NRL: Benji wants to stay a Tiger for life

Wests Tigers star Benji Marshall says his ongoing contract negotiations are the furthest thing from his mind, but he wants to stay at the club for the rest of his NRL career. Photo / AAP.

Wests Tigers star Benji Marshall says his ongoing contract negotiations are the furthest thing from his mind, but he wants to stay at the club for the rest of his NRL career.

Talks are continuing between Marshall's management and the club, with the mercurial five-eighth still having two years to run on his present contract.

Marshall wasn't keen to answer questions about his contractual situation at a Friday morning press conference to publicise Saturday's clash with Canberra at Campbelltown Stadium, but eventually relented.

"My contract negotiations have been the furthest thing from my mind, at the moment,'' Marshall said.

"My priority is to try and play good for the team and that's my focus. So my manager can take care of that side and I'll just worry about playing.

"Asked about reports linking him to rugby union and the NSW Waratahs, Marshall said: "You guys know more than me.

"That's not my focus. That's why you have a manager to do that stuff.

"At the end of the day, I'm pretty sure the club is trying to do something to renegotiate my contract, but this week is a big game for us and I've just been focusing on that.

"After the game I'm sure I will be able to sit down and talk about what's happening in the future, but for now it's about this game.

"... At the end of the day, I'd love to be here for life and if the club sees it that way, I'm sure I will be.''

The New Zealand playmaker has struggled for form this year and admitted he hadn't been at his best.

"I'm probably not (happy) in my form. It's a bit patchy lately, a bit up and down.

"I'd like to be playing better, there's no doubt about that.

"In terms of happiness, I love the club. I've been here for my whole career and I've got a lot of mates here.''

-AAP