Robbie Farah prepared to retire as he defends Wests Tigers’ integrity

Robbie Farah says he is prepared “to take a bullet” for his Wests Tigers team and retire immediately after being unwittingly embroiled in the club’s salary cap fiasco.

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An emotional Robbie Farah says he is prepared “to take a bullet” for his Wests Tigers team and retire immediately after being unwittingly embroiled in the club’s salary cap fiasco for an agreement he concedes may never eventuate.

Farah hit out at suggestions his post-career ambassador deal was a salary cap rort and stood up for the integrity of under-siege chief executive Justin Pascoe.

The Tigers were blindsided by the NRL’s decision to deregister Pascoe, fine the club $750,000 fine and deduct $639,000 — the value of Farah’s four year ambassador deal — from their 2019 salary cap for failing to disclose the agreement.

Farah doesn’t want to put his teammates in a tough spot. (Tony Feder/Getty Images)

“I don’t want to cost somebody their contract or playing career,” Farah told The Daily Telegraph at a Five Dock cafe.

“It doesn’t mean as much to me as a young kid or something who is on a big contract. If it means I have to take a bullet I would rather do it then the guilt of someone being forced out leaving.

“Even though I know it’s not my fault I would still feel guilty. I’m struggling to deal with it. People will jump to conclusions and think I’m causing trouble. It was disappointing my name was mentioned. I didn’t think there was a need for it.”

Wests Tigers CEO Justin Pascoe had nothing to do with the deal. (Brett Costello)

Pascoe and Farah’s manager Sam Ayoub agreed to the deal in 2015, 12 months before he was released to join South Sydney. It was a “sign of respect” for Farah who was in the midst of a bitter falling out with former coach Jason Taylor.

Farah, who has until November 2020 to decide if he wants to take up the ambassador role, said the move to South Sydney and his subsequent return to the Tigers last year were unrelated to his post-career move with the Tigers.

While the deal was agreed upon in 2015, it was only when Farah shifted to South Sydney that Ayoub asked for signed confirmation.

Farah is frustrated how this has played out. (Jenny Evans)

“The fact is it had nothing to do with my playing contract at all,” Farah said. “My release to Souths was a separate contract. I got my full payout. The club didn’t save any money on me leaving or defer any payments because of an ambassador role. It wasn’t like they paid me less to try and cheat the salary cap. The NRL knows I got paid out in full. The role was completely different agreement. The club gained no advantage.

“It was something my management and Justin came to an agreement on in 2015. That’s when all the things started happening with the old coach. I asked for a release because I had an opportunity to go to another club. When it all started happening with the coach at the time, we didn’t have a CEO. Justin wasn’t coming in until the end of that season. He finally came in and assessed the situation and had seen the way things were handled was very poor and I was disrespected.

“He wasn’t happy with how things went down. When I asked for a release he declined it straight away. He said he wanted me here not only for the length of the contract but post-footy, for life. The way it was sold to me was that it was a sign of respect and goodwill after the way I’d been treated. He wanted to right the wrongs.

“I still might not do it. It’s an option. There is nothing concrete in the contract or in my own mind that I will take it. I might get into coaching and I have other business interests outside rugby league.

“The club is getting punished for something that may not come into fruition. What if I don’t take up the ambassador role at all? Does the fine get retracted?”

It is a shame Farah’s relationship with the club led to this. (Brett Costello)

The NRL said they will stand by their punishment even if Farah opts to not take up the deal.

Farah was caught unawares when he was phoned out of the blue by the integrity unit two weeks ago. He fronted up to the NRL headquarters and explained the deal but was still shocked when the punishment was handed down on Wednesday.

“I know Justin has done nothing wrong,” said Farah, who reached out to check on Pascoe’s welfare.

“He tried to do the right thing by me and the club. Even during the difficult period when I left the club and emotions were high, Justin always treated me with respect.

“I’ve always seen him as a man of integrity. I feel sorry for him in this situation. He doesn’t deserve to be going through this.

“The deal was common knowledge to everyone. The media knew about it, the public knew about it. “It wasn’t something that the club or I shied away from.”

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