Whats Up With Farah?

[Magpies Forever]

Guys, I'm watching the game vs Saints up here in PNG and I know we are beaten but Farah's brilliance seems to have petered out at least a year ago. He is still solid and pretty dependable but his flair seems to have left him. He is ony 28, supposedly a time when the hookers are at their best. He is not, he seesm to have lost the spark. I know he's been carrying a series of injuries for about 2 seasons now and if I recall correctly his mum is crook with the big C.

Should we grant him some slack and give him a season off to be with his family and get his injuries right? Not sure WT have a great replacement hooker in Politini (I think), but he seems to have got a few wraps in the past. Unlike a few seasons ago we had a natural in Flanagan waiting on the wings but I'm beginning to wonder if we should bite the bullet and give Farah a rest for the season.

 

[37916319]

Played injured all last year, played no trials and is likely still recovering, broke his nose in rd1 and 2 (according to commentators) and had a small problem with his hand tonight.

His forwards a letting him down, darts from dummy half and there's no one there in support and is constantly left stranded alone in defense to try stop a prop, or T Rex.

He is the least of our issues, i know they're young but if our forwards showed as much commitment and guts as he does we wouldn't be discussing his performance.

Also I have not seen him play this much first receiver since John 'cronk' Morris was our no 7, it's not his job nor should be his concern, we urgently need an experienced halfback.

 

[hybrid_tiger]

I thought he played much better tonight than he has for a while.

He is still well away from his best, however.

 

[Dummy Spit Johns]

His game fell away when he decided to become a sook more than a footballer!

 

[Tiger05]

I thought he played much better tonight than he has for a while.

He is still well away from his best, however.

Yep. I have thought his performances for a number of years have been sub-standard. I don't buy the injury excuses either because it has been going on for too long.

He is a tough footballer and he really puts in but he seems to have lost that spark and he comes up with too many poor options at critical times.

Maybe he will turn it around this year and I did think he was playing a lot better last night.

 

[b.bear]

Played injured all last year, played no trials and is likely still recovering, broke his nose in rd1 and 2 (according to commentators) and had a small problem with his hand tonight.

His forwards a letting him down, darts from dummy half and there's no one there in support and is constantly left stranded alone in defense to try stop a prop, or T Rex.

He is the least of our issues, i know they're young but if our forwards showed as much commitment and guts as he does we wouldn't be discussing his performance.

Also I have not seen him play this much first receiver since John 'cronk' Morris was our no 7, it's not his job nor should be his concern, we urgently need an experienced halfback.

Agreed

 

[Mr Angry]

Sheens....

In his desperation to manufacture a halfback for Benji, he put a massive leash on Robbie.

I would suggest yor squad is best served having Robbie run, control, kick and own the direction.

Give him 2 5/8s, Benji and Humble, Moltzen ain't a half, might make it as a fullback.

Remove the leash and let Robbie own the result, you do have weapons.

Like young Woods too.

 

[macnaz]

I disagree we have weapons, i think apart from Benji we dont have anyone these days that can seem to make something out of nothing. We had TNT who could bust clear at any time, we had Richards with speed and height and could finnish a try from a 100mtres, we had Hodson who could swoop on a grubber or lose ball and turn a game,we even had Lote that could at his best turn an overlap into a longrange try or break. We now just have a team that must ALL work together to create a try. Apart from the forwards improving we need a freak in the side who can fluke something special to help lift our intensity. Tedesco may have been one of them , maybe a Grant or Koiebete could also help our x factor and add some more individual brilliance. They way i see it is we have a team of good finishers only, and yes hybrid Moltzen is i agree currently sitting in that catagory. Bit off the Farrah topic sorry for that by the way, maybe a new thread on the subject is needed.

 

[b.bear]

I disagree we have weapons, i think apart from Benji we dont have anyone these days that can seem to make something out of nothing. We had TNT who could bust clear at any time, we had Richards with speed and height and could finnish a try from a 100mtres, we had Hodson who could swoop on a grubber or lose ball and turn a game,we even had Lote that could at his best turn an overlap into a longrange try or break. We now just have a team that must ALL work together to create a try. Apart from the forwards improving we need a freak in the side who can fluke something special to help lift our intensity. Tedesco may have been one of them , maybe a Grant or Koiebete could also help our x factor.

