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Robbie Farah’s role in on-going Wests Tigers saga was one of several recent events that got me thinking about the role of club captains in the modern game.
I can’t speak as to how much respect Farah has with the players at his club, but presumably he is a decent on-field leader.
He’s a clever rake, who organises the play, makes a ton of tackles, complains to the refs at every opportunity, and generally seems to inspire his Tigers teammates.
He is also the NSW State of Origin vice-captain, so that says something too.
But off-field, there has never been any evidence he is a good captain. It was always a popular suspicion, perhaps even an open secret, that Farah was a major part of the reason Tim Sheens was unceremoniously ousted in 2012. Now he is at the centre of another coach’s possible downfall.
Often, when a club is being ruined by off-field issues like the Tigers are currently, the playing group will unite, rallying around the only thing they can control and going on to win some football games. The captain and coach combine to lift the playing group, keep spirits high and shut out distractions. Think Jamie Lyon and Geoff Toovey at Manly right now, or Cameron Smith and Craig Bellamy at Melbourne back in 2012.
But instead, Farah looks out for himself. I genuinely don’t care if Farah did or did not tell Gorden Tallis a year ago that Mick Potter can’t coach. It doesn’t matter. But he stuffed up in the aftermath. He should have come out, and either (a) stood strong behind his coach and reinforced how good their relationship was, or (b) been honest and upfront about the problems, like Paul Gallen did with Peter Sharp.
Farah chose (c) – make the story about Tallis and take no responsibility.
Contrast this situation with the way Corey Parker handled his club’s recent coaching dramas. In the weeks leading up to Wayne Bennett’s appointment as the Broncos new captain, Parker threw his support behind Anthony Griffin. He said at the time, “I realise the industry is results driven, but I can assure you that the coach has got an enormous amount of support from the playing group… We back him 100 per cent.”
After Bennett’s appointment, he was openly disappointed. He spoke publicly about his frustration at the way Griffin had been treated and at how the board had handled the situation. He was, at all times, articulate, honest and forthright.
Parker is an exceptional club captain. Several times throughout the season he has taken responsibility when the team has not performed. He is inspirational on the field, constantly in the fray making metres, tackles and offloads. He even moved to prop to help the team, despite not being a natural front rower.
And off the field he is great, treating the media and fans with respect.
He reminds me a lot of former Bulldogs and Warriors skipper Steven Price. Price is the best club captain of the last 20 years. On the field, his hard work spoke for itself. He was a player his teammates genuinely wanted to play for. He didn’t just lead, he inspired players to be better, to work harder. Off the field, he handled himself with aplomb through some genuinely difficult situations that were out of his control.
He led the Bulldogs through their salary cap controversy, and the ignominy of losing the 2002 minor premiership after being stripped of all their competition points. He then had to stand up once again in 2004, when the Coffs Harbour sex scandal broke.
History will remember that the Bulldogs won the comp that year, and that Price (despite missing the decider through injury) was a huge part of it.
I hope Farah learns something about leadership from this whole experience. Because no matter what anyone says about the Tigers’ future prospects, they will not win another premiership if Farah is calling the shots.
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