"Of course Michael is there once a week, and he was in my ear because he was working there and we're related. He told me the Roosters were one of the best set-ups across the country and how winning back-to-back premierships wasn't easy. "But I always had a soft spot for the Tigers, and my gut was telling me to come here. Robbie thinks he got the deal done for me, but he was a huge factor for me. He was always calling me. I have a close friendship with Robbie and my parents know him pretty well as well. "He's been travelling everywhere to watch the Australian Open and now the Super Bowl, and he kept giving me advice. Robbie Farah was in frequent contact with Adam Doueihi before he signed for Wests Tigers. Credit:AAP "Robbie said to go with my gut and see what happens here. The thought of getting to work with him [in an assistant coaching capacity] this year and with Benji, two of my childhood heroes who I looked up to, it's exciting.

"When I signed I spoke with Robbie. He was in Miami and was looking forward to seeing me again in the black and gold.'' News of Doueihi snubbing the premiers for the joint venture will please fans, who are still hurting from Roosters chairman Nick Politis luring star fullback James Tedesco to Bondi a couple of years ago. It was Farah who initially convinced Tedesco to backflip on a Canberra deal and stay put at Concord. Doueihi, a Balmain junior, said there were no hard feelings with Souths coach Wayne Bennett, who told him he would wear the No.6, only to re-sign Cody Walker, then offered him the No.1 jersey - until Latrell Mitchell arrived. Loading Walker, Adam Reynolds and Damien Cook went out of their way to regularly check on Doueihi. He confirmed there were tears when he broke the news of his departure last week. He said had he addressed the players as a group, ''I wouldn't have got a single word out''.