Falau's disloyalty on Grand Final eve

[Misty Bee]

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,22490267-23214,00.html

Homesick Israel wants an exodus

By Ben Dorries and Karl de Kroo
September 27, 2007
HOMESICK Melbourne Storm teenager Israel Folau has confided in his family his secret desire to return to Brisbane one day to play for the Broncos.
The NRL's hottest young property has missed his family so much at times in his rookie season that he has telephoned his eldest brother David "eight times a day" at the family's Boronia Heights home in Brisbane's southern outskirts.

Folau, 18, the Dally M rookie of the year who will line up for Storm in Sunday's grand final against Manly, grew up idolising Darren Lockyer and yearns to play alongside the Broncos great.

David Folau, 22, revealed his younger brother "still followed the Broncos" and said he would not be surprised if Israel returned to Brisbane "in the near future".

"He has been really homesick sometimes ... he rings me about eight times a day," David Folau said.

"A lot of the time our talks have been really boring. I think he just likes hearing the sound of my voice.

"He misses us and he misses Brisbane. He really likes the Broncos.

"He always has and he follows them a lot. I am sure (he wants to play for the Broncos) ... he has spoken about that."

Folau, the most exciting young player to burst on the scene in years, has only one season remaining on his Storm contract and will become one of the most sought-after players in NRL history unless he is locked away by Melbourne.

Broncos chief executive Bruno Cullen confirmed the club would be "very, very interested" in talking to Folau when he came off-contract.

"He is an outstanding prospect, the rookie of the year, who has really hit the ground running," Cullen said.

Asked last night about Folau's contract situation beyond 2008, Storm chief executive Brian Waldron was far from pleased.

"We have made it very clear that the club's focus and that of our players is solely on the grand final," Waldron said.

"This is not the week to be talking about contracts."

Pushed on Folau, Waldron said: "We are very confident that Israel Folau's long-term future is in Melbourne."

Folau is such treasured property at the Storm that the club has placed him under a media ban in his rookie season.

He was the only Storm player placed off-limits at the club's media session on Monday.

Folau's family reconfirmed his desire to play for Queensland in State of Origin. He is eligible for the Maroons as he played his first senior game at 16 for Brisbane Norths, Storm's feeder club. <A class=image href="http://www.thecouriermail.news.com.au/?from=ni_story"">

Shades of Ikin and Tallis?

Is the Mormon Mission off?

Great timing eh!

 

[woodyk2]

Read that this morning...i'm surpried a news limited run paper would print it.

 

[Butters]

No quotes from Israel in there, all from his brother.

 

[philstorm]

Yeh, strange isn't it.

Funny how the only thing to suggest Folau going back to Brisbane quoted by his brother was the phrase "in the near future".

 

[_Johnsy]

I am not surprised really, Melbourne are just a more purple version of Brisbane, minus their success.

 

[Garts]

Homesickness, toughen the f**k up!!!!

 

[shiznit]

whats the matter with him wanting to go back to be with his family?? nothing wrong with that at all.... there was nothing in that article saying he was wanting to break his current contract so i dont see the problem.

 

[shiznit]

Homesickness, toughen the f**k up!!!!

toughen up?? the kid just won the rookie of the year in the toughest competition in the world.... i would say hes pretty tough if you ask me...

 

[_Johnsy]

enter the titans.....................

 

[Garts]

toughen up?? the kid just won the rookie of the year in the toughest competition in the world.... i would say hes pretty tough if you ask me...

We are not talking about his playing toughness. I just dont get the homesickness thing personally.

 

[hrundi99]

We are not talking about his playing toughness. I just dont get the homesickness thing personally.

So you don't have family and friends you enjoy spending time with?

 

[Stormboyz]

Wouldn't be in the slightest bit surprised if he plays next year and is gone back to Brisbane. In fact the odds are shortening.

 

[badav]

The guy is on a media ban. So talk about going off half cocked, some newspaper calling him disloyal when he hasnt said a word on the subject. Some journalists are just nasty sh*t smearers. low low people.

 

[Misty Bee]

I can understand homesickness, but for mine it's used far too often for players heading to Queensland.

I understand Israel didn't make the comments - he would hardly say he supports another club and wants to go back there. However, the story came from SOMEWHERE. Israel's brother wouldn't be talking to himself in the shower for them to end up in a News Ltd paper on GF eve.

I have nothing against Israel, but all year he's been musing on leaving Melbourne for his mission work (I thoroughly applaud him for this BTW), but now maybe it's just about leaving Melbourne.

I can't remember a key player in grand final week EVER suddenly being linked to another club.

 

[Misty Bee]

BTW, an aside - how the hell does it happen that 3 kids grow up together in the same suburb, and play footy together, that one's eligible for Qld, another plays for the Kiwis and yet another plays for the Blues? Origin/rep rules are a farce.

 

[Everlovin' Antichrist]

Minto.

Minto, NSW.
Minto, Qld.
Minto, NZ.

 

[The Colonel]

How is he homesick for Brisbane?

Didn't he grow up down the road from Hayne and Inu in Minto?

 

[Misty Bee]

Homesick from family I can buy from a 19yo.

I'm still baffled how Scott Prince solved his homesickness for Townsville when, due to the nature of air travel in Australia, he was closer in travelling time from Campbelltown!

 

[Everlovin' Antichrist]

No one gets homesick for Minto these days because the mayor is in Pomgolia.

 

[Misty Bee]

The Falau family moved from Minto to brisbane when he was about 14. Must have hit bloody hard times to make that move.

Now Israel thinks he's a Queenslander! FFS someone should buy him and Ingliss a map.