Robbie Farah launches a mission to snare Penrith's Luke Lewis
Tim Elbra
The Daily Telegraph
July 14, 2012 12:00AM
ROBBIE Farah will attempt to recruit and repel Penrith's Luke Lewis in the same week.
Writing in his MX newspaper column yesterday, Farah made no apologies about his attempt to lure his NSW teammate to Wests Tigers next season. But recruitment will be the last thing on both players' minds tonight when Farah's Tigers lock horns with Lewis and a Panthers line-up desperate to revive their season.
"(Lewis) spoke to me during the Origin period, so I knew what was going on there at Penrith and his mentality at the time," Farah wrote.
"He was looking for a fresh start, so I was doing my best to get in his ear and make sure that if it did happen the Tigers were right in the frame.
"Now he's got a release, I'm hoping our club does everything it possibly can to make sure he's wearing our colours next year. I'd love nothing more than to see him at the Tigers. I know he likes our squad and how we play."
Lewis will cap a tumultuous week tonight when he takes the field at Campelltown Sports Stadium - just five days after he announced he would be leaving the Panthers at season's end.
Farah is under no illusions as to the challenge a fired-up Lewis will present.
"He's going to go out there with a point to prove," Farah wrote. "He's definitely going to be up for a big game. He's a great player and can do a lot of damage if we don't turn up."
Farah's comments come a day after it was revealed Parramatta were preparing to launch a $2.1 million raid for Lewis. Cronulla and Newcastle have also been touted as potential suitors for the Panthers veteran, however Farah is confident the Tigers can pounce: "Money's not going to be the deciding factor when he picks a new club - though a player like him will command decent money and rightly so," Farah wrote. "It will come down to a team that Luke thinks has a squad capable of winning a comp in the next couple of years.
"He's a starting back-rower in the Australian side and I know Tim Sheens has a high opinion of him. I also know he enjoys Sheensy's coaching.
"The fact is, we have Gareth Ellis leaving and Luke has pretty identical characteristics. He would be a great replacement, as long as we are able to fit him under our salary cap. But it's common knowledge most clubs in the NRL want him. While a number of our players have come out and said they want Luke at the Tigers, I'm sure Paul Gallen would love to have him at the Sharks. Parramatta likewise."
