This was published 8 years ago
Barrister calls meeting for Wests Tigers hooker Robbie Farah to face club powerbrokers
By Daniel Lane
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The barrister acting for Wests Tigers hooker Robbie Farah has called on club powerbrokers to attend a meeting this week to formally detail why Farah is no longer wanted at the club.
Barrister Julieanne Levick called the meeting on the grounds of procedural fairness, because despite immense speculation concerning the reason behind coach Jason Taylor's controversial decision all he has been told by the club is he will play out his time in the Wests Tigers reserve grade should he remain.
Fairfax Media understands Farah was still waiting to be told the reasons behind the grievance from the mouths of those who want him out
It was said the meeting – to be attended by Taylor, club chair Marina Go and acting chief executive Phil Moss – would, at the very least, be "therapeutic" for Farah, who has indicated on numerous occasions he planned to dig his heels in and stay.
On the outer: Robbie Farah is still a favourite of the Tigers faithful.Credit: Getty Images
The NSW Origin star wants to understand the reason behind the beef Taylor obviously has with him but there was also a desire to hear exactly what was said by the club's powerbrokers in the lead-up to the decision.
A source said Farah wanted to be told not only the reasons but to also have the chance to respond without fear of having his contract terminated.
Any public comment about Taylor or the board could see his deal torn up for bringing the club into disrepute.
While Farah appeared on The Footy Show on Thursday night, he was advised to be careful of every word he uttered.
Since the news broke that the Wests Tigers wanted him to leave despite having a two-year-deal worth the better part of $2 million, speculation suggested Farah was viewed as a divisive force.
His supporters have offered a counter-point, hailing the club's longest-serving player as an inspirational leader who had formed part of the fabric at the club. Farah said he had a tear in his eyes during the big win over the New Zealand Warriors last weekend when fans chanted his name as a sign of support.
It is understood that the club's major sponsor Harry Triguboff has arranged to meet with NRL boss Dave Smith during the week to implore for the code's boss to intervene.
The official line Go offered Fairfax Media was to say the Wests Tigers wanted to develop a "winning culture".
"What we've been trying to do for the past year is rebuild a club around a winning culture because culture drives performance," Go said last week as she offered Taylor the board's support.
Asked at the time if Farah didn't fit the culture the club was trying to foster, Go said: "You'd have to say in the scheme of the big picture and what we need to build for the future, there's a sentiment that no, he doesn't."
Levick is acting for Parramatta centre William Hopoate in his NSW Supreme Court battle over a contract issue with the Eels and she's had injured forward Richie Fa'aoso referred to her as he prepares to take action against the Eels for failing to pay for his million-dollar Permanent Total Disablement [PTD] insurance policy when he returned to the NRL from a broken neck.
While NSW coach Laurie Daley said he was prepared to pick Farah from the second-tier NSW Cup to play in next year's Origin series if necessary, Farah is understood to have been advised by those close to him the reality of playing in a competition which lacks the skills and intensity of the NRL, would make it all but impossible for Daley to select him.