Midway through 2012, Phil Gould and Luke Lewis attended a press conference to confirm that Lewis would be leaving Penrith at the conclusion of the 2012 season.
It was a bitter pill to swallow for Panthers fans – a team that had grossly under-performed for seasons, was doing it tough in the current season, and had no blue sky in sight after being told they were in a rebuilding phase.
Lewis was a local junior; hard-working and uncompromising, there was no position he refused to play. With a heart of gold and an unmatched work ethic he was one of the first picked at representative level.
When he was appointed captain at the start of 2012 no fan was surprised, only perhaps that he hadn’t been picked sooner.
Fast forward to 2015 and Robbie Farah has been told there is no place for him at the Wests Tigers in 2016.
Another club stalwart, Farah has been the heart and soul of the Tigers since his debut. Farah has been consistently good for the blacks and golds, regardless of what the club’s condition.
Once again, it is tough for fans to take – he is being forced out of the only club he has ever known.
I see it two ways.
On the one hand I am bitterly disappointed that Lewis ever got to the point that he wanted to leave, yet there have been suggestions that is was in the best interests of the Panthers that he leave, rather than that he wanted to. It is the same with Farah.
They have both given so much to the club, they deserve to be loved and looked after into retirement. Fans love the loyalty of such players and those kind of players don’t come along everyday. When they do, the fans form a bond with them unlike other players.
It is disappointing that men who should have been another Nathan Hindmarsh, Hazem El Masri, Darren Lockyer, or Luke Burt will now end their career with another club.
On the other hand, such players represent the past and in both cases there are rumblings that the players are or were at odds with the current management/coach and playing group.
Without actually knowing whether this is true, it is difficult to pass judgement.
But no individual is bigger than a business, and if indeed this speculation is correct than unfortunately the decision is the right one.
The coach, playing group and management are the parties moving the club forward. As was the case with the Panthers and now with the Tigers, they are trying to rebuild, form a positive culture and improve on seasons of disappointment.
If Farah and Lewis did not think they needed to change, that their word, opinion or way of doing things is the right way and that is at odds with the hierarchy, than their positions were or are untenable.
I didn’t like it when Lewis left the Panthers, I would have him back tomorrow. I don’t like that Farah has been removed from the Tigers. He provides the experience, example and courage that their youngsters need.
But without knowing the real story, the inner workings and the reasons behind such decisions, it isn’t appropriate to condemn. The fish rots from the head down, and if your club captain is feuding with the rest of the club they have to go.
However there has to be better management of club legends when coaches and management come in. They are the link to fans, and their loyalty to a club and the jersey.
Abuse this link and there will be massive backlash as the fans struggle to see why they couldn’t just work it out in the first place.
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