Top Tiger Farah could roar on a little longer
By Christian Nicolussi
17 July 2018 — 5:26pm
The Robbie Farah farewell tour could roll on to 2019 as the Wests Tigers pin-up gives serious thought to playing on one final season.
Farah was grateful to be granted a pre-June 30 release from South Sydney to finish out the year at his beloved Tigers before he planned to call it quits.
One more lap? Robbie Farah has left the door open to playing another season with the Tigers.
But Farah has made such an impact in his two games for the Tigers, Fairfax Media understands he is starting to have second thoughts about walking away.
While Farah will have no issues physically coping with another season, which could see him possibly reach 300 NRL games, the bigger hurdle will be whether he can lift again mentally at the age of 35.
Farah will celebrate 250 games in the Tigers colours on Saturday against South Sydney - and the man who kept him out of first grade, NSW No. 9 Damien Cook.
There have been no formal discussions between Farah and the Tigers, although it's understood club officials would entertain the idea if the premiership rake came at the right price and held his form.
Farah recently said the dramas surrounding his exit from the Tigers the first time around had taken an emotional toll, and spending most of the year in reserve grade this year had made the decision to retire much easier.
Jacob Liddle is seen as the long-term hooker at the Tigers but has struggled with a sternum and shoulder injuries for most of the season.
Farah would baulk at being an 80-minute hooker if he played on, but the idea of mentoring a player like Liddle would have appeal.
The Tigers' final home game at Leichhardt Oval will be round 23 against the St George Illawarra, with Farah hoping to have a decision either way by that date so farewell celebrations can be either planned or canned.
Another season would see Farah pass 300 NRL games, provided he stays fit and in form, which has huge appeal. Should the Tigers pass on Farah, he will pull the pin, having decided he will not play for another club.
As Farah makes up his mind, his good friend and fellow premiership winner Benji Marshall is expected to give serious thought to his own future in the next fortnight.
The Tigers also announced on Tuesday Josh Reynolds would miss the rest of the season and undergo surgery to his shoulder, which kept him out of action during an injury-plagued first year at the club.
Marshall said on Tuesday about Farah possibly playing on: "If he keeps going way he's going, 100 per cent he can. He hasn't had a chance to play. That energy from being home, I think he can maintain it, and if he keeps going the way he's going, why not?''
Marshall said he had held no discussions with Farah about their futures, and they did not want to make the run home to the finals all about them.
The Tigers are in tenth and two wins outside the top eight after a shock win over St George Illawarra. Marshall said the Cook-Farah match-up was the biggest highlight in a Saturday evening game that will also feature John Sutton play 300 NRL games for the one club.
"Everyone has seen what 'Cooky' can do, and Robbie the last couple of weeks has been outstanding,'' Marshall said. "It's the most mouth-watering match-up of the weekend, with Robbie against his old club, his 250th game for the Tigers, Sutton's 300 games, there are a lot of good storylines for this game, and hopefully it's a great game we win.''
Marshall returned from injury to help the Tigers to a 20-16 victory over the Dragons with his spiral bomb to Matt Dufty as good as it gets.
He is expected to sit down with club officials in the coming weeks to work out his plans, and said the club could even make the decision for him.
New Tigers' No. 1 Moses Mbye was one player chuffed to run around with Farah and Marshall, and recalled watching them work their magic in the 2005 grand final win.
"Robbie has a really good footy IQ, he's been really good to have around this spine, especially with the new spine,'' Mbye said. "To have someone like him come in and guide the side around like he has been, it's a huge bonus.'
Meanwhile, Reynolds will undergo surgery on his right scapula, while Chris Lawrence will also go under the knife for a hand fracture he suffered along with a hamstring injury against the Dragons.
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/top-tiger-farah-could-roar-on-a-little-longer-20180717-p4zrzs.html
