Thoughts on Folau to rugby

[Hugh Jarse]

If he did sign with the Tahs, it would give us another off season talking point apart from potential boxing champions.

 

[nugget]

And if couldn't work out the gameplay in AFL, how on earth is he going to work out rugby? (Having said that the "gameplay" in AFL seems to be just be a mob of skinny blokes chasing a ball around endlessly knocking it on for 6 hours.)

 

[Lindommer]

I don't give a shit about a 'marketing' recruitment. The guy has never played rugby in his life.....

Played rugby as a kid. There'd be very, very few boys with an NZ or Islander background who haven't played rugby at some stage of their boyhood, Izzy isn't one of them.

 

[T.Rugby]

Played rugby as a kid. There'd be very, very few boys with an NZ or Islander background who haven't played rugby at some stage of their boyhood, Izzy isn't one of them.

Yeah he definately did play rugby. majority of islanders love rugby and passionately follow their national teams whether it be manu samoa or ikale tahi, but in australia alot of them tend to drift to league in their late teens because of the opportunities to make it and the aggressive manner in which leaguies recruit them (ie. paying for accomodation or helping with rent ect).

 

[rugbysmartarse]

in australia alot of them tend to drift to league in their late teens because of the opportunities to make it and the aggressive manner in which leaguies recruit them (ie. paying for accomodation or helping with rent ect).

berrick, rocky, etc.

 

[p.Tah]

I think his leap will come in handy for those kick restarts

 

[en_force_er]

If he sorts the rest of his game Australia might finally have an answer winning the ball back (or at least pressuring) when we put it high.

 

[p.Tah]

Izzy heading to the Tahs?

If that happens I'll eat my hat.

Pass the salt please

 

[Slim 293]

Do the Tahs intend to score all their tries off high balls?

 

[nugget]

I think his leap will come in handy for those kick restarts

with a leap like that, imagine how well he'd do in aussie rules.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Pass the salt please

Maybe time for a new avatah for a while p.Tah!

or this

 

[en_force_er]

Do the Tahs intend to score all their tries off high balls?

His strength under the high ball doesn't have to translate to that kind of cross field kick (which maybe the Tahs COULD use more).

Think of how effective CJ and Dagg are at pressuring short/medium kicks from the 9 for the ABs. He could be used in a similar way.

 

[Quick Hands]

Yeah he definately did play rugby. majority of islanders love rugby and passionately follow their national teams whether it be manu samoa or ikale tahi, but in australia alot of them tend to drift to league in their late teens because of the opportunities to make it and the aggressive manner in which leaguies recruit them (ie. paying for accomodation or helping with rent ect).

And many grow up in areas where there is little or no rugby option at junior/village club level, they would play league for their local primary school in the local PSSA competition, all the boys at school would play for the local junior league team, so they naturally end up playing league. This scenario is not unique to boys of islander heritage, but would also apply to boys of any background.

The result of NSWRU not expanding the code as Sydney has expanded.

I glad he's playing for the Waratahs, not because of any marketing reasons, but because he's a good footballer. He can do more than catch high kicks, but he was used in league that way as at the moment that is one of the most effective ways to score tries in that code. I'm sure he'll be successful, particularly under the Cheika regime at NSW.

I'd be surprised if any top class rugby coach in Australia would not want him in the team. If the NZRU had signed him, it would be hailed as a master-stroke. There's a lot to criticise about NSWRU, but someone in there has got this right. (and the Cheika appointment.)

 

[wamberal]

The NSWRU have a tiny fraction of the resources available in league, not only directly from the ARL, but also from the NRL franchises all over Sydney, plus squillions of junior league clubs and teams, with lots of licenced clubs to back them up.

 

[Quick Hands]

Absolutely league have more money, but the population of Sydney has doubled in the last 40 years and rugby still draws most of its players from the north shore and eastern suburbs.

No-one suggests that they had to match league, only that they needed to take steps over a 40 year period to at least maintain the ratio of league to union in the south & west which exists in the rest of the city. When I think of other sports in Sydney and NSW, with the exception of sports like sailing and rowing which need lakes/rivers/harbours, all sports with the exception of rugby are evenly spread across the city and the state. If they are small sports, like hockey or baseball, they are small everywhere. If they are large sports like league, netball & cricket, they are large everywhere. Only rugby is so highly concentrated in small pockets and virtually absent elswhere.

NSWRU have basically been content to let the private school system do most of the development, as in the amateur days this was enough to produce enough competitive players to field 2 provincial teams in Australia and the national team. Now in the professional era it's not enough.

Some of these densely populated areas of Sydney were paddocks 40 years ago and it needed some forsight on behalf of the governing body to become established in those areas as the city grew. It's 10 times harder now with other sports established.

None of this should be seen as any criticism of hardworking volunteers at grass roots level. It's the role and responsibility of the governing body to spread the game.

 

[Lindommer]

with a leap like that, imagine how well he'd do in aussie rules.

Put him in the lineout!

 

[Groucho]

Good on Folau for trying to get maximum dollar in the bank while he is still a bankable young athlete but I can't help but think that he is quickly burning his bridges. He made a lot of money out of AFL, realised he was no good at it, and went looking for a lifeline out, which Parramatta extended to him. As far as I can see they have really gone out on a limb to get him back to league.

To publicly come out and say "it's not about the money" and then subsequently renege on the Parra deal for more money is very poor. If I were the Tah's, ARU, or any other sporting body for that matter, I would be very wary of dealing with Folau and his minders.

As for whether he'd be any good.. Tahu, Chambers et al have demonstrated that the code switch is not nearly as easy and straightforward for big athletic dudes as some might think.

Didn't he play schoolboys rugby for Queensland?

 

[en_force_er]

If Izzy sticks around after this year only then we will know what kind of man he is, let's not death ride a player who COULD be a good addition to our sport.

If he really wants money he will leave for France when his contract is up, make a shiteload of money and play a WC or two for Tonga.

 

[p.Tah]

Great article from the Daily telegraph from Novemeber 3 2012:

When Folau left rugby league he weighed 104kg; now he's 97kg and his body fat trimmed from 7 per cent to 4 per cent.

So the more you look at it, the more it looks like this could be the AFL's $2 million gift to the Eels and rugby league.

The AFL invested so heavily in Folau, not simply because of his footballing ability but because of the off-field exposure it would bring in western Sydney.

That has now flipped and you can reasonably expect that AFL fans will switch on to see how Folau fares in his NRL return.

The other point is what Folau means in the battle for western Sydney. When Folau crossed to AFL his performance at the media conference was that of a shy man who had no confidence talking in front of the camera.

This week when he made his switch back it was a completely different man fronting a huge media contingent.

Folau spoke initially without notes then answered questions directly and honestly - and in probably the toughest moment of his career he still had the courage to look reporters in the eye and speak with confidence.

His return is an absolute win for rugby league.

http://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/is...-parramatta-eels/story-fndujljl-1226509445974

Hmmmmmm. Nothing to see here, please move along.

 

[spectator]

Didn't he play schoolboys rugby for Queensland?

I can't remember seeing him in any of the age group teams. I thought he went to Marsden High and played league.