Robbie Farah was so browbeaten going into Origin I that he doubted he had the ability to play let alone lead the side in the absence of Paul Gallen.
Farah had been trying to play the way Jason Taylor wanted him to dumping his style and pet plays to conform with the coach. The result was a complete loss of confidence.
Farah was being used to shovel the ball to the halves and to tackle. It was like leaving the Ferrari in the garage and driving your Nissan Tiida every day.
He didn't want to rock the boat with Taylor he was still scarred by the Mick Potter episode where he was unfairly blamed for the coach's demise. The more Farah toed the line the worse his form got. It got to the point where Farah was riddled with self-doubt.
The first person he sought out in Origin camp was mind guru Garie Dooley. He booked in a time to get his head right. He also had long discussions with Laurie Daley and his assistant Matt Parish and they set him straight.
He felt loved by the Blues and Farah found form as he led NSW but all along in the back of his mind he was desperately unhappy about what was taking place in clubland. He sat down with Taylor and asked him to help him recapture his form. Taylor said he was unhappy with his leadership and Farah offered to quit. During those conversations Taylor labelled Farah selfish. Other players were confiding in Farah not all of them front-liners that they were not happy with their relationship with Taylor.
The coach was standing firm on all his decisions. At that point Farah was ready to walk away from at least the last year of his contract he wanted one more good season with the club before heading to England and seeing the world.
Taylor made the call on the day after the last Origin that Robbie was ready to go on his world tour now. Taylor insists to this minute that he has player support and that of the board. The story I'm hearing is that Taylor has not talked to the players about the drama.
The players have talked among themselves and have Farah in their hearts. Taylor would not agree he is of the view that no players have fronted him to complain.
The coach has copped it from all areas since the decision to dump a club legend but don't expect a repeat of the Mad Monday drama that ended his career at Souths.
An inexperienced Taylor went out drinking with his team and was floored by David Fa'alogo at the Forresters. It was a blow that landed him in coaching wilderness. By the time you read this most of the players will be well on their way to enjoying their end-of-season drink. Taylor will be having a drink with the coaching staff. He has learnt from the previous experience.
Farah, meanwhile, needs to think in coming days about staying put and enduring a toxic year with a coach he doesn't respect or playing a season elsewhere and ruining his dream of being a one-club player.
When the dust settles Farah knows he will have to entertain offers there is no question a strong club like Souths is a priority. Incoming Knights coach Nathan Brown has already made a public pitch for Farah. Brown is an old hooker who played with flair and he formed a bond with Farah during the Origin campaign. The Knights will also have Blues half Trent Hodkinson in their ranks.
