Wests Tigers’ dramas could be a danger to North Queensland’s finals hunt

ROBBIE Farah only need rewind to the night he tore apart North Queensland four months ago to realise why Wests Tigers fans are furious.

Coach Mick Potter with Robbie Farah during Wests Tigers rugby league training at Concord Oval, Sydney. Pic Brett Costello

ROBBIE Farah is under siege from his own assistant coach but he only needs to rewind to the night he tore apart North Queensland four months ago to realise why Wests Tigers fans are furious he has inflamed the club’s crisis.

The Tigers are so deep in turmoil they have nothing to lose against the Cowboys.

They are struggling to find 17 players for their trip to Townsville, captain Farah has been slammed by Tigers legend Steve Roach and head coach Mick Potter has been given a stay of execution.

Wests Tigers’ frustration at the ongoing dramas could make them a handful for the Cowboys.

It has all the makings of a Townsville ambush, especially considering Farah’s best performance this year was against Paul Green’s men in Round 6 when he scored a try and set up two others in a 16-4 win at Campbelltown Stadium.

If Farah produces a man-of-the-match performance, the Tigers will probably win.

However, the NRL’s second best hooker has every reason to be distracted after a fortnight from hell although a lot of the drama is his own doing.

GRAND FINAL LOSS STILL BURNS FOR JT

Green was adamant the club was uninterested in the Tigers’ turmoil but said Farah would still be their danger man regardless of the controversy surrounding him.

The Cowboys need to win four of their remaining five games to qualify for the top four and ensure the first week of play-offs is qualification not elimination.

“I don’t know what sort of mindset they are in. I know what mindset we are in and we are fairly focused on improving every week,” Green said.

UPDATED LATE MAIL: TIGERS DECIMATED

Cowboys coach Paul Green says his team haven’t paid attention to the Tigers’ woes.

“Robbie Farah has proven himself at every level of the game. He’s certainly a good player and Aaron Woods has been in good form also.

“They will be desperate for a win. Nobody likes copping the criticism they have copped in the past couple of weeks and the best way you can stop all that is playing well on the paddock.

“While they have those distractions happening, they still have some very good players in their team.

“There are no games you should or shouldn’t win. The NRL is too tight and if you turn up being off 5 per cent there is a fair chance you will get beaten.’’

TIGERS NO HOPE WITHOUT FARAH

Prop James Tamou will be given until warm-up tonight to rejoin the side after missing last week with a neck complaint.

The Tigers’ near-capacity injury ward includes boom half Luke Brooks but the Cowboys are preparing as if he is playing despite repeated denials from Wests.

Farah deflected criticism of his interview with The Footy Show, which infuriated Roach, by lauding Cowboys rookie custodian Michael Morgan, who is in career best form.

“He’s been a revelation,” Farah said.