In another pseudo-exclusive from The Roar, we can reveal that the push to oust Robbie Farah from the Wests Tigers was sparked by a player-led revolt hatched by Robbie Farah.
The Blues hooker has been sensationally instructed that he is surplus to requirements in 2016, with the club going to great lengths to confirm they aren’t joking by threatening a year in the backwaters of reserve grade.
Tigers officials cited the reasons for Farah’s dumping as salary cap constraints and restructuring and stuff, but insider reports expose his demise as being propelled by certain factions inside the playing group, most notably, Farah’s.
After a season of abominable performances from the Tigers which sees them mired in a sloppy brawl for the NRL wooden spoon, Farah had reportedly identified himself as the catalyst for the club’s poor position after losing faith in his own direction.
These rumblings have resurfaced in recent times, after supposedly being put to bed with a mediation session in June where Farah reached an uneasy truce over pizza, despite disagreeing with himself on the choice of topping.
Here the whispers ceased temporarily as he returned his attention to undermining the club’s head coach, however it all unravelled with the weekend’s prime flogging at the hands of the Sharks.
The insipid 40-18 loss was the final straw for Farah and the moment he ultimately ran out of patience with his own leadership. Sensing action was required, he took it to a vote with teammates before making an executive decision to nip the issue in the bud using familiar tactics.
What resulted was three days of behind-the-scenes whispers that grew too loud for the administration to ignore, and yesterday their hand was forced in to fabricating some BS about the salary cap, which gave the subsequent blessing to terminate the hooker’s 12-year career at the Tigers.
When questioned on whether this was a decision driven by the player group, Tigers officials categorically denied their involvement in Farah’s sacking before happily stating, “Frankly, it’s just refreshing to be sacking someone other than a coach for once.”
As league wires began to run hot, Farah called a press conference to douse the gossip with a one-man united front, fervently denying having his own blood on his hands, while restating he has a solid working relationship with himself.
“I don’t know where all of this has come from. Me and myself get along fine.
“How much more proof do you need? We live in the same building complex together. I even play myself at tennis at least once a week.
“This is all Gorden Tallis’ fault, I bet.”
Farah’s shaky reassurance flies in the face of intel received by The Roar’s moles.
An unnamed associate of Farah says he feared the worst when the Blues hooker began questioning his own performances in online forums, and then when he refused to acknowledge himself on the field at the end of a game against the Eels, the writing was on the wall.
When again pressed on Farah’s role in his axing, the club reiterated their stance:
“The fact of the matter is this; it’s a cap issue, and the Wests Tigers are in the business of paying blokes to work for anyone as long as its not the Wests Tigers.
“Robbie has a massive back-ended deal that we pledge to continue paying, just like we still are with Tim Sheens, Mick Potter and half of our 1989 grand final winning side.”
The board has employed Farah in an advisory role in the short-term to assist in finding someone suitably disruptive as his replacement.
johnno2
Guest
I vote for farah as coach, captain and CEO. that would make for excellent board meetings. Farah the CEO could sack himself as coach or he, acting as the captain, could backdoor himself if the boardroom move didn't get approval. It would be a win win win
Ra
Guest
Tigers have a classy roster. Its a matter of time and aging together I think.
Ra
Guest
I was probably playing league before you were born Cedric. And yes you are correct Charlie, it is you're
Muzz
Guest
What about Paul Carter?
Gav
Guest
Quality! Love it!! Yep Tim Sheens and Potter will be feeling that there is justice in the world after all. What NRL club coach would be prepared to take him?? A desperate one!
Charlie Mackay
Guest
* you're Used in a sentence: you're clearly a league fan with spelling like that!
Dane Eldridge
Expert
The board left the ground at halftime.
up in the north
Roar Rookie
Cheers Dane , reminds me of that line from wog boy where the Serb says how he wakes up in the morning he hates himself as well as everybody else.
Con Scortis
Roar Guru
Hi Steven, I respectfully disagree on Cameron. He's only 21 and has played just 18 NRL games. It takes time for hookers to develop and compete at the top level, I'm happy that Madge etc see him as a future leader at the club and are prepared to back him. In saying that, gee I hope they are right as we have let Luke, Api and Peats go so we need Cam to work out.
Mark Young
Roar Guru
"we pledge to continue paying, just like we still are with Tim Sheens, Mick Potter and half of our 1989 GRAND FINAL WINNING side." You are kidding me aren't you.
steveng
Roar Rookie
Why would he want to play reserve grade when he can fetch a good and exorbitant amount of money and good contract with another club? Robbie's services and talent would be much better put to use with other clubs if the Tigers don't want him and are worried about their salary cap.
Steven Funnell
Guest
Brilliant!
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
I think tim sheens was more everyone from the playing group to the admin had had enough. Potter though I believe was a victim of player power that was driven directly (or indirectly at least) by Farah.
steveng
Roar Rookie
Robbie should consider his remaining RL career out with South Sydney. The Rabbits should go all out to get Robbie in their side as they could do with a legend hooker/playmaker like Robbie. The Rabbits are running very thin with a good hooker/playmaker and Cameron McInnes is not cutting the mustard in my opinion.
Boydy-In-Brisbane
Guest
I'm not one that usually blames the coach at the earliest opportunity however, surely Jason Taylor must take some of the heat for the teams demise this season. The Tigers have only lost two games all year where they haven't been on the receiving end of a lopsided penalty count and one of them was an 8-nil lost to the Cowboys in wet conditions. This really needs to be addressed by the club and the coach. They are the worst disciplined club in the NRL. (Either that, or they're not liked by the referees), either way, the club management owes it to the fans to get answers. Wests Tigers have 10 players who have represented their country as seniors, 5 Australian Schoolboys reps and City/Country/State of Origin reps and yet we're still running last? Why? Poorly coached perhaps?
Wayne Lovell
Roar Guru
I believe strongly in a National competition and regularly advocate for less Sydney teams in it, but I never want to see a club disappear.
cedric
Guest
" drags on to its uninspiring finals ", your obviously not a league fan! If this is true and the Tigers are going to play Robbie in reserve grade if no one picks him up and if he is picked up they still have to top up the money (if any). Then there's more than smoke, it sounds alot like poison to me!
berthe
Guest
Benji must be laughing. Farah is a good example of what a detrimental effect a higher education has on rugby talent. In future the axiom of rugby league will be"the less educated the man the better the rugby league player" Farah will be wise to stay with the Tigers and play out his remaining generous contract in the reserves as there does not seem to be many starters willng to pay him handsomely for his so so talent
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
I think both clubs being demoted wouldn't be a bad thing. The history would still be there. But if they could finally work it out then that wouldn't be bad either.
berthe
Guest
Robbie Farah should do well in the reserve grade