G
Guest
Guest
Rabbitoh drubbing drives Robbie Farah
Paul Crawley From: The Daily Telegraph April 08, 2011 12:00AM
ROBBIE Farah says he won't forget the humiliation as long as he lives.
May 16, 2010 – the day the rampant South Sydney Rabbitohs handed the Wests Tigers a 50-10 flogging at the SCG.
As the Tigers skipper recalled yesterday ahead of tonight’s return blockbuster at the SFS:
“I’ve never been as embarrassed walking off the footy field as I did that day at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
“That is something I will never forget.’’
It was Souths’ biggest win at the SCG – and the Tigers’ worst defeat at the historic old ground.
Tigers fans are hoping it won't be history repeated tonight when the in-form Bunnies chase their third straight victory of the season against this Tigers outfit ravaged by injury.
Bookies basically give the Tigers little chance of causing an upset.
TAB Sportsbet has Souths as the $1.60 favourites, while the Tigers are unwanted at $2.30.
But if the Tigers are searching for extra motivation, they need only think back to this corresponding match last year.
That day the Rabbitohs ran in nine tries to three at the SCG before a devastated Farah was forced to issue a public apology.
"As captain I'd like to apologise on behalf of the players to the fans, to the players in the past that have put this jersey on," Farah said at the time. "It's pretty embarrassing but in saying that we'll stick together as a group and we'll work hard."
To their credit, the Tigers lived up to the skipper's promise, the defeat sparking their season to life.
"It really turned our season around and it jelled us together as a team," he said yesterday.
"We went up to Newcastle and had a good, tough win and we ended up turning our season around. But it was tough, we were definitely embarrassed that day."
The Tigers suffered another forgettable loss to the Rabbitohs later in the year when rookie Dylan Farrell scored a hat- trick on debut to get Souths home in a heart-stopping extra-time victory.
Another interesting fact that wouldn't be lost on Tigers coach Tim Sheens is that he hasn't beaten rival John Lang in their past 17 meetings.
That record stretches all the way back to 1995.
Any way you look at it, the Tigers have everything to prove in tonight's kick-off to the Men of League Heritage Round.
The Tigers will again be without key stars Lote Tuqiri, Robert Lui and Chris Lawrence but Farah is confident his chronic groin injury is on the improve. "I went for another scan on Tuesday night and they found something else, which is probably why I felt as bad as I did last week," he said.
"I've got a tear in some ligament in my pubic area.
"I was at a stage last week when I probably couldn't really walk or get up off the couch.
"I felt last week that it really affected my preparation.
"The fact that it got out in the papers I think really played with my head before the game [against the Roosters] and I probably let it worry me a bit too much and I think that showed on the field.
"My preparation has been first class this week and I'm feeling fine.
"We are not making excuses for any injuries.
"From the start of the year we have talked up our squad depth and we believe in that.
"We've got players there who at any other club would be playing first grade.
"We had our chances to win the game [against the Roosters], we just played terrible footy. We didn't control the ball.
"We could have won that game and if we didn't think we could win [tonight], we wouldn't show up."
Paul Crawley From: The Daily Telegraph April 08, 2011 12:00AM
ROBBIE Farah says he won't forget the humiliation as long as he lives.
May 16, 2010 – the day the rampant South Sydney Rabbitohs handed the Wests Tigers a 50-10 flogging at the SCG.
As the Tigers skipper recalled yesterday ahead of tonight’s return blockbuster at the SFS:
“I’ve never been as embarrassed walking off the footy field as I did that day at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
“That is something I will never forget.’’
It was Souths’ biggest win at the SCG – and the Tigers’ worst defeat at the historic old ground.
Tigers fans are hoping it won't be history repeated tonight when the in-form Bunnies chase their third straight victory of the season against this Tigers outfit ravaged by injury.
Bookies basically give the Tigers little chance of causing an upset.
TAB Sportsbet has Souths as the $1.60 favourites, while the Tigers are unwanted at $2.30.
But if the Tigers are searching for extra motivation, they need only think back to this corresponding match last year.
That day the Rabbitohs ran in nine tries to three at the SCG before a devastated Farah was forced to issue a public apology.
"As captain I'd like to apologise on behalf of the players to the fans, to the players in the past that have put this jersey on," Farah said at the time. "It's pretty embarrassing but in saying that we'll stick together as a group and we'll work hard."
To their credit, the Tigers lived up to the skipper's promise, the defeat sparking their season to life.
"It really turned our season around and it jelled us together as a team," he said yesterday.
"We went up to Newcastle and had a good, tough win and we ended up turning our season around. But it was tough, we were definitely embarrassed that day."
The Tigers suffered another forgettable loss to the Rabbitohs later in the year when rookie Dylan Farrell scored a hat- trick on debut to get Souths home in a heart-stopping extra-time victory.
Another interesting fact that wouldn't be lost on Tigers coach Tim Sheens is that he hasn't beaten rival John Lang in their past 17 meetings.
That record stretches all the way back to 1995.
Any way you look at it, the Tigers have everything to prove in tonight's kick-off to the Men of League Heritage Round.
The Tigers will again be without key stars Lote Tuqiri, Robert Lui and Chris Lawrence but Farah is confident his chronic groin injury is on the improve. "I went for another scan on Tuesday night and they found something else, which is probably why I felt as bad as I did last week," he said.
"I've got a tear in some ligament in my pubic area.
"I was at a stage last week when I probably couldn't really walk or get up off the couch.
"I felt last week that it really affected my preparation.
"The fact that it got out in the papers I think really played with my head before the game [against the Roosters] and I probably let it worry me a bit too much and I think that showed on the field.
"My preparation has been first class this week and I'm feeling fine.
"We are not making excuses for any injuries.
"From the start of the year we have talked up our squad depth and we believe in that.
"We've got players there who at any other club would be playing first grade.
"We had our chances to win the game [against the Roosters], we just played terrible footy. We didn't control the ball.
"We could have won that game and if we didn't think we could win [tonight], we wouldn't show up."
