Tigers have probably seen back of Farah after broken tibia: top doctor
By Christian Nicolussi
August 12, 2019 — 4.43pm
In a massive blow to Wests Tigers' finals hopes, one of Australia's top sports doctors admits Robbie Farah has likely played his last NRL game.
And his teammates also don't expect to see the veteran No.9 in a Tigers jersey again.
Having already announced his retirement at the end of the year, Farah is sweating on any positive news from specialists after initial scans confirmed he had a crack at the top of his right tibia.
Farah bravely played on for 10 minutes against Canterbury on Saturday night, where he put in a kick and even tried to score from dummy half before he succumbed to the pain.
The Tigers favourite is known for his huge pain threshhold but Nathan Gibbs, who worked with Farah when he played for NSW – and is currently overseeing the Wallabies – says he should walk away now and not risk suffering further complications with his leg.
The latest crack also sits near the same ACL Farah ruptured in 2004, then had issues with again in the opening month of the 2016 season.
"Bone fractures needs a minimum four to six weeks to heal, and bigger bones take long, and the tibia is a bigger bone,'' Gibbs told the Herald.
"It's also the main load-bearing bone and where the main body-weight pressure goes through.
"If Robbie did try to play on with a crack in his tibia, he then runs the risk of completely fracturing the bone.''
Farah was given a rock-star reception at Leichhardt Oval last Thursday week as part of his 300-game celebrations, and the stars were already aligning for him to spearhead the Tigers' charge against Cronulla at the same ground in the final round for a potential finals berth.
Few at the club are prepared to write off Farah because of his tremendous healing powers and the fact he has enough respect to make the right call himself. He also has a classy entourage who know his body well, including Tigers physio Peter Moussa and South Sydney counterpart Eddie Farah, Robbie's brother.
Jacob Liddle, his long-term No.9 understudy, will get an early chance to give Tigers fans a glimpse of the post-Farah era when he starts against the Sea Eagles at Brookvale Oval.
Josh Reynolds appears unlikely to be brought into the team for the all-important clash, but the Herald understands Tommy Talau, the son of former Canterbury and New Zealand centre Willie Talau, will debut in the centres for injured captain Moses Mbye.
The Tigers can realistically drop one of their remaining four games if they are to return to the finals for the first time since 2011.
Farah was spotted on crutches at Concord Oval on Monday morning as his teammates did their best to discuss the coming weeks without the heart and soul of the club.
"It's disappointing because he's been in some great form and he's a real leader of this team,'' said Elijah Taylor, who filled in at dummy half once Farah went off during the 18-16 loss to the Bulldogs.
Michael Chee Kam added: "Everyone who knows 'Faf' knows he's a massive competitor. What he did on the field [to play on for 10 minutes with a broken leg], it would be horrible if that's the end of his career and to go out like that, so for his sake and us, we hope he's all right.
"Jacob Liddle will come in and bring a lot of energy and I'm excited to play with him.''
Liddle last week re-signed for a further two seasons and along with Queenslander Jake Simpkins will have the job of succeeding the 302-game premiership winner.
