An international rugby league return for ex-Kiwis captain Benji Marshall has been categorically ruled out by coach David Kidwell.

The 32-year-old Marshall has found a new lease on life in Brisbane in 2017, playing in nine Broncos matches to date and taking up a mentoring role for Anthony Milford, Ben Hunt and Kiwis utility Kodi Nikorima.

However, despite the recent knee injury of star playmaker Shaun Johnson, Kidwell says Marshall has done his dash in the black and white jumper.

Should Johnson suffer a recovery setback and miss this year’s Rugby League World Cup, Kidwell will look to Te Maire Martin, Nikorima or Wigan-based Thomas Leuluai to partner Kieran Foran in the halves.

“Look, I think we’ve sort of moved on from Benji. Those young halves – those guys are definitely putting themselves in the frame,” Kidwell said.

“We’ve got some cover there and that’s always good to have.”

Kidwell was nevertheless confident that Johnson, the Kiwis’ attacking linchpin, would be fit and firing for the side’s first clash against Samoa on October 28.

Having ruptured his posterior cruciate ligament against the Panthers two weeks ago, Johnson is expected to make a full recovery within eight weeks.

That would almost certainly rule him out of the remainder of the Warriors’ NRL campaign, but give him enough time to be ready for the World Cup.

“He seems in good spirits now, he’s obviously in good hands – (head Warriors physiotherapist) John Love is part of the Kiwis’ physiotherapy team, and he’s given me some updates,” Kidwell said.

“He should be right and ready to go.

“You’ve got to give it time to breathe and settle down but I’ll be talking to him this week, making sure he’s all right and in the right frame of mind.”