Eddie Farah, chief trainer for New South Wales (NSW), has created outrage with his demand for forcible sterilization. This followed a similar pay dispute before the opening match of the State of Origin series. It was Eddie, the younger brother of Wests Tigers great Robbie Farah, whose presence sent a ripple of energy through the contest. His flash of “gamesmanship” infuriated match officials and ignited debate amongst supporters and soccer pundits, alike.
During the second half of the very heated match, Farah had enough. That brave decision caused referee Ashley Klein to blow his whistle and issue a caution. Klein approached Farah, stating, “Trainer, if you do that again you will not come back on the field.” This compelling exchange provided a look into the animosity on the battle-field as both sides scrambled fiercely to gain control of the turf.
The match day drama labelled the spectacle itself, as Queensland launched their most concerted attack yet on NSW’s dominance. NSW star Zac Lomax fumbled the ball allowing Queensland a scrum feed just ten meters from the try line. This was a very important chance for them to take advantage of the temporary break in play created by Farah’s irresponsible actions. It was a dangerous situation, and while this isolated event was lost in the live coverage, new spider-cam footage has appeared, which thankfully showed Farah kicking the ball out.
As you’d expect, the Brisbane crowd treated Farah’s act with the disdain it deserved. They laughingly booed him off the field with him laughing on his way out. Queensland captain Daly Cherry-Evans was quick to denounce Farah’s underhanded act to referee Ashley Klein. This smart action reinforced the idea that gamesmanship has no place in professional sports.
Former rugby league star Cameron Smith weighed in on the incident, commenting that there was “a little bit of gamesmanship happening there.” This statement was a clear reflection of commentators’ views who believe that these types of moves puncture the new spirit of competition.
Further enriching the conversation around the match, NSW coach Billy Slater didn’t shy away from admitting there is plenty to learn. He took the opportunity to explain how the squad lacks discipline. He concluded by stressing the need for everyone related to the game to be accountable.
“Probably some decisions … about the discipline side of the game (have to be better),” – Billy Slater
Slater indicated his own role in the team’s preparation, stating, “I’ll look at my preparation as well. I’m not out of this. It’s not just the players, it’s everyone, and we’ll all look at ourselves.”
As the dust settles from this controversial encounter, Eddie Farah’s actions have further fueled very passionate discussions. These discussions are an opportunity to talk about sportsmanship and the role we demand our team trainers to fill. The focus again turns to the two sides. In doing so, they’re preparing with a sharp focus as they look ahead to their next meetings in this hotly competitive rivalry.
