A perfect day at one of rugby league’s most iconic grounds was host to the return of a Wests Tigers legend.
Robbie Farah returned to the ‘Eighth Wonder of the World’, otherwise known as Leichhardt Oval, after a one-and-a-half-year stint at the Rabbitohs, following his dramatic exit after the 2016 season.
The hooker was released on a mid-season transfer back to the Tigers after only appearing in two NRL games this season due to the stunning performances of the New South Wales hooker Damien Cook.
The Tigers have struggled to find a genuine starting hooker in 2018, switching through Jacob Liddle, Pita Godinet, Matt McIlwrick and Elijah Taylor for no luck.
The former skipper came along before the June 30 deadline with Bulldogs fullback Moses Mbye to attempt to fill two positions that the Tigers have had some uncertainty around.
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Farah’s ordeal with then-coach Jason Taylor is now a distant memory. Add the signing of another Tigers legend, Benji Marshall, and a fairy-tale reunion has been created for the two 2005 premiership players.
Farah as the club’s most capped player, having played his 248th match on the weekend, who adds more experience to a team that has suffered a considerable form drop since the first six weeks of the comp. Along with the signing of Mbye, Farah will hopefully recapture that early form.
Farah’s return was better than expected, as he played 80 minutes like he was still in his mid-20s, powering through 49 tackles and a massive 125 run metres, including a line break.
The trademark dummy-half scoots were present throughout the game, with five runs for 61 metres. Good service from the play the ball, which the Tigers have lacked all year, was a sigh of relief for halves Luke Brooks and Josh Reynolds.
Unfortunately, the Tigers were too ill-disciplined, with plenty of handling errors and penalties against the Titans, which has been the major problem for the side since Round 6.
The bye week will hopefully give the team time to gel with two new players in the spine before they face competition leaders the St George Illawarra Dragons, at Jubilee.
Ivan Cleary’s men are now six points outside the eight and need to start winning games again if they are any chance of playing finals footy.
Eddie Otto
Roar Guru
That is a positive way of looking at it Josh assuming your not being sarcastic. Some of Cleary's signings for me have huge question marks over them. 800K a season for Josh Reynolds doesn't look like great business to me. Packer and Matalino have by and large been underwhelming up front and are tied to long term deals. Macqueen is totally busted and done as an NRL player. Lolihea has been a big disappointment. Im a Tigers man but i am not felling too optimistic about the next couple of years.
Josh Jordan
Roar Rookie
Another good and intelligent buy from Coach Cleary, he's done a good job bringing back these veterans with plenty left to give whilst bringing up young players and learn from them. Making for a nice balanced team IMO.
Steven Thommo
Guest
Farah or no Farah another year of despair
Lachlan MacCorquodale
Roar Rookie
Thanks for the reply, Totally agree that the Sydney sides with a suburban ground should play majority of their home games there. No atmosphere when teams play at Homebush or SFS with a crowd of 10,000. 10,000 at the suburban grounds generates a great atmosphere and for me personally love watching the Tigers play at Leichhardt Oval. The new Parramatta stadium should be used for the bigger clashes in Sydney when they anticipate that they will have a crowd of 20,000+.
GWSingapore
Guest
Leichhardt Oval. Full house. Proof positive that Sydney rugby league is best suited as a suburban sport in the southern and western suburbs of Sydney. Forget Homebush and the Sydney Football Stadium (SFS.) When the new Parramatta stadium opens for 2019 the NRL should play Friday night matches there. 30 000 seat capacity will give it a better look on TV. Parramatta has better public transport connections than Homebush or the SFS. Plus Parramatta has many more options for pre and post match liquids and solids than Homebush or the over-priced SFS. IMHO - NO BRAINER.
Lachlan MacCorquodale
Roar Rookie
Changed it up now, but I was just automatically giving the side the two points from this weeks bye week so they're technically two wins behind the broncos but Broncos have a game in hand, confusing thing about allocating points for a bye
E-Meter
Guest
Slight error at the end - 6 points outside the top 8