Wests Tigers coach Ivan Cleary instrumental in moves to bring Robbie Farah back to the club
ROBBIE Farah and Tigers coach Ivan Cleary have held private talks about a Tigers return for the past few weeks — conversations which prompted Tigers players to contact Farah about returning to the club.
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SENIOR Wests Tigers officials will meet with the club’s coaching staff and board today to discuss the prospect of signing former captain Robbie Farah before the June 30 transfer deadline.
It comes as Farah has contacted Tigers coach Ivan Cleary about leaving South Sydney to finish his career where it started.
The Daily Telegraph can reveal Farah and Cleary have held private talks about a Tigers homecoming for the past few weeks.
These conversations have prompted Tigers players to contact Farah about returning to the club.
The former Test and Origin hooker has only played two NRL games for the Rabbitohs this season due to the emergence of Damien Cook, who has become a consistent first grader and NSW Origin star.
Farah has spent the majority of the season playing for North Sydney in the NSW Intrust Super Premiership.
He is desperate to play more NRL before hanging up the boots.
If Farah joins the Tigers, the deal would be for the remainder of the 2018 season.
It’s understood South Sydney officials won’t stand in the veteran hooker’s way if he was able to secure a contract with the Tigers.
The Daily Telegraph contacted Tigers CEO Justin Pascoe on Thursday afternoon about the prospect of signing Farah before June 30.
When asked if the joint-venture club had interest in Farah, Pascoe replied: “No.”
The Tigers boss was again contacted on Friday morning regarding reports Farah was poised to return to his junior club.
Pascoe refused to comment, saying: “We will not be commenting publicly on matters of recruitment and retention up until the June 30 deadline.
“This increased period of player movement is accompanied by the annual rise of speculation.
“In fairness to all involved, we will not be making public comment in this extremely sensitive environment.”
Farah’s management are hopeful a deal with the Tigers will be finalised in the coming days.
Some were willing to welcome back Woods into the Wests Tigers fold. I for one welcome Robbie Farah, a true warrior of the club, returning to his rightful home. Not going to get into any arguments so don’t bother.
— Karate Warrior 2 (@me_dc) June 14, 2018
@BuzzRothfield Just saw Robbie Farah meeting with Ivan Cleary. Any chance he could be a tiger again before June 30?
— Ric Saunders (@ric_gady) June 13, 2018
A return to the Tigers would allow Farah to reunite with former premiership-winning teammate, Benji Marshall.
The pair could form a strong combination and lead the Tigers to the finals, before fittingly retiring together.
However, Farah’s deal at the Tigers is far from finalised.
The Lebanon international fell out with several board members and then coach Jason Taylor when he left the club for South Sydney in 2016.
But with Taylor no longer at the club, the Tigers believe Farah could play a vital role in helping the team play finals football.
Farah played 247 games for the Wests Tigers between 2003 and 2016, while he had a key role in the joint-venture club’s maiden premiership in 2005.