BENJI Marshall has moved swiftly to set the record straight on an alleged “blow-up” with St George Illawarra coach Paul McGregor.

Channel Seven reported Marshall and McGregor had an altercation which started during a team video session following Thursday’s dire loss to Brisbane.

Marshall played poorly as the Dragons lost 12-8 to the Broncos in Wollongong.

It was reported during the video session Marshall took exception when McGregor singled out his mistakes, and the pair traded barbs.

Round 20

Marshall was then called into McGregor’s office for a one-on-one discussion.

The veteran playmaker played down the incident when questioned on NRL 360.

“This has got way more airtime than it deserved. There wasn’t a blow-up,” Marshall said.

“We had a healthy debate about what I was trying to achieve with some of the plays, and Mary pretty much said ‘well you should have stayed over there’ and I said yeah I should have.

Benji Marshall of the Dragons. Source: AAP

“The reason I went to his office was because I was worried about maybe having to play reserve grade ... he reassured me he wasn’t going to do that to me.

“I don’t know where it’s come from but that’s pretty far from what happened.”

Rugby league legend Peter Sterling had his say on the incident on Triple M’s Rush Hour.

Sterling warned Marshall not to get too big for his boots.

“I can promise you there’ll only be one winner out of it and that will be the coach,” Sterling said.

“It’s hard to sit there and watch errors picked out that you’ve made on the weekend but he (Marshall) made plenty of them. He would only have something to stand on if he was the only person being spoken to in regard to errors but I wouldn’t imagine that would be the case.

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“It doesn’t matter whether you’ve played 250 (NRL games) or 25, if the coach is critical you cop that on the chin.”

The revelations came after Fox Sports’ chief NRL reporter James Hooper revealed Marshall will not be at St George Illawarra beyond 2016.

Marshall remains off contract and his form of late has him out of favour at the Dragons.

Hooper told NRL Tonight young playmaker Jackson Hastings is trying to find his way back to the club where he played his junior football.

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CLEARY NOT HEADED TO THE DRAGONS

Speculation around Paul McGregor’s future as St George Illawarra coach is rife as the club struggles to find form on the park.

Out-of-work Ivan Cleary denied to NRL Tonight he had been approached to replace McGregor at the Dragons, but wouldn’t deny his interest.

“It’s news to me,” Cleary said.

“I guess I’ve been linked to plenty of jobs this year, there’s only so many jobs.

“I’ve made it known that I’m keen to get back into the coaching ranks, but there’s only so many jobs.

“People start making assumptions, I feel sorry for all the coaches that get put in a position.

“I’m keen to get back in but it’s got to be the right position and we’ll have to see what comes up.”

Cleary was shown the door as Penrith coach in a shock axing at the end of 2015.

WHY HAYNE CAN’T PLAY NO. 6

Gold Coast coach Neil Henry has to find a spot for Jarryd Hayne in his side as it rolls towards finals.

Hayne has been named at five-eighth for this week’s clash with the Tigers, but also spent time at left centre when coming off the bench last week.

NRL 360 co-host Paul Kent fears Hayne could disrupt the Titans if he plays in the halves.

“I’m worried about it because I wonder the impact it has on Ash Taylor,” Kent said.

“I think Ash Taylor was looking a little bit towards Jarryd Hayne on the weekend, it was almost like he was showing deference to the big name in the side.

“For so many rounds, 22 rounds already, Ash Taylor has been the linchpin of that side.

“I think he’s got to get ownership back and Jarryd’s got to play a complementary role.”

HOW FARAH COULD HELP BUNNIES

Rumour has Robbie Farah going to South Sydney on a two-year deal after being shoved out the Wests Tigers door in recent weeks.

NRL 360 guests Benji Marshall and Michael Ennis explained exactly how the veteran hooker would fit in at the Rabbitohs.

“It would be a good fit for the Rabbitohs. I think what he offers out of dummy half, in attack, getting those big forwards onto the ball and creating a bit of movement around their ruck can add to their game,” Marshall said.

“It’s probably something they’ve been missing this year.”

Ennis, also a hooker, believes Farah will slot perfectly into the Bunnies’ line-up.

“When I went to Cronulla I certainly looked at the forward pack and how I’ll be playing,” Ennis said.

“Souths have got a great forward pack there with the Burgess boys and some really good edge backrowers.

“Also your spine — Adam Reynolds is the NSW halfback, Greg Inglis at fullback — there’s certainly a wealth of talent there.

“His left foot kicking game would certainly add to Adam Reynolds who has been the sole kicker at times.”

ENNIS SLAMS NRL, MATCH REVIEW COMMITTEE

Sharks veteran Michael Ennis has taken a furious swipe at the NRL and its recent bungling of the referee touching incidents.

The conversation on NRL 360 was sparked by Jarryd Hayne being let off by the match review committee for coming into contact with a referee, a week after Tyson Frizell copped a one-game ban for a similar incident.

Ennis took aim at the governing body and urged it to employ common sense.

“I think it’s absolutely ridiculous,” Ennis said.

“The problem with our game at the moment is we all want to see common sense. People who have watched the game for so long, people who understand the game know how these incidents should be treated.

“Unfortunately the hardest thing to find in rugby league at the moment is common sense, and not just in this.

“If I grab the referee and pull him towards me in an aggressive manner then I deserve to be fined or deserve to be suspended.

“There’s the pocket referee now who is all over the ruck and when I’m trying to get into dummy half I have to move him.

“Where does Tyson Frizell go? The match review panel want him to jump out of the way. It’s petty and it’s ridiculous.”

SHARP WON’T APOLOGISE TO EELS, FANS

Former Parramatta chairman Steve Sharp has refused to accept blame for the club’s salary cap rorting which has ruined its 2016 season and cast doubt over the future.

Sharp told ABC he realises the problems the Eels are facing as a result of the ongoing cheating, but maintains he is not to blame.

“I’m not saying it didn’t occur I’m saying that I didn’t have the knowledge at the time that this stuff was happening,” Sharp said.

“I’m totally disappointed in the NRL’s decision in finding me guilty of being part of a system that defrauded the salary cap.

“That never happened, but I have to live by the decisions of the NRL.”

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