Wests Tigers players have confirmed Robbie Farah’s verbal exchange was with team manager Billy Callaway – not coach Michael Maguire – while it has emerged there was a separate interchange bungle in round one involving Joe Ofahengaue.
Just as Farah was forced to shoot down suggestions he launched a foul-mouthed spray at Maguire during the final frantic stages of Friday’s loss to the New Zealand Warriors because of a confusion over substitutes, the players on Monday said the blue-shirt trainer was more frustrated with Callaway, who was on the bench.
Robbie Farah has been the trainer for the Wests Tigers since last year.Credit:Getty
Ofahengaue was on the sidelines at Campbelltown Sports Stadium and said not once was Farah out of line or infuriated with the coach. He said the expletive-laden scenes were “normal communication” during any NRL game on the line.
He confirmed to the Herald he was left frustrated himself during the opening-round loss to the Storm because of a mix-up with substitutes, which meant he could not return to the game until the final six minutes, but he quickly sorted it out with Maguire.
“I was on the sideline the other night, it was normal communication, and if you watch every team, the guy in the blue shirt wants clear calls from the coach because he doesn’t want to stuff up his job,” Ofahengaue told the Herald.
“That’s all it was. Robbie wanted a clear call so he could go out and give the right message. If he stuffs up that call and costs us the game, it’s his arse. There was no anger. It was nothing. I was actually there so I can tell you the story.
“Madge never copped a spray. If he did, you all would have heard about it.”
Ofahengaue was spotted pacing up and down the sidelines at CommBank Stadium in the opening round, and felt it was “my duty to get back on” much earlier than he did.
“If you look at the interchange we had that night, [Maguire] felt he could run through the interchange he had and save me to the end,” Ofahengaue said.
Tigers defend Farah over sideline spray as second interchange bungle revealed
Source: Philippines Alive
