@gallagher said:
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/robbie-farah-will-be-rested-for-wests-tigers-after-origin-clash-with-aaron-woods-20160623-gpqi6y.html
Hes out
Robbie Farah will be rested for Wests Tigers after Origin clash with Aaron Woods
Date
June 23, 2016 - 6:23PM
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Wests Tigers coach Jason Taylor has decided to rest Robbie Farah from Sunday's clash against Melbourne after the NSW hooker was a victim of friendly fire in the final minute of Wednesday night's State of Origin heartache.
Taylor and Tigers medical staff have decided to leave Farah out of the team for the match against the Storm after he was left stumbling back to his feet with what appeared to be his second concussion in as many months in the loss at Suncorp Stadium.
Friendly fire: Robbie Farah won't play against the Storm.
Friendly fire: Robbie Farah won't play against the Storm. Photo: Matt Roberts
The NSW No.9, who was rested by Taylor the last time he was meant to back-up after Origin, copped a hit to the head from club teammate Aaron Woods.
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Woods launched himself into the tackle and collected Farah with a stray elbow, denying his hooker of the chance of a rematch against Cameron Smith on Sunday.
Despite being rested by Taylor after Origin one, Farah was going to come off the bench on Sunday before picking up the concussion in the loss to the Maroons.
"Robbie was going to be playing as named but the club's medical staff have been in contact with NSW and we have made a decision that he won't be playing due to that knock from Woodsy," Taylor told Fairfax Media.
"Given he had a heavy head knock a few weeks ago and the closeness of Origin two to our game on Sunday, we just feel it's the right decision to let him recover.
"The club is very diligent in that area and Robbie is going through strict protocols this week to ensure he is going to be OK going forward."
It comes after Farah was hospitalised last month when his close friend, Josh Reynolds, accidentally contributed to a heavy concussion that saw the Tigers rake leave ANZ Stadium on a stretcher in the clash against Canterbury.
He returned two weeks later for Origin one but Taylor admitted fears for his welfare was part of the reason Farah was left out of the team against the Roosters after the Origin series opener, while also admitting he wanted to play a different style of football.
It created conjecture over the fractured relationship between Taylor and Farah, which only intensified when the coach refused to guarantee his dummy half would be an automatic inclusion the following week.
Despite the possibility of being overlooked, Farah was reinstated for the next match against South Sydney but was relegated to the bench, and when he returned to Origin camp for game two, he refused to talk to media about his situation at the Tigers.
Farah's concussion at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday night went largely unnoticed given the timing of the incident in the 80th minute as Queensland celebrated yet another series triumph.
"I'm not a doctor but I don't think it was a concussion in the true sense of the word," Taylor said.
"We could see he was stumbling after that hit from Woodsy, but I think because it happened just on full-time he didn't need to undergo a concussion test because the game was over.
"The club viewed the footage of it and our doctor and physio have spoken to him today. He was going to start off the bench for us against Melbourne but the four-day turnaround is too big of a risk for him."
The Blues vice captain finished the game with the most tackles of any player on the field (48), but it didn't shield him from criticism from NSW's most successful Origin coach, Phil Gould, who took aim at the Blues leadership group for their "selfish" ways.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/robbie-farah-will-be-rested-for-wests-tigers-after-origin-clash-with-aaron-woods-20160623-gpqi6y.html#ixzz4CT13oTsa
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