marshall's absence wasn't a surprise - there had been rumblings - but it's still puzzling. The Kiwis are hardly blessed with incredible depth in the halves, as was demonstrated during the Anzac test this year when Isaac John and Tohu Harris shared the duties at five-eighth after Foran's late withdrawal. Both Johnson and particularly Thomas Leuluai have been affected by injuries this year and the combative Foran has to get through another finals series with a clean bill of health.

If any one - or more - of that trio becomes unavailable, the Kiwis would have a major problem. It's hard to understand what the selectors would have to lose by including Marshall now and seeing how the finals pan out. It's precisely what they have done with other players, who aren't realistic options for the final squad unless injuries strike the key men over the next four weeks.

Maybe Kearney simply decided that an early cut was the best way, rather than to get the hopes up of his former captain.

After some time off, the players named in the train-on squad will assemble on September 22 and train at regional hubs in Auckland, Sydney and Queensland.

The squad is:
Gerard Beale (St George Dragons), Adam Blair (Wests Tigers), Fa'amanu Brown (Cronulla Sharks), Sosaia Feki (Cronulla Sharks), David Fusitua (Vodafone Warriors), Siliva Havili (Vodafone Warriors), Valentine Holmes (Cronulla Sharks), Konrad Hurrell (Vodafone Warriors), Shaun Johnson (Vodafone Warriors), Ngani Laumape (Vodafone Warriors), Thomas Leuluai (Vodafone Warriors), Simon Mannering (Vodafone Warriors), Suaia Matagi (Vodafone Warriors), Ben Matulino (Vodafone Warriors), Matt McIlrick (Canberra Raiders), Jason Nightingale (St George Dragons), Sauaso Sue (Wests Tigers), Brad Takairangi (Wests Tigers), Martin Taupau (Wests Tigers), Bodene Thompson (Wests Tigers), Manu Vatuvei (Vodafone Warriors)