Sydney Roosters beat Wests Tigers 42-28 in NRL round 15 clash

IT'S only a game. How many times have you said that to yourself? Thought it? Used it after a loss to square away with yourself how you are feeling?

IT'S only a game.

How many times have you said that to yourself? Thought it? Used it after a loss to square away with yourself how you are feeling? That you shouldn't feel so low over something as trivial as a game of footy?

Then something comes along like the death of Wests Tigers captain Robbie Farah's mum Sonia yesterday morning, her brave battle with pancreatic cancer now over.

It's only a game - but a footy club is also a family.

"This is the sort of thing that affects a family," Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens said through a wavering voice. "And we're a family here at the Wests Tigers."

For the record, the Tigers lost 42-28 at Leichhardt Oval, breaking their seven-match winning streak, but all that seemed pointless as the shadows lengthened and the cold set in at the iconic suburban ground.

"To talk about the game today seems like a waste of time for me," Sheens said. "It's something I'm not particularly interested in. When things like that happen, it makes playing rugby league a little insignificant."

That's Tim Sheens talking. The bloke would normally talk endlessly about rugby league, and could probably do so under 10-foot of wet cement. Last night, he didn't care. It's only a game.

Sheens had seen stand-in captain Benji Marshall break down on the field as a minute's silence was observed as a mark of respect.Teammates ran in to console him. Four minutes later, he placed a perfect grubber kick into the corner for winger Matt Utai to score the opening points.

From there, though, the emotion of the day appeared to get the better of the Tigers as much as the Roosters' rampant forward pack.

The visitors ran in 24 unanswered points to lead 24-4 at half-time. They blew that lead out to 36-10 with 19 minutes to play, before the Tigers resorted to the brand of footy you play when you are a kid, when it is just a game.

Match centre: Game details and stats, plus vote for man of the match

Three tries in six minutes dragged them back into the contest before Roosters prop Martin Kennedy steamrolled over with two minutes remaining.When they came off the field and found themselves in the dressing-rooms, looking into each other's eyes, that's when it hit the Tigers players.

"They are feeling it right now," Sheens said. "More so now than before the game, although the minute's silence really affected a few of them, too."Then the hardened coach within him flickered, just for a moment.

"We're not using it as any excuse," Sheens said. "There are reasons why you lose games, that's one of them.

"Dropping ball and giving away penalties is another, and we did all of that today."

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The Tigers players were too distraught to speak last night.

Just what effect Sonia Farah's passing has on their captain, and his teammates, for the rest of the season remains to be seen.

Farah was NSW's best player on the field in their Origin win last Wednesday night. What will it mean for game three? His mum's battle with a brutal disease has inspired his footy. How will it affect him now she is gone?

Sheens doesn't know.

"He's known it's been coming," the coach said. "People who have dealt with cancer in their family know there's an inevitability. He was told that some time back.

"When it happens, it happens and you're still going to be very upset by it. In the short term, it's not about next week. It's about Robbie and his family."

SYDNEY ROOSTERS 42 (B Anasta B Cordner A Guerra M Kennedy M Pearce L Tasi J Waerea-Hargreaves tries B Anasta 7 goals) bt WESTS TIGERS 28 (K Galloway C Lawrence T Moltzen B Ryan M Utai tries B Marshall 4 goals) at Leichhardt Oval. Referees: Gavin Badger, Ben Cummins. Crowd: 20,327.