NRL star Benji Marshall has been forced to self-isolate after being caught on camera giving a reporter a kiss on the cheek.
The club legend gave Seven News reporter Michelle Bishop a quick hug and peck on the cheek after arriving at training on Wednesday morning.
However, as the friendly exchange is a breach of biosecurity protocols, Bishop must now undergo a COVID-19 test, leaving Marshall house-bound until the results come back.
NRL star Benji Marshall (pictured with Zoe Marshall and son Benjamin Fox) has been forced to self-isolate after being caught on camera giving a reporter a kiss on the cheek
A spokesman for the Tigers confirmed Marshall was involved in a social-distancing incident, which was immediately reported to the NRL as per the guidelines.
‘Under those guidelines, Marshall will remain at home tomorrow — which is a scheduled day off for Wests Tigers NRL squad — while the reporter undergoes a COVID-19 test,’ the spokesman said.
‘Assuming a negative result is returned, no further action will be required by Marshall or Wests Tigers.’
Fans have been left outraged by the strict rules, with some labelling it as a ‘joke’.
‘I know the rules, and all the rest of it, but seems overly pedantic to me,’ one person wrote.
‘This is a joke,’ wrote another.
‘A mistake anyone of us can make,’ another wrote.
The social-distancing blunder comes just a day after Marshall was dropped from wearing the No.6 jersey against Canberra on Saturday because he ‘didn’t meet the standards’ against the Titans.
The social-distancing blunder comes just a day after Marshall was dropped from wearing the No.6 jersey against Canberra on Saturday because he ‘didn’t meet the standards’ against the Titans (Marshall pictured with Zoe Marshall)
Halfback Luke Brooks said the entire Wests Tigers squad was on notice after the former world player of the year’s surprise demotion.
‘Especially with someone of his name to be dropped, that just shows no one’s position is safe if we’re not playing good enough footy,” said Brooks.
‘There’s a whole other reserve grade team who are training really well at the moment and who are ready to come in to the side.’
Even at 35, Marshall is running second in the Dally M Medal count after four rounds of the competition.
‘He’s definitely playing some good footy,’ Brooks said.
‘I thought he was one of our best players last week against the Sharks but obviously as a whole our team wasn’t good enough against the Titans. I guess he’s taken the brunt of that.’
The club legend gave Seven News reporter Michelle Bishop a quick hug and peck on the cheek (pictured) when he arrived at training on Wednesday morning
Brooks was less surprised to see Marshall take his demotion on the chin, the former New Zealand Test captain vowing to fight his way back into the starting line-up.
‘He came in to training today and he was really leading the way,’ Brooks said.
‘So he’s not that sort of player who will sulk around.
‘He got on with his job and it’s a long season and you never know what can happen in rugby league. You could be back in the side next week.’
Marshall, who has made way for Josh Reynolds, was one of six players axed and Brooks accepts he too must lift his game.
‘On the weekend I didn’t play my best footy,’ he said.
‘My kicking game wasn’t where it needed to be and that put us under a lot of pressure.
‘So I’ll take ownership on that and I’ve got to fix that and worry about my game first and, if I do that, it helps the team.’
The Tigers host another smarting side in Canberra – who suffered their first defeat of the season last start against Newcastle – at Campbelltown Stadium on Saturday night.
Going strong: Zoe wed NRL Wests Tigers star Benji Marshall, 34, at a private estate in Byron Bay back in 2013. The couple are pictured at the NRL Dally M Awards in 2019