Why ‘cheat code’ Farnworth can light up Ashes for England

Herbie Farnworth, England’s national player in Australia, has made the journey from Blacko in Lancashire to Brisbane, where he has starred in the NRL.

England hope to win their first Ashes series victory over the Kangaroos since 1970 because he is arguably the best center in the world and also has the “cheat code” to prove it.

In Shaun Wane’s England squad, who plays in Australia’s top competition, Farnworth is one of six men.

Even as former Australia international Aaron Woods and other pundits from outside the UK have fueled Wane’s squad with dreadful comments about their caliber, his abilities cannot be underestimated.

Farnworth was a key player in England’s 2-0 victory over Samoa 12 months ago, scoring three tries and becoming the series’ top metre maker, and was a key member of the side that reached the World Cup semi-final in 2022.

Farnworth scored 12 tries in 19 appearances for the Dolphins in 2025 before a hamstring injury ended his season in early August and affected the Queensland side’s quest for the title.

George Williams, England captain, who appears to be a club-mate of Farnworth’s in the near future, has repeatedly referred to him as “one of the best centers in the world.”

The England stand-off called “Herbie is unbelievable.” He is currently considered to be one of the best players in the world. We welcome him into our team with open arms because he is a cheat coder who plays in the NRL.

He “creates something from nothing,” he says. I’ve known him for a while, and he’s a good lad as well. In the NRL, he kills it.

It appeared as though Samoa was playing a different game than anyone else in the previous series we played. He was simply “running through like he was playing under-sevens.”

AJ Brimson, a newcomer to Wane’s squad, said: “In my opinion, he was the best center]in the NRL] this year.

The 25-year-old’s rise to fame is well documented.

He was courted by Burnley and Manchester City as a promising young footballer after signing with Manchester United.

Instead of sacrificing his life to rugby league, he excelled as a junior for Wigan St Patricks under the guidance of his uncle, former Wigan scout Brian Foley, before moving to a 10,000-mile dream.

He made his NRL debut in the Brisbane Broncos in 2019 and was a member of the team that reached the 2023 Grand Final before moving on to the Dolphins, the NRL’s 17th franchise, in 2024.

He maintains modesty and a touch of his roots despite having a status that rivals England’s star-studded rivals and being the man many believe will light the series.

“I try to improve every year, and I like to think I’ve done it over the course of my time in the NRL,” said Farnworth.

“The boys in Super League will teach me a lot,” I said. Some excellent footballers play here. We have a very strong team bond, and we intend to do something special.

“I play against them,” the Australian players, who are all very talented, but they are just men. They don’t have anything incredibly human about them. At Wembley, I’m eager to get a hold of the Aussies because I enjoy playing them.

Brimson, who shifted from Australia to England in May, was also in Farnworth’s purview this time around.

The full-back’s two brothers were born in Chertsey, and he frequently travels with his mother, who is also a Londoner, to England’s south coast for family vacations. Farnworth joked that he wanted to show him a little bit of northern culture because of this.

Farnworth has been able to enjoy home comforts because the majority of the three-Test series is set outside of Manchester.

“I’ve spent a lot of time on Pendle Hill.” Because I don’t see my family and friends as often, it’s a boost to see them all again,” said Farnworth.

It’s very special when I play, and having them watch me play is unusual, which makes it even better for me.

They’ll attend each of the three games. Every time I return home, I experience the feeling that I haven’t left. Everyone in the village is familiar with me and the family, and it’s a very close knit community.

However, his friends have criticized him for having a slight Queensland twang.

He said, “You pick up the twang [in Australia].”

It’s the “little slang words” I’ve lost from over here, but it quickly returns once I’m around the Englishmen. I’m slated for being English in Australia, but when I return home, my roommate will slam me for being an Australian. I can’t win. “

The magnitude of the occasion, which is Farnworth’s first Test series against Australia since 2003, is evident in the record crowd that will line up for an Ashes Test of about 60, 000 on Saturday.

“I’m afraid I won’t be able to participate in one again. It becomes extremely special if it occurs every 20 years. He continued, “It is everything.”