Tigers 50 Warriors 16
Robbie Farah on fire against Warriors
Robbie Farah proves his worth with a man of the match performance against the New Zealand Warriors.
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Robbie Farah will certainly make a fair reserve-grader.
In what may well have been his final home game for the Wests Tigers, the NSW State of Origin hooker turned back the clock with a blinder, leading the way in a comprehensive victory for a team desperate to avoid the wooden spoon. Having started the afternoon last on for-and-against, the Campbelltown Stadium win catapulted them past Penrith, Newcastle and Gold Coast to 13th.
The unhappy hooker: Robbie Farah runs the ball during the round 25 NRL match between the Wests Tigers and the New Zealand Warriors at Campbelltown Sports Stadium. Farah is fuming after being told to look elsewhere in 2016. Photo: Getty Images
After a tumultuous week in which Farah said he had been told he would be playing in the NSW Cup next season if he did not find another club he could hardly have sent a stronger message with a try and the last hand in three others.
Whatever the merits of the decision to part ways with Farah, he has won the subsequent PR war resoundingly. If that was not clear enough before kick-off when coach Jason Taylor was booed by some in the main grandstand as he walked off the field after the Tigers' warm-up, then it was rammed home soon afterwards.
Farah, following Pat Richards and Keith Galloway onto the ground in their last home games for the club, was given a warm ovation by the crowd of 6711. By half-time they were chanting 'Robbie...Robbie' as the 31-year-old departed with his teammates to the sheds holding an 18-6 lead.
With a vintage display Farah was largely responsible for that. After falling behind inside the first 10 minutes when Warriors prop Albert Vete barged over next to the posts the Tigers roared back via try and two try assists from their captain.
First, he burrowed over himself, taking route one after an offload from Galloway. Then, nine minutes before the break, came the fireworks.
Luke Brooks was the beneficiary, scoring after Farah had combined sublimely with the young halfback and fellow next-generation Tiger Curtis Sironen close to the Warriors' line. After feeding Sironen through a hole he remained in close support to get the ball back and while he might have crossed himself he then produced an audacious flick out the back to send Brooks over.
Not content, Farah then set up a third try in the 37th minute with a crafty grubber that was picked up delicately by his 2005 premiership colleague Dene Halatau.
There was another standing ovation for Farah as he was brought from the field with 26 minutes remaining and replaced by Manaia Cherrington, who will succeed him at dummy-half next year if he does indeed leave. By then the result was well and truly in the bag thanks to the Tigers' electric outside backs.
The excellent James Tedesco set up Tim Simona with a brilliant offload, with the centre then taking on Warriors fullback Sam Tomkins successfully and racing 60 metres to score. There was another long-range effort begun by David Nofoaluma and finished off by the first of Kevin Naiqama's two tries.
As the wheels came right off for the hapless Warriors the Tigers cashed in, and it was fitting that another premiership hero, Richards, grabbed a try of his own, celebrating by impersonating the referee and pointing to the spot.
Farah returned for the last quarter-hour to put on yet another with a neat pass to Martin Taupau.
Compounding a forgettable visit for the Warriors - this was their seventh defeat on the trot - forward Charlie Gubb was twice placed on report for shoulder charges.
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