Robbie Farah has given his strongest indication he will retire at the end of the season, despite reassuring himself he still has what it takes to play well in the NRL.
Farah was brilliant in his first game of the season for South Sydney, completing a miraculous 59 tackles and punching out 80 minutes in the 22-14 win over Cronulla on Friday night.
Strong carry: Robbie Farah of the Rabbitohs is tackled in his first NRL appearance this season.
Photo: Daniel Munoz
The 34-year-old was not certain how his body would survive when brought in to replace NSW hooker Damien Cook.
To make sure he did not disappoint his teammates, Farah requested the Souths trainers give him a five-day ''mini pre-season'' a week earlier so he was physically ready.
The premiership-winning international hooker told Fairfax Media he had started to question if he had gone a season too long and was not convinced he would run around again in 2019 for his 17th season in the top flight.
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As well as Farah played against Cronulla, Souths coach Anthony Seibold has opted for the one dummy half this season, meaning Cook will resume his role on Saturday against the Titans, provided he survives his first Origin.
"I'm a pretty confident person, but there's no doubt self-doubt creeps in, when you're stuck playing for the Bears [in NSW Cup], and being 34, you think, 'have I gone on too long?','' Farah said as he was continually congratulated by well-wishers underneath ANZ Stadium.
"You do have that self-doubt, so tonight was not only about proving to everyone else I can still compete at this level, but also proving it to myself that I could.
"I still think I can [compete at this level] and I have to be ready for any opportunity I get between now and the end of the season.
"I've had a million thoughts go through my head about [next year].
"It's been a long year so far, and whether I get another opportunity here, somewhere else in the NRL, or England, I have to weigh up if I still want to play.
''I'm 34, I'll be 35 next year [in January], so it's more likely than not it will be my last, but you never say never.
"If I can play regular footy, you never know what can happen. Things can change in a week.
"Put it this way, I'm closer to the end of my career than the start, that's for sure.''
Farah knew in the pre-season Seibold would give Cook first crack at the No.9 jersey and he would be used sparingly in reserve grade. Seibold had seen the benefits of not flogging older players in reserve grade if they were not a part of the first-string team each week.
Farah quipped Cronulla captain and former NSW teammate Paul Gallen had made a beeline for him with every run in the middle of ANZ Stadium, as was expected given he had not played in the NRL since last year.
As for Cook handling the big stage at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in his first Origin game, Farah, who bled Blue 16 times, said: "He'll take a lot of confidence from the work he has done here in the first 12 rounds of the season. He's been outstanding.
"They've picked a team that will roll forward for him.
"They've got a pretty mobile pack, hopefully they can get him some quick play-the-balls and he'll be off before you know it.
"He has a lot of speed and just needs to do his job in defence, which I'm sure he will. I'm really excited for him.''
While Farah mulls over 2019, John Sutton is making it impossible for Seibold and Souths to not give Mr Redfern himself another year after he set up a try and ran for more than 150m against Cronulla.
Christian covers rugby league for The Sydney Morning Herald.
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