Toovey expects Farah to play

Manly coach Geoff Toovey says he expects wounded NSW hooker Robbie Farah and State of Origin hero Aaron Woods to back up for the Wests Tigers when they travel to Brookvale Oval on Friday night.

Sea Eagles halfback Daly Cherry-Evans should also take his place in the NRL line-up for the hosts after coming through unscathed for the Maroons.

However it is the health of Farah that would be of most concern to the Tigers after the club skipper braved through an entire 80 minutes with an injured shoulder to help level the Origin series.

While Woods was named by coach Jason Taylor on Tuesday, Farah was left off the team sheet.

“I’d expect them to play, particularly after the good win that they had,” Toovey said on Thursday morning.

“They’ll be on a high. It’s always better to play two days later than 3-4 days later. They’ll be a bit sorer in 3-4 days time but they’ll be on a high, so it’ll be hard to stop.”

Asked whether he thought it would be a risk for the Tigers to play Farah, Toovey said: “Who cares?

“Both of the Tigers players played really well (on Wednesday night) and hopefully they got all their good play out of their system on Wednesday.”

Toovey described Cherry-Evans’ performance in the Origin match as “quiet” and was confident he would face the Tigers.

The newly re-signed Sea Eagles star was forced into making 30 tackles against the Blues – many of them on the bigger Ryan Hoffman.

“I think `Chez’ is used to that now,” Toovey said.

“He’s targeted as most halves are targeted during matches. He did a good job last night and I’m just glad, or hopeful, that he pulls up okay for us on Friday night.

“It was always going to be a tough job for him being thrown in there for the second game.

“But look, he did a good job. His kicking game was superb.

“He’ll be better for it next time he plays.”

Five-eighth Kieran Foran is expected to complete the captain’s run after missing the early part of the week with a virus.

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