Very true there is nothing raw in our team at the moment

 

[Tiger05]

I disagree we have weapons, i think apart from Benji we dont have anyone these days that can seem to make something out of nothing. We had TNT who could bust clear at any time, we had Richards with speed and height and could finnish a try from a 100mtres, we had Hodson who could swoop on a grubber or lose ball and turn a game,we even had Lote that could at his best turn an overlap into a longrange try or break. We now just have a team that must ALL work together to create a try. Apart from the forwards improving we need a freak in the side who can fluke something special to help lift our intensity. Tedesco may have been one of them , maybe a Grant or Koiebete could also help our x factor and add some more individual brilliance. They way i see it is we have a team of good finishers only, and yes hybrid Moltzen is i agree currently sitting in that catagory. Bit off the Farrah topic sorry for that by the way, maybe a new thread on the subject is needed.

I agree however Lawrence can create something but he seems way out of form at the moment.

The thing is Benji is the whole attacking side at this point. I thought Moltzen might step up but he doesn't really seem to be having any impact. Tedesco looked likely but that is over for this season.

Still our forwards were terrible last night and no Ellis basically means we don't have a quality forward out there.

 

[Mr Angry]

Benji, Ellis, Blair, Lawernce, Humble, Ryan even Moltzen Ashford.

Anyways imo Farah running the show is your best hope.

Too bad about Tedesco

 

[Fordy20]

His game fell away when he decided to become a sook more than a footballer!

So I'm assuming you thought he played a lot better against the Dragons, when he was running around the field, not batting an eyelid despite blood pissing out of head and hand.

 

[Ghipo]

The problem is Farah wants to control everything. Your not Cameron Smith go back to being a hooker not a halfback.

 

[Old Time Tiger]

The problem is Farah wants to control everything. Your not Cameron Smith go back to being a hooker not a halfback.

Interesting Ghipo. I look at it another way.

'The problem is Sheens wants Farah to control everything that Moltzen should in fact be controlling."

Why? perhaps Sheens is a better judge of a No 7 then many a supporter thinks? e.g. he had Alexander at Penrith, Stuart at Canberra, Prince at both Cowboys & Tigers, that is, perhaps he thinks Moltzen is not ready yet to take control!!! why? who knows, but gee, he, Sheens, better decide very soon if he is the answer.

 

[851]

Sheens....

In his desperation to manufacture a halfback for Benji, he put a massive leash on Robbie.

I would suggest yor squad is best served having Robbie run, control, kick and own the direction.

Give him 2 5/8s, Benji and Humble, Moltzen ain't a half, might make it as a fullback.

Remove the leash and let Robbie own the result, you do have weapons.

Like young Woods too.

Pretty much how I see it too,Moltzen need to be removed from the team,he is a hand brake.

 

[Fordy20]

That would bring room for Chisholm to start at fullback.

 

[Hooch]

Farah makes poor playmaking decisions, and has a terrible grubber that he goes to a lot.

I've lost count of the times I've seen him ruin the end of a set with an overcooked grubber.

He never made that step up to a real dominant force at hooker.

I agree that he tries to control the game but he's not up to it, he should just concentrate on being a good hooker and keep the playmaking to a minimum.

 

[Eddie Lab]

maybe two weeks on the bench will be good for him. any niggling injuries have time to heal and he might get his head back in the game.

 

[Tiger05]

Farah makes poor playmaking decisions, and has a terrible grubber that he goes to a lot.

I've lost count of the times I've seen him ruin the end of a set with an overcooked grubber.

He never made that step up to a real dominant force at hooker.

I agree that he tries to control the game but he's not up to it, he should just concentrate on being a good hooker and keep the playmaking to a minimum.

I think that this is pretty much what I think.