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James Hooper
The Sunday Telegraph
January 27, 201312:00AM
WESTS Tigers captain Robbie Farah can't remember how many combinations the club went through in their key positions last season.
For the record, it was nine different halves pairings and four different fullbacks on the way to missing the finals.
The upheaval cost veteran coach Tim Sheens his job.
As he prepares for his 11th season with the Tigers, Farah has called on the club's next generation of playmakers to stand and deliver.
"I can't even remember how many halves combinations we had last season. You can throw in a handful of fullbacks as well," Farah said.
"The reason Melbourne have been so successful over many years is because they've had stability in those key positions. Other sides like Manly are the same. The halfback job is there for whoever wants it.
"Jacob Miller is obviously going to get first crack and he's been looking good.
"Curtis Sironen is coming back after two shoulder reconstructions but he's going to be putting his hand up.
"And then there's a young kid called Luke Brooks who played SG Ball for Balmain last year and looks a real player of the future.
"So there's a bit of competition there and we need one of these guys to stand up and say I want to direct this team around the park and be the starting halfback.
"The same goes with fullback. It's up to either Tim Moltzen or James Tedesco to try to make the jersey their own."
Last season, the Tigers were forced to experiment with Blake Ayshford, Chris Lawrence, Moltzen, Benji Marshall, Sironen, Miller, Tom Humble and Liam Fulton in the halves.
Even Farah, who cemented himself as the NSW Origin hooker, spent some time there during an injury crisis.
Fullback was the same, with rookie Tedesco injuring his knee in round one against Cronulla before Humble, Beau Ryan and Moltzen were all shuffled in and out.
This year, Farah reasons the arrival of experienced lock Braith Anasta will provide the stabilising influence the Tigers need in terms of better on-field direction.
"There'll be aspects of our game that will stay the same. When you've got players like myself and Benji that like to back ourselves, then we're always going to have a little bit of flair," Farah said.
"But, for us, it's going to be about picking our moments and getting the balance right.
"The Tigers play well when we do that and when we're not doing that we struggle.
"That's probably why we've been a bit inconsistent last year because we struggled to find that balance.
"With Braith coming in you can already start to see the impact he's had on us on the training paddock. We're mixing up the flair with the hard work."
For Farah, this year shapes as arguably the most important of his decorated career, with the NSW Origin hooker and Kangaroo utility off contract at the club.
The Tigers are desperate to retain the skipper and recently tabled him a three-year offer designed to keep him at Concord, a deal which would keep him at the club for the duration of his career.
But, as always with big-name players, there is no shortage of rival clubs circling.
"Until the collective bargaining agreement gets sorted it's a bit of a tricky one," Farah said.
"I'd like to get it sorted sooner rather than later, but at the moment I'll leave it with my manager."
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/wests-tigers-skipper-robbie-farah-dfelivers-a-rev-up-to-rookie-playmakers/story-e6frexnr-1226562495877
The Sunday Telegraph
January 27, 201312:00AM
WESTS Tigers captain Robbie Farah can't remember how many combinations the club went through in their key positions last season.
For the record, it was nine different halves pairings and four different fullbacks on the way to missing the finals.
The upheaval cost veteran coach Tim Sheens his job.
As he prepares for his 11th season with the Tigers, Farah has called on the club's next generation of playmakers to stand and deliver.
"I can't even remember how many halves combinations we had last season. You can throw in a handful of fullbacks as well," Farah said.
"The reason Melbourne have been so successful over many years is because they've had stability in those key positions. Other sides like Manly are the same. The halfback job is there for whoever wants it.
"Jacob Miller is obviously going to get first crack and he's been looking good.
"Curtis Sironen is coming back after two shoulder reconstructions but he's going to be putting his hand up.
"And then there's a young kid called Luke Brooks who played SG Ball for Balmain last year and looks a real player of the future.
"So there's a bit of competition there and we need one of these guys to stand up and say I want to direct this team around the park and be the starting halfback.
"The same goes with fullback. It's up to either Tim Moltzen or James Tedesco to try to make the jersey their own."
Last season, the Tigers were forced to experiment with Blake Ayshford, Chris Lawrence, Moltzen, Benji Marshall, Sironen, Miller, Tom Humble and Liam Fulton in the halves.
Even Farah, who cemented himself as the NSW Origin hooker, spent some time there during an injury crisis.
Fullback was the same, with rookie Tedesco injuring his knee in round one against Cronulla before Humble, Beau Ryan and Moltzen were all shuffled in and out.
This year, Farah reasons the arrival of experienced lock Braith Anasta will provide the stabilising influence the Tigers need in terms of better on-field direction.
"There'll be aspects of our game that will stay the same. When you've got players like myself and Benji that like to back ourselves, then we're always going to have a little bit of flair," Farah said.
"But, for us, it's going to be about picking our moments and getting the balance right.
"The Tigers play well when we do that and when we're not doing that we struggle.
"That's probably why we've been a bit inconsistent last year because we struggled to find that balance.
"With Braith coming in you can already start to see the impact he's had on us on the training paddock. We're mixing up the flair with the hard work."
For Farah, this year shapes as arguably the most important of his decorated career, with the NSW Origin hooker and Kangaroo utility off contract at the club.
The Tigers are desperate to retain the skipper and recently tabled him a three-year offer designed to keep him at Concord, a deal which would keep him at the club for the duration of his career.
But, as always with big-name players, there is no shortage of rival clubs circling.
"Until the collective bargaining agreement gets sorted it's a bit of a tricky one," Farah said.
"I'd like to get it sorted sooner rather than later, but at the moment I'll leave it with my manager."
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/wests-tigers-skipper-robbie-farah-dfelivers-a-rev-up-to-rookie-playmakers/story-e6frexnr-1226562495877
