Robbie Farah’s perfect response to bench snub

AFTER being forced to come off the bench, Wests Tigers hooker Robbie Farah seized the perfect opportunity for retribution.

That’s one way to make a statement.

ROBBIE Farah would have had every reason to feel dejected.

After playing 80 minutes of State of Origin I less than a fortnight ago, the 32-year-old was forced to start the Wests Tigers’ clash against the South Sydney Rabbitohs on Friday from the bench.

While Wests coach Jason Taylor may claim otherwise, it is widely considered that the former Test player’s benching is an attempt to entice Farah to walk out of the final year of his contract — keeping in mind that he was also left out of the match day squad for last week’s 32-18 loss to the Sydney Roosters.

Tensions between Farah and Taylor have been laid bare for some time now, since the coach tried unsuccessfully to remove the former skipper from his roster late last year. Taylor, however, insists his selection choices are strictly professional and performance based.

Farah would have had every reason to feel dejected.

“We have a really solid, professional relationship, and we discuss in detail all of these (selection) decisions. There was speculation last week Robbie wasn’t happy he wasn’t playing,” Taylor told News Corp.

“Everybody is in the same boat in regards to performing well every single week. Robbie hadn’t played in our team the last three games and we’d played really strongly.

“People look at the result of that Roosters’ game and say, ‘well, they made a mistake, they should not have left Robbie out’. But for me that’s not correct.

“We went with the right team, and the fact we were in that game with 15 minutes to go shows that.

“I don’t think in the NRL that anyone should be guaranteed a position for any length of time...

“What we want to do as coaches is ensure everyone understands their job is on the line every week.

“We want to build competition for positions. It’s the ultimate way to get people to perform to know someone is breathing down their neck.’’

If Taylor was in fact pushing Farah to perform, he succeeded.

With his side leading 22-8, Farah all but sealed a Tigers victory with an incredible 50 metre break up the midfield.

With one man to beat, Farah threw his signature dummy, charging forward and diving over to score to the left of the posts.

Robbie!#NRLTigersSouths#NRL https://t.co/IZ7FXfZl6f

— NRL (@NRL) June 10, 2016

As the try was scored, a chat of “Robbie” could be heard around ANZ Stadium.

Following the try, Channel Nine commentator Phil Gould credited Farah’s whole match performance with leading his team to victory.

“He (Farah) came on at 10 nil, and all he has done is keep his team ticking over. He hasn’t overplayed his hand. He has really played the team role tonight… he’s kept the team going forward,” Gould said.

Former Test halfback Andrew Johns shared a similar sentiment.

“He played well... He really sparked them,” Johns said. “He played his role within the team, supported well and then when the offload came out the back, I thought he was nice and direct. That was a vintage try, it was a cracker,”

The Farah dummy.

What better way to prove the value of your place in the starting side than by topping off a solid showing of leadership with a brilliant solo try?

Like every great player, Farah let his football do the talking, bravely shaking off questions surrounding his benching and the drama that has clouded the lead up to the game.

“It is tough, I’m not going to say that it isn’t,” Farah told Brad Fitler after the game.

“But you have just got to get on with it. You get paid to come out here and do a job, and once you cross that white line, you’ve got to do it, so that’s all I was focused on.

“(Coming off the bench) is different. I’ve done it earlier in the year, coming back from injury, but its been a while. I just tried to come on a play my normal game, so it wasn’t too different when I was out here.”

Wests ended the game with a convincing 30-14 win over the Rabbitohs. Mitchell Moses led the points score for the victors with one try and two conversions, giving him a personal tally of eight, while Alex Johnston led the charge for South Sydney with two tries.

Originally published as Robbie Farah’s perfect response to bench snub