By Joel Gould
Brisbane centre Herbie Farnworth has revealed why his decision to leave the club he’s been at since he was 15 and join the Dolphins next season was so “very, very tough”.
The 24-year-old England international will join the Dolphins on a three-year deal from 2024, when he will get the chance to finally play under coach Wayne Bennett.
Farnworth left England when he was 15 and came through the Broncos pathways and played under-20s for the club before making his NRL debut in 2019.Credit:Getty
Farnworth alluded to the Bennett factor, and put to bed reports he had his heart set on a positional switch to fullback next year, when quizzed on his move.
“When I first signed (an NRL deal in 2018) for the Broncos it was under Wayne. He didn’t get a chance to coach me but it is nice him reaching out and signing me for his new team,” Farnworth said.
“At the moment I am just happy in the centres. When I go to the Dolphins I will be keen to play centre.
“If Wayne sees me in a different position then he sees me in a different position, but my head is fully on centre now.”
Bennett told AAP last month he was “delighted” to have signed Farnworth, whom he said could play any position in the outside backs with equal aplomb.
Dolphins fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow has put his stamp on the No.1 position in the opening four rounds of the NRL, and Farnworth proved at the World Cup last year with England he is one of the best centres in the game.
The Broncos have promising 20-year-old centre Deine Mariner signed up long-term, and he looms as the obvious replacement for Farnworth next year.
Farnworth will have to jostle with in-form Dolphins fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow if he wants to play in that position next season.Credit:Getty
Farnworth left England when he was 15 to chase his NRL dream, inspired by countrymen such as the Burgess brothers and James Graham who had blazed a trail.
He came through the Broncos pathways and played under-20s for the club before making his NRL debut in 2019.
“I absolutely love the Broncos. I have been here since I was 15 and I moved out (from England) to play for the Broncos,” Farnworth said.
“It was a very, very tough call (to leave) but I am 100 per cent on board for this year.
“I just want to push on and give it all my best this year and hopefully win a comp in my last year. It would be unreal.”
The Broncos, who host last-placed Wests Tigers on Saturday night, are on top of the ladder.
“In my first full season at the Broncs (in 2020) we got the wooden spoon so it is definitely a nice change to win the first four games. Hopefully, we get better each week,” Farnworth said.
He will be a Dolphin from next year but Farnworth played his part nicely in the 18-12 win by the Broncos in the first derby between the clubs last week.
“It was a super-special moment to be part of that first game between the Broncs and the Dolphins. It was good to be on the winning side,” he said.
– AAP
