Wests Tigers in the firing line over Robbie Farah controversy

A FORMER Federal Sports Minister and a Balmain legend have fired off angry letters to the Wests Tigers board over the dumping of star hooker Robbie Farah.

A FORMER Federal Sports Minister and a Balmain legend have fired off angry letters to the Wests Tigers board over the dumping of star hooker Robbie Farah.

The Sunday Telegraph has obtained copies of both letters, sent by the Honourable John Brown, AO, and former Tigers and Test hooker Ben Elias.

Brown, now 83, has supported Western Suburbs for 75 years, Elias played 234 first grade matches for the Balmain Tigers.

Both are incensed at the club’s decision to push Farah out the door, as was exclusively revealed in Wednesday’s Daily Telegraph.

Brown, who was Federal Member for Parramatta between 1977 and 1990, claimed the Wests Tigers board had in recent times acted with “incompetence and stupidity.”

Farah will attempt to cast aside the drama and lead Wests Tigers in this afternoon’s game against New Zealand Warriors at Campbelltown Stadium.

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Former Minister for Tourism and Wests Tigers fan John Brown.

Brown wrote: “Moving people on is a foolish and very costly endeavour. To replace Robbie Farah with a less competent player could theoretically cost the club up to $2m. Farah is of course club captain, vice-captain of NSW, a member of the Australian national squad, a former premiership-winner and someone who has been an adornment to the Western Suburbs team for over 12 years. Very few club footballers in Australia could approach this record of devotion, commitment and skill.

“I hate to criticise the new coach (Jason Taylor) but his record, possibly winning the wooden spoon, pails into insignificance alongside that of the man he wishes to ‘move on’. I await with anxious anticipation for Wests management or the NRL to explain to all of we faithful supporters who await advice as to what is happening in our club.

“We now have a list of people starting with Tim Sheens and finishing with Adam Blair, now starring with the Broncos, to which we very likely add the name of one of the players whom I have most admired in my 75 years. This foundation club formed in 1908 deserves to have a better reputation than the one which recent boards have diminished greatly with their incompetence and stupidity. I await an explanation if one is possible for this incredible dilemma.”

Tigers legend Ben Elias didn’t hold back.

Brown’s powerful words were echoed by Elias, a Tigers life member.

In his letter to the board, Elias called those that dumped Farah as “faceless men.”

“The supporters are our lifeline and they deserve a full explanation on the reasoning for this decision,” he wrote.

“Since I resigned from the Wests Tigers Board we have let Benji Marshall and Adam Blair out of their contracts, sacked the Australian coach in Tim Sheens, sacked Mick Potter and now exiting our local junior and club captain. Is this the culture we want to breed to our young guns coming through?”

Brown’s letter was also sent to NRL chief executive Dave Smith.

Wests Tigers focus on footy again today against the Warriors. Victory could lift Wests Tigers from the bottom of the NRL competition table.

Originally published as Wests Tigers in the firing line over Robbie Farah controversy