Mitch Rein deserves to be first choice No.9

It’s no knock on Farah, he’s a quality player and has made a habit of proving knockers wrong at both club and particularly with his courageous performances at Origin level.

He’s the current NSW hooker and, if fit, has done enough in previous series to ensure the jumper is his for as long as he wants it. 

There’s no doubt he polarises opinion but fans are all but unanimous in their belief that he’s been treated appallingly by the club he’s given his heart and soul to. He’s nearing the end of his career and he deserves a far more dignified exit than that being offered by the Tigers.

After all that has happened the relationship between Farah and Tigers coach Jason Taylor is clearly unworkable.

It’s why Farah and his management have sought a release from his current deal which is reportedly worth close to $900,000 a season for the next two years.

It’s just the latest piece of evidence that back-ended deals are never in a club’s best interest but – whatever your personal opinion of his monetary value – Farah is entitled to that money. 

He signed a contract in good faith and frankly I think people are sick to death of club’s trying to wriggle out of the beds they’ve made for themselves when it comes to player contracts and the salary cap.

As the current NSW hooker, Farah has obviously tweaked the interest of other clubs who would be keen to secure a State of Origin player at a bargain basement price. 

However, the NRL have shown with their handling of Sam Burgess’s contract at South Sydney and their moves to block Wallaby superstar Israel Folau’s return to rugby league with the Eels, that they won’t allow any club to sign a player of Farah’s calibre at minimum wage.

Whether that is in the best interests of the game is an argument for another day but it’s the present reality.

A potential move to the Roosters has reportedly been quashed by player support for current hooker and co-captain Jake Friend.

Friend is heir apparent to Cameron Smith’s Test and Origin number 9’s and has proven himself as an 80-minute player.

He has the support of his teammates and the vast majority of Roosters fans and coach Trent Robinson risks alienating both should he bring Farah to the club.

It leaves St George Illawarra as potentially the last team in the hunt for his services but a look at the Dragons shows the exact same scenario.

At 25 and with 104 NRL games to his name Mitch Rein is entering his prime.

The 2014 season was undoubtedly his best as an NRL player after re-discovering the running game that made him an NYC star while he also finished the season as an 80-minute player.

The Dragons beefed up forward stocks and a reduction in the interchange will only increase his effectiveness against tired defensive lines next season.

Like Friend he has the complete confidence of his teammates and is seen as a future Origin player - ironically as the likely successor to Farah for NSW.

One could make the argument that it wouldn’t hurt his career to be mentored by a player of Farah’s calibre for a season but the fact is Rein has well and truly finished his apprenticeship.

He’s shared the hooking role with the likes of Dean Young and Nathan Fien at the tail-end of the Bennett era and more recently he’s shared dummy-half duties with Heath L’Estrange and Craig Garvey.

The latter two have both moved on ahead of the 2016 and the scene is set for Rein to really make his mark on the competition – one that will last much longer than Farah’s potential stint at the club.

As good a player as Farah is, as effective as he might be in a short stint with the Dragons, stalling Rein’s development for another season is neither in his interests or the long-term interests of the club.

He’s a local junior who the club have invested a great deal of time in and he deserves to be the club’s first choice hooker.