Benji's advisor and rugby hopes slammed

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Code-swapper Tony Kemp has played down Benji Marshall's hopes of a successful rugby career, at the same time asking questions on the career advice he is receiving.

The manager of the Kiwis star has confirmed Marshall harbours an ambition to return to rugby union, possibly as early as the end of 2009.

He has one more year left on his Wests Tigers contract in the NRL, with his player agent Martin Tauber confirming the 23-year-old was committed to seeing out his deal.

But at the end of the 2009 NRL, Marshall is expected to move, with Tauber saying he had few friends left at the club and little more to achieve at the side he won a premiership at in 2005.

However Kemp, the former Warriors coach and Kiwis star, said he doubted very much whether Marshall was up to replicating his league success on the rugby field.

"The transition would be difficult for him," Kemp told Yahoo!Xtra.

"I think offering him up as first-five or fullback, you are going to question whether or not he has the kicking game or the tactical nous to run a rugby side around the park.

"I don't even know whether he could play halfback, mate.

"I think tactically, playing halfback or first-five-eighth in rugby union, you are under a lot of pressure to know what you are doing. And he hasn't been in that structure to slot straight into it.

"The positions he would play, I don't know if he could handle.

"You wouldn't want him doing too much tackling.

"In rugby union, nine, 10 and 15 are tactically the most vital people on the field."

Neither did Kemp have much time for one concept which would see Marshall kick-starting his rugby career, while still playing in the NRL.

Whakatane-raised Marshall first came to prominence as a highly-promising schoolboy rugby and touch player.

However, he switched codes after securing a sports scholarship with the Gold Coast-based Keebra Park school, having impressed coaches during a school sports exchange.

Marshall has previously spoken about his desire to represent the All Blacks.

One option mooted for Marshall is for him to remain in the NRL, then play the 15-man code in Japan during league's off-season.

But Kemp, a teenaged rugby star before switching codes, said that idea too was a fizzer, saying league coaches and clubs would not want to risk a high-profile recruit by allowing him to play another sport.

"Not at all," he said.

"Back in the old days when players were playing back-to-back seasons, they weren't full-time players.

"And with the whole professionalism, with not having a player in the off-season and expecting them to come straight back and slot straight back into a structure, not many coaches would look at that too favourably. Neither would the clubs.

"That is pie in the sky stuff.

"You are one or the other these days."

Kemp has also taken aim at Marshall's Australian-based manager.

Tauber confirmed to Yahoo!Xtra his client's interest in rugby on Monday.

He also stated rugby union would be a safer sport for his injury-plagued player, incredibly stating: "He can play fullback and never have to tackle. All he would have to do is catch, pass and kick."

Kemp said that comment highlighted a lack of basic knowledge on the 15-man code, saying Marshall would be busier than ever on defence at fullback.

"Ask Mils Muliaina. He does plenty of tackles," he said.

"He wouldn't be able to hide on a rugby field."

Tauber said Marshall hoped to have his future confirmed by the time the 2009 NRL kicks off.

He was also adamant that Marshall wouldn't copy former Kiwis team-mate Sonny Bill Williams' actions in walking out on the NRL for rugby while still on contract.

Williams sensationally quit the Bulldogs in July to play rugby in France, taking his long-standing injury problems with him to Toulon.

"I suppose, like Sonny Bill, rugby union will be looking at it (signing Marshall) from the commercial side," Kemp said.

"When you look at him, he has an NRL title and has a World Cup title.

"He has sustained a number of career-threatening injuries and his sustainability comes into question."