BENJI Marshall is without a club for next season and without a formal offer.

NRL Tonight has revealed that the Dragons have pulled their one-year contract extension for the former Kiwi international.

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DRAGONS TAKE DEAL AWAY

Round 19

Benji Marshall’s NRL future with St George Illawarra has been put on ice while he recovers from a hamstring injury.

Fox Sports’ chief NRL reporter James Hooper has revealed that the Dragons have pulled their $300,000 offer to the playmaker off the table.

The 31-year-old is without a home for 2017 with his focus now to return to the field after being scratched from Saturday’s game against Gold Coast.

Hooper also revealed Marshall has had PRP injections in the hope of speeding up recovery the recovery time on his injured hamstring.

Benji Marshall kicks a ball during training. Source: News Corp Australia

“In terms of his contract negotiations, they’re currently on hold,” Hooper said.

“That $300,000 offer that was on the table — that’s not there any more at the moment. Benji needs to get back out there and put some performances together.”

Dragons coach Paul McGregor said Marshall is a vital member of the team but won’t be rushed into returning to the field.

“Benji’s a really important part of our team,” McGregor told NRL Tonight.

“You only have to look back to our success last year. He was second in the competition in try assists, second in Dally M’s last year so he’s a really important part.

“He’s been a focal point of our attack for a period of time.

“He came back against the Cowboys a little too early and hurt it again. Going forward we need Benji on the field.”

THE CATTLE DOG CALL

Blues great Mark ‘Spud’ Carroll has revealed his strangest dressing room moment came in 1997 when Tommy Raudonikis came up with the infamous cattle dog call.

After it was revealed that South Sydney coach Michael Maguire was wielding a baseball bat inside the dressing rooms last week, Carroll recalled one of the most famous State of Origin stories ever.

“The best was back in 1997 was Tom Raudonikis,” Carroll said.

“He wasn’t much of a coach Tommy. The first three days we were out on the drink and that was our bonding.

“The cattle dog call — it’s made him money ... I couldn’t believe it came from a coach’s mouth.

“When I call Cattle Dog it’s on. I knew I had to be the cattle dog. It was in the scrum and back then there was just one camera.”

GAL TALKS KANGAROOS ‘SNUB’

The rugby league traps have been rife with chatter that NSW skipper Paul Gallen will be overlooked by new Australian coach Mal Meninga for next month’s trans-Tasman Test.

Gallen hasn’t played for the Kangaroos since 2014 due to injury and his suspension from the Sharks 2013 supplements scandal, and is yet to have any contact with Meninga since his appointment as national coach last year.

The suggestion is Meninga will plump for Broncos veteran Corey Parker as his lock which pushes Gallen out of contention, but speaking on Triple M on Friday the Blues workhorse vowed to use his next three outings for Cronulla to prove he deserves a Test recall.

“One thing about me is I’ve never taken any rep jumper for granted. I’ve never thought I’m going to walk into any team,” Gallen said.

“And I think that’s the reason why I’ve always been there. Because I play at a club level the way I need to play to get into those sides and when I get there I don’t let that jumper go.

“I think that’s one thing the selectors and Mal know. Every time I’ve played for Australia I’ve performed, and that’s because I don’t take that jumper for granted.

“If I get the opportunity that’s great, if I don’t we’ll move on.”

The Australian’s Brent Read also reported Cowboys rising star Michael Morgan is firming for a utility role on Meninga’s bench.

Roosters three-quarter Blake Ferguson has also entered discussion around a backline position following incumbent centre Will Chambers’ long term foot injury, which will sideline him for the next three months.

BROOKIE’S FUTURE SHORED UP

Brookvale Oval is set for an upgrade. pic Mark Evans Source: News Corp Australia

Brookvale Oval will remain Manly’s NRL home for years to come after the federal and state governments approved a $20 million upgrade of the ground.

The Baird government on Friday ticked off on $10 million in funding for the stage one upgrade, which will deliver a 3000-4000 seat grandstand as part of the $1.6 billion stadiums package.

The future of the suburban ground on Sydney’s northern beaches, considered among the most outdated in the NRL, was up in the air amid the recent push towards big stadiums.

The NSW government promised to match dollar for dollar any funding for a club wanting to build a centre of excellence, and the plan was given the go-ahead due to local member and former prime minister Tony Abbott securing $10 million in federal funding.

“The reality now is that Brookvale Oval will be receiving an upgrade, and it will remain our fortress,” Manly chairman Joe Kelly said.

“There are no requirements for the Sea Eagles to take any of our existing home games into the new stadia network.

“This has been the consistent message that our owners and management have stated right throughout this stadia debate.”

- with AAP