Robbie Farah - origin

[Forth & Clyde]

Yep he was very average, his whole style of play seemed totaly differant. A piss weak forward pack going backwards didnt help also a tiny 10 metres all night. But he should have looked to change his strategies to deal with that. I know for a fact that one particular selector hates him so id say he is gooooone for game 3.

For all the hysteria and dissapointment, he had the second highest tackle count of any player in either side, with 32. He was playing under Bellamy's instructions, make no mistake about that. He made fewer than 30 metres total, ran from dummy half twice only. The strength of Farah's attacking game is him challenging and teasing the defence from anywhere inside 30 metres. Did not see that once on Wednesday night. Ennis is a tough, hard competitor, but he lacks the natural brilliance of Farah. Farah is one for the long term, Ennis would be yet another knee jerk selection from a group of selectors that I honestly don't think could legibly write their own names in block letters

 

[Vicious]

For all the hysteria and dissapointment, he had the second highest tackle count of any player in either side, with 32. He was playing under Bellamy's instructions, make no mistake about that. He made fewer than 30 metres total, ran from dummy half twice only. The strength of Farah's attacking game is him challenging and teasing the defence from anywhere inside 30 metres. Did not see that once on Wednesday night. Ennis is a tough, hard competitor, but he lacks the natural brilliance of Farah. Farah is one for the long term, Ennis would be yet another knee jerk selection from a group of selectors that I honestly don't think could legibly write their own names in block letters

Played like a spastic and will be dropped for game 3, no "if`s" or "but`s" about it.
We`re all Wests Tigers supporters here, but plenty of you seem to rate our players much higher than their true ability. Farah is a class player and will bounce back, but you can bet your bottom dollar that Ennis will have a big game in SOO3. Love him or hate him, he always steps up to the mark in the big games, like the class players should !

 

[Magpies Forever]

I reckon Farah will be dropped but I hope he gets another chance in the future. I remain suspect that he was played not fully fit- that is a mistake of both Farah and the selectors if that is the case- Origin cannot carry passengers at that level of intensity.

There is a chance though Farah might be one of those players that performs magnificently at club level and is a world beater but the extra intensity of origin is just beyond them. I hope not, but he would not be the first to have probs with Origin level football.

 

[ouwet]

The strength of Farah's attacking game is him challenging and teasing the defence from anywhere inside 30 metres. Did not see that once on Wednesday night. Ennis is a tough, hard competitor, but he lacks the natural brilliance of Farah. Farah is one for the long term, Ennis would be yet another knee jerk selection from a group of selectors that I honestly don't think could legibly write their own names in block letters

It's origin mate not NRL... those kicks close to the line, teasing the defence & his "natural Brilliant" isn't what origin is all about... It's good for NRL but not origin. Ennis is a tough nut, he'll fight and heckle the QLDer's... That's origin!

Price, Cameron Smith and co. had a field day stopping Farah... Ennis would've given it back, Farah went missing and when he tried something it failed.

 

[Wobbygong]

The biggest risk with Ennis is his defence, which can be a little suspect. At least he can kick goals, Gidley couldn't hit the side of a barn, he is ordinary.

 

[TimmyB]

It's origin mate not NRL... those kicks close to the line, teasing the defence & his "natural Brilliant" isn't what origin is all about... It's good for NRL but not origin. Ennis is a tough nut, he'll fight and heckle the QLDer's... That's origin!

Price, Cameron Smith and co. had a field day stopping Farah... Ennis would've given it back, Farah went missing and when he tried something it failed.

Fighting and heckling isn't going to make metres.

At Vicious, there's no way you can guarantee that about Ennis. The bloke has never even played a big match in his life. What's his finals' experience like? When he's picked he may well have a brilliant game. He may not. Let's just wait and see hey? Whilst the lack of go forward was certainly a responsibility of Farah's, the play the balls were excruciatingly slow. I can't see Ennis thriving on the back of that. Let's remember the pack he plays with now and the able support he gets from a halfback.

He may deserve a shot. No problems about that. Just don't guarantee he'll make it, it's silly. Something us Farah fans have learned the hard way.

 

[nyx]

I think he'll get dropped, unfortunately

You can't put in a Origin performance that bad and not pay the price.
Look at how Kimmorely was punted for good after his bad pass.

But he's still young and too good to not get another chance in the future at some stage. He'll just have to play the game of his life when he does get his next opportunity.

