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THE scene was the world-famous Wembley Stadium dressing rooms situated deep inside London's spiritual sporting home last November.
Having just upstaged the old enemy England to progress to the Four Nations final, the Australian Kangaroos were hooting and hollering.
Not Robbie Farah. Instead of being part of the jubilant celebrations, Farah sat alone in a separate room next door to the rest of the Australian squad, fuming about being an 11th-hour omission from the Kangaroos starting 17.
When The Sunday Telegraph approached him about his last-minute demotion in London, the Tigers captain looked up from and deadpanned: "Ask the coach".
Farah's mood was probably understandable.
Kangaroos coach Tim Sheens had guaranteed Farah and Beau Scott a spot on the bench for the Wembley Test, with Darren Lockyer, Cooper Cronk and David Shillington all under an injury cloud.
Then Sheens had a change of heart the night before the Test match and called Farah to his room at the Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington.
Robbie Farah and coach Tim Sheens during a Kangaroos training session at Redfern oval. Picture: Phil Hillyard Source: The Daily Telegraph
"It was tough at the time. Then obviously I had to fly home after finding out the news about Mum the next day," Farah said.
"That was a tough period.
"Luckily for me, things have turned around pretty quick and I find myself in the Australian team so I'm pretty happy about that."
Given his deeds for Wests Tigers and the NSW Blues over the course of the past 11 months, Farah should have walked straight into the Australian side as the utility for next Saturday night's historic first Test match in Townsville against New Zealand.
But with Kangaroos coach Sheens axed after a 10-year stint as Wests Tigers head coach last month and Farah fingered as one of the senior players who helped instigate his demise, there were no guarantees.
Politics and rugby league have always been a dangerous combination.
It says everything about Farah's elite standing in the game that he was an automatic selection for this Test match. The Wests Tigers captain is no longer a fringe representative player, like he was 11 months ago at Wembley.
Sure, Melbourne Storm's premiership-winning skipper Cameron Smith is clearly the world's best hooker.
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Robbie Farah, after making a record 63 tackles, following the Blues victory in Game Two of NSW v Queensland 2012 State of Origin series. Picture: Mark Evans Source: The Daily Telegraph
But Farah is only a shandy behind him after claiming the Brad Fittler Medal as NSW's best player in this year's State of Origin series.
With Cooper Cronk elevated to the Kangaroos' starting side after Lockyer's retirement and Manly halfback Daly Cherry-Evans given no minutes in the last Test against New Zealand in April, Farah all but picked himself.
"It's a great sense of self-achievement and self-satisfaction. Heading into this season it was always a goal of mine to get back into that rep arena, especially after the last few years," Farah said.
"Obviously I had a few critics leading into Origin, but in those sorts of situations the only way you can prove yourself is to go out and play good footy.
"To play Origin and pick up the Brad Fittler Medal is the biggest achievement of my career on an individual level and it really meant a lot to me in what was a tough year.
"To make the Australian side now, it's a nice reward to what's obviously been a disappointing season at club level.
"Missing the top eight and myself finishing with a broken hand and having to sit and watch the boys lose those last couple of games, it's nice to get an opportunity to try and finish on a winning note."
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/testing-year-ends-in-ultimate-honour-for-robbie-farah/story-e6frexnr-1226489764207
Having just upstaged the old enemy England to progress to the Four Nations final, the Australian Kangaroos were hooting and hollering.
Not Robbie Farah. Instead of being part of the jubilant celebrations, Farah sat alone in a separate room next door to the rest of the Australian squad, fuming about being an 11th-hour omission from the Kangaroos starting 17.
When The Sunday Telegraph approached him about his last-minute demotion in London, the Tigers captain looked up from and deadpanned: "Ask the coach".
Farah's mood was probably understandable.
Kangaroos coach Tim Sheens had guaranteed Farah and Beau Scott a spot on the bench for the Wembley Test, with Darren Lockyer, Cooper Cronk and David Shillington all under an injury cloud.
Then Sheens had a change of heart the night before the Test match and called Farah to his room at the Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington.
Robbie Farah and coach Tim Sheens during a Kangaroos training session at Redfern oval. Picture: Phil Hillyard Source: The Daily Telegraph
"It was tough at the time. Then obviously I had to fly home after finding out the news about Mum the next day," Farah said.
"That was a tough period.
"Luckily for me, things have turned around pretty quick and I find myself in the Australian team so I'm pretty happy about that."
Given his deeds for Wests Tigers and the NSW Blues over the course of the past 11 months, Farah should have walked straight into the Australian side as the utility for next Saturday night's historic first Test match in Townsville against New Zealand.
But with Kangaroos coach Sheens axed after a 10-year stint as Wests Tigers head coach last month and Farah fingered as one of the senior players who helped instigate his demise, there were no guarantees.
Politics and rugby league have always been a dangerous combination.
It says everything about Farah's elite standing in the game that he was an automatic selection for this Test match. The Wests Tigers captain is no longer a fringe representative player, like he was 11 months ago at Wembley.
Sure, Melbourne Storm's premiership-winning skipper Cameron Smith is clearly the world's best hooker.
\
\
\
Robbie Farah, after making a record 63 tackles, following the Blues victory in Game Two of NSW v Queensland 2012 State of Origin series. Picture: Mark Evans Source: The Daily Telegraph
But Farah is only a shandy behind him after claiming the Brad Fittler Medal as NSW's best player in this year's State of Origin series.
With Cooper Cronk elevated to the Kangaroos' starting side after Lockyer's retirement and Manly halfback Daly Cherry-Evans given no minutes in the last Test against New Zealand in April, Farah all but picked himself.
"It's a great sense of self-achievement and self-satisfaction. Heading into this season it was always a goal of mine to get back into that rep arena, especially after the last few years," Farah said.
"Obviously I had a few critics leading into Origin, but in those sorts of situations the only way you can prove yourself is to go out and play good footy.
"To play Origin and pick up the Brad Fittler Medal is the biggest achievement of my career on an individual level and it really meant a lot to me in what was a tough year.
"To make the Australian side now, it's a nice reward to what's obviously been a disappointing season at club level.
"Missing the top eight and myself finishing with a broken hand and having to sit and watch the boys lose those last couple of games, it's nice to get an opportunity to try and finish on a winning note."
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/testing-year-ends-in-ultimate-honour-for-robbie-farah/story-e6frexnr-1226489764207
