EXCLUSIVE: Andrew Johns' emphatic call on Benji Marshall's Tigers 'playing without fear'

Andrew Johns says Benji Marshall has his beloved Wests Tigers "playing without fear" and the rugby league Immortal is backing the joint venture as a premiership contender.

The Tigers have not played finals football since 2011 and they've been plagued by coach sackings, boardroom brawling and the loss of gun talent in the years since.

But Marshall, the Tigers' electrifying five-eighth on their charge to premiership glory in 2005, has the much-maligned club humming in his third year as head coach.

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The Tigers have won four of five games this season and are sitting in second place on the ladder, behind only the Panthers.

Their most impressive win so far was a 32-14 victory over the Warriors in Auckland in round four.

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Marshall's Tigers will face the Broncos in Campbelltown on Saturday night and will be boosted by the return of gun five-eighth and co-captain Jarome Luai, who's been named to return from a knee injury.

Brad Fittler was full of praise for the Tigers on Wide World of Sports' Freddy and The Eighth.

"They're doing all the effort areas really well, they're working as a team," Fittler said.

"When I was commentating on the weekend [the Tigers' clash with the Knights], I was just watching, especially when the game got a little bit of fatigue in it ... [they were] coming out of trouble easy, there was no stress.

"Jock Madden was doing a great job with his kicking, they had plenty of strike everywhere, Adam Doueihi was on the left side, over on the right you had Jahream Bula, who just moves so well, and Sunia Turuva.

"... I think across the park they're just playing so much better as a team, and they've got strike, they've got points."

The host of Freddy and The Eighth, Danika Mason, asked if the Tigers were the "real deal".

Johns was unequivocal.

"Yes," he said.

"... I thought Freddy said a good thing then; they're playing without fear, they're playing with freedom, and that's the way Benji Marshall played and obviously that's the way he's coaching.

"They're backing themselves, they're playing with great movement of the ball and high energy, but they're playing without fear of making an error, and when it sticks, they're hard to beat."

Mason asked again if the Tigers were capable of going all the way.

"Of course," Johns replied.

"Well they'll get better," Fittler added.

"If they keep winning games, they'll keep improving – blokes like Samuela Fainu and Jahrome Bula.

"And you've got Adam Doueihi who's sort of coming to the peak of his powers at the moment."

Madden did a sound job as Luai's replacement at five-eighth, alongside Doueihi in the halves.

The former Broncos playmaker has shifted to the bench to make way for the returning Luai.

Fittler said the "steady" hand and strong kicking game of Madden were instrumental for the Tigers in Luai's absence and said it would be "interesting" to see how the four-time NRL premiership winner would fit in upon his return.

He floated the idea of Madden and Luai linking up in the halves and Doueihi moving to the centres – but Johns was adamant Madden should play as a bench utility.

"That's his spot – 14," the legendary halfback said.

"I think if Luai and Douehi are fully fit, they'll be their halves, and then Jock will be 14."