He must be really hurting right now. Hopefully he takes it out on the Dragons tonight and has a blinder.

 

[Forth & Clyde]

Played like a spastic and will be dropped for game 3, no "if`s" or "but`s" about it.
We`re all Wests Tigers supporters here, but plenty of you seem to rate our players much higher than their true ability. Farah is a class player and will bounce back, but you can bet your bottom dollar that Ennis will have a big game in SOO3. Love him or hate him, he always steps up to the mark in the big games, like the class players should !

Look Sid, as much as I'd like to go with your thoughtful appraisal, the stats don't point to him having played like a 'spastic', whatever that is supposed to mean. He and Smith were the game's top tacklers, he and Smith performed at about the same level in metres gained as well. Farah (together with Poore) missed a vital tackle. As far as that pass was concerned, it is fair for a dummy half to assume that a large forward might just want to be hitting the advantage line with some intensity, given they were 5 or 10 metres from their own goal line. It appears that Ben Creagh's mind was elsewhere. In fact, looking at the stats, the forward's performance, compared to that of the two old QLD blokes, would suggest their collective thoughts were elsewhere

Smith looked terrific in the last minute of the game.

Perhaps you could remind me of the 'big games' where Ennis has 'stepped up to the mark'

I think I have a reasonably objective opinion of Tigers players, given that I would like to see 12 or so leave the Club.

 

[Forth & Clyde]

It's origin mate not NRL... those kicks close to the line, teasing the defence & his "natural Brilliant" isn't what origin is all about... It's good for NRL but not origin. Ennis is a tough nut, he'll fight and heckle the QLDer's... That's origin!

Price, Cameron Smith and co. had a field day stopping Farah... Ennis would've given it back, Farah went missing and when he tried something it failed.

What Ennis can do, what Ennis might do, all fanciful theory. To suggest Farah 'went missing' is just ridiculous. But look, you'll probably get your way, Fulton/McCarthy and Daley could be accused of many things, but remaining calm, planning for the future and not being reactionary ? Never

 

[madunit]

He was playing under Bellamy's instructions, make no mistake about that. He made fewer than 30 metres total, ran from dummy half twice only.

This is exactly what happened. He tried to make Robbie play like Cameron Smith.

Cameron Smith can play that boring one dimensional style because he has Lockyer and Thurston calling the shots.

NSW had two of the worst possible halves they could pick.

Kimmorley should have been the halfback, Hayne should have been the fullback and throw Gidley at five eighth.

Barrett should never be in a rep team, he chokes at the higher level, a la Gower/Timmins/Anasta etc

 

[Tiger Hawk]

Fighting and heckling isn't going to make metres.

At Vicious, there's no way you can guarantee that about Ennis. The bloke has never even played a big match in his life. What's his finals' experience like? When he's picked he may well have a brilliant game. He may not. Let's just wait and see hey? Whilst the lack of go forward was certainly a responsibility of Farah's, the play the balls were excruciatingly slow. I can't see Ennis thriving on the back of that. Let's remember the pack he plays with now and the able support he gets from a halfback.

He may deserve a shot. No problems about that. Just don't guarantee he'll make it, it's silly. Something us Farah fans have learned the hard way.

Farah played the worst game I've seen him play, but let's give credit where credit is due to QLD's tactics. How much was made, in the lead up to game two and after the spark Wing provided in game 1, to NSW's chances resting on their performance out of dummy half - not just Farah's, but Gidley's as well (and Wing's, before being injured). Meninga and his coaching staff clearly devised a game plan to slow the play the ball down to pedestrian level, committing multiple defenders to every tackle and ensuring they jumped out of marker early. When the refs decided to swallow their whistles, the ptbs were, as Timmy points out, slooooooooow. QLD weren't alone on this either - NSW were just as bad (or good if you like) at slowing the ruck down, and I don't recall either side making a clean break from dummy-half, or a single ruck / marker penalty.

Additionally, I lost count of the number of times I saw a QLD player lying in the ruck, again slowing the ptb down. Not directly breaking a rule (as they weren't strictly interferring with the play), but certainly hindering whoever was at dummy-half jumping out quickly, picking the ball up cleanly etc.

Farah could have played better, but Weyman & Kite did nothing early on and with only one prop on the bench, couple with the way the game was being played, the game was never going to be dominated by a hooker.

 

[macnaz]

Below average again tonight against Saints