Pain of missing last year’s State of Origin decider keeps Robbie Farah’s fire burning
ROBBIE Farah has been through his fair share of struggles in recent times but nothing stings the hooker more than missing last year’s “excruciating” Origin decider.
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ROBBIE Farah has been through his fair share of struggles in recent times.
From his beloved Wests Tigers saying he was free to look elsewhere to the fear of being knocked unconscience last weekend, Farah hasn’t had it easy.
But he insists nothing drives him like the pain of injury relegating him to the sidelines for last year’s Maroon massacre in the Origin decider.
“It was one of the most excruciating things I’ve had to sit through,” Farah told The Daily Telegraph.
“I was in the coach’s box to watch that 80 minutes of football and I’ll never forget that.
“52-6 — you don’t forget that too often.
“It’s a score line that drives you every day and it’s in the back of my mind.
“Even though I didn’t play, I still feel like I was part of it.
“That stigma is going to hang around until we right the wrongs that happened.
“We’ve had to wait 12 months to get another opportunity, but now we are two weeks and fingers crossed I get that opportunity to try and redeem what happened.”
Farah is strongly favoured to be named at starting hooker for NSW when coach Laurie Daley names his side for Origin I on Monday.
However he is unlikely to play against Newcastle on Saturday as he recovers from being heavily concussed, meaning he’ll have no more game time before the Origin opener in Sydney on June 1.
Not that it concerns Farah — he is just happy to be fit and healthy after his heavy collision with close friend Josh Reynolds.
“It was pretty scary, but I was comforted in the fact I had full movement and feelings in my arms and legs,” he explained.
“So I was pretty calm, but if anything it was a bit scarier for my family seeing me in the state I was in.
“My old man is a big softie and my sister and my brothers were there, so it was tough for them.
“But I was in good hands. Our medical staff were outstanding and so were the Bulldogs’ medical staff.
“They came to my aid and Brubby (Reynolds) stood by me on the ground, so I had all the right people around me.”
Tigers skipper Aaron Woods admitted he originally feared for the worst when he saw Farah unconscious on the ground.
“I was a bit worried for him at the time,” Woods said.
“It was pretty bad and I’ve never seen someone knocked out like that with his lip shacking and his eyes rolling in the back of his head.
“That’s why I rushed in straight away and I also called him a couple of times just to make sure he is okay.
“After he got out of hospital the scans were okay and I’m just happy everything is all good.”
Woods also expressed his disappointment at the Tigers fans that accused Reynolds for deliberately kneeing Farah.
“It was accidental and it was disrespectful from the fans to boo Josh,” he said. “He is a competitor, but no way in the world would he knee someone like that.
“Josh and Robbie are best mates.”
Originally published as Pain of missing last year’s State of Origin decider keeps Robbie Farah’s fire burning
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