The Robbie Farah saga has finally come to a close with the former Wests Tigers hooker officially signing with the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
Farah put pen to paper on a two-year deal that will see him play with the foundation club for the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
Rabbitohs Head Coach Michael Maguire is pleased to be adding Farah to his squad for the 2017 season.
“Robbie has accomplished many things in the game and we look forward to him joining our squad and pushing for a spot in our top 17 each week,” coach Maguire said.
“Competition for spots is a driving factor for success at any Club and by adding a player of Robbie’s ability we will be increasing that competition within our squad.
“Within our organisation, we believe Robbie will strengthen our Club and we look forward to working with him when he joins us for pre-season training.”
The Rabbitohs have also agreed to a request from Cameron McInnes to release him from the final year of his playing contract.
McInnes has played 39 NRL matches for the Rabbitohs since making his debut against the Dragons in 2014.
McInnes was unveiled as a Dragon just thirty minutes prior to the announcement of Farah’s singing with Souths, confirming the worst-kept secret in Rugby League.
“We wanted to keep Cam here at Souths but he feels that the best opportunity for him at this stage of his career is at another club,” Maguire said.
“Cam has done a great job for us over the three years he’s been playing first grade, he has great respect from his peers, he’s a fantastic young man and we wish him nothing but the best for the rest of his career.”
McInnes spent the back end of the 2016 season playing second fiddle to Damien Cook, with the former Bulldogs enigma being preferred as the clubs starting hooker.
Cook will now have to contend with Farah as the clubs preferred hooker.
Jim
Guest
I look forward to you not being at any games next year then.
Jacksyd
Guest
As a fully paid member you receive notification through email and mail to renew. You can renew even after the season begins. A member of any club knows that.
jacko
Guest
Jumping off a Taylor coached team is a win in itself
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
But the team wasn't contending until after he was dropped.
andrew
Guest
I don't understand why people who are in the Taylor camp, think demoting your best hooker by a long, long way, permanently was the right option when you were contending for the finals. You can drop him for a week, or two if you think it is necessary, but forever is just arrogance. They didn't play any better with Farah dropped (as someone suggested). Moses played better but that was as much a function of his own development and experience as to who was at 9. Fact is the reason they missed the top 8 was because there was too much pressure on the number 6 and oppositions knew where the ball was going in attack because there was no threat from dummy half. That equals poor coaching. Their last two losses against Penrith and the Raiders when quality hookers showed them up was testament to the value of a good number 9.
Albo
Guest
Spot on TWAS ! Both clubs have inherent cultural problems far beyond the coaches who suffered trying to overcome them !
jim
Guest
Cook only earned his spot Later in the year. He's had 5 good games. It seems enough to give a lot of over excited fans stiffies but it's not a career. He was average in the early rounds and had a lot of trouble behind a pack going backwards. Hopefully he's smart enough to learn from the current NSW hooker. I reckon the senior players would be stoked with the signing. They know the value of experience at all levels of the game. And if you reckon Farrah doesn't work his fricken guts out every minute he plays, youre way off the mark
Albo
Guest
I'm with you Jacksyd ! I couldn't understand the Dogs letting Cook go in the first place, and then Souths only recognising him late in the year. Both clubs could have had much better seasons with him as starting 9 than the guys they ended up using. And now he looks like being usurped again by Farah, a guy in his twilight and with a trail of Club disaster behind him ?
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Rankin started his career in the halves actually.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
I've never been a Taylor fan and I've never followed a team he played for so there's no rose coloured glasses. I just think that when the same issues have been at clubs who go through multiple coaches, the current coach isn't the issue. Dumping McFadden isn't going to improve the Warriors either.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Not really. Souths won a premiership 2 seasons ago and were a finals team last year whilst 2 years ago the Tigers were propping up the bottom of the ladder. Jumping on a better team doesn't really say the player wins.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
The issues were there before Taylor.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
If it stunts the development of players and as a result prevents any progression what good is it? That's only a good view if you are vying for a premiership. Otherwise you want constant improvement and progression.
jacko
Guest
You are right TWAS. Taylor has ensurred that the Tigers are playing $750k of his wages. Is that good for the tigers is it?
Muzz
Guest
I forgot about Tetevano. FFS!
jacko
Guest
And no coach wants to win NOW. They all want to win in 2018? So Farah wanting to win NOW is an issue yet Taylor not wanting to win now but wants a good 2018 is a good plan? i know who I would rather be around.
jacko
Guest
Ballin played 2 games in 2016. What an awesome contribution that was. And they LOST both games
jacko
Guest
It will be facinating to see the battle within a battle then wont it TWAS. Souths finish ahead of tigers in the comp then Farah wins. Tigers finish ahead of souths then Taylor wins
jacko
Guest
Farah is a far better player than Taylor is a coach. Perhaps it is you looking at Taylor thru rose colored glasses. Look at his record as a coach and a player and you will see headlines about his disagreements with , firstly his coaches, and secondly players he is coaching. He went to the press when he disagreed with Warren Ryans coaching style at wests and he was punched by someone he coached at souths so you using words like "it seems" show no facts to back up your anti Farah stance but even wikipedia back up my anti Taylor stance with FACTS
jacko
Guest
I just find it odd that everybody thinks Taylor is the issue. So everybody thinks its Taylor but they are all wrong? You answer your own arguement