Folau has joined AFL

[nqcowboy87]

I played AFL in school too....no wait, that was soggy sao....

its essentially the same thing, so now we know matty johns wasnt gang raping that chick, he was simply playhing afl, it all makes sense now

 

[user_nat]

i reckon if he had said look i want to try something different, ill go play for west coast eagles and ill be happy to spend most of my time in the wafl so i can get my skills up and i dont want a contract thats going to eclipse thoe toher players in my team who have dedicated their lives to the sport, but if im succesful at it i certainly wont rule out a payrise offer, then id be a little less annoyed

How do you know they didn't say: "Look, I'll happily play in the WAFL/whatever until I get my skills up, but I don't want to leave the game I love unless you make it worth my while".

Doesn't really seem that much worse.

 

[El Diablo]

he's on 513 having a press conference

 

[BrisbaneRhino]

I don't get this whole 'you'd jump ship for big bucks' rubbish. Folau's not being paid minimum wage now you know. He's already a very wealthy man for his age. If he'd stayed 'poor' in league for another ten years (probably including an overpaid stint in the UK aged 34!) he'd be able to retire very well off. He and Hunt look like money-grabbing fools - Hunt in particular seems to be following the Mundine mantra of not being a serious athlete but more of a circus freak.

Folau's also made some serious Queensland league people look bad who've tried to be very protective of him and his image during his prolonged 'agaonising' decision (he could have done this well before Origin but of course he wouldn't have been picked then).

I really don't get AFL fans' obsession with insisting how 'good' AFL is when you say you don't like it. Being originally from England I wasn't biased against it when I got here. I've tried, really tried to see what the point is. Watched on TV and attended several Lions games with people who insisted it would change my life. But it didn't. The game sucks. Its like seafood - you can't make me like it by making me try it a million times. Still tastes like catfood to me. A mate of mine who moved to Adelaide went to see a game and said it was like watching a bunch of drunks fighting in the gutter over a $5 note. Couldn't agree more.

Also, on a slightly more serious note, I do agree with life bans from rep football for anyone who jumps code. No problem with them coming back to play for a club side, but stop them - all of them - playing for State/country again. That way if it all goes sour for them in their new sport, they can get a nice club deal, but will never again be the stars in league they were before they left.

 

[El Diablo]

claims he didn't do it for the money :lol:

 

[user_nat]

If he didn't do it for the money, the club has to be wondering why they are paying him so much.

 

[Raudonikis]

claims he didn't do it for the money :lol:

lol the opportunity thats presented in front of him is his line :crazy:
nrl and league get lots a mention in this press conf

 

[Vic Mackey]

If folau at least came out and said 'yeah it's for the money' I'd say fair enough cause I'd dithering exact same thing. I don't get why he tries to treat everyone like an idiot

 

[Jason_(Is_our_King)_Smith]

Those figures quoted were from 2009, before the defections. K.Hunt and Folau have no bearing on my point whatsoever.
My point was and still is that the AFL are not in the slightest interested in the existing RL supporter base changing codes. They are after your kids and the uncommitted.

.

A couple of St Kilda players have already made a good start there...

 

[Phil McGrawhan]

Going back to the NRL from AFL is going to be harder than going back from Rugby Union.

For the 3 years these guys are going to be playing and training for AFL their body shape will change dramatically from power athletes to endurance ones.

FUMBLEBALL FALLACY #101...Endurance athlete..
What a crock of sh*t.......130+ interchanges per game says otherwise...
There is More running involved to & from the bench.

 

[Alehana]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nr...-1225873215494

NRL poster boy Israel Folau will have a heart-to-heart talk with pioneer Karmichael Hunt to decide whether or not to join his ex-Brisbane teammate in the AFL.
Folau, who last Friday rejected fledgling Super 15 rugby franchise Melbourne Rebels, revealed yesterday he remained genuinely torn between the NRL and a defection to the AFL.
Folau continues to weigh up a bold three-year offer from expansion AFL club Greater Western Sydney, reportedly worth more than $3 million, and the safety of remaining a Bronco.
It is believed Folau has already undergone the extensive skills testing with GWS that Hunt completed before defecting to the AFL's other new franchise on the Gold Coast.
And while Folau doesn't have any background in the sport, AFL officials saw enough at the private session to believe the 21-year-old has the skills and talent to successfully cross the codes.
Start of sidebar.



GWS would not comment on Folau yesterday, but The Daily Telegraph understands the AFL is very much in the mix to pull off another coup.
AFL sources believe getting Folau would strike another blow to rugby league which they claim would be "like a second Melbourne NRL team coming in and taking Lance Franklin".
The Daily Telegraph can reveal that the Maroons Origin star will this week seek advice from Gold Coast Football Club recruit Hunt - who will officially begin his AFL career at Carrara today - in talks that loom as pivotal to his decision.
Hunt will today delve into his third elite code in less than a year after his return home last Friday from a successful eight-month European rugby union sojourn with Biarritz.
"I tend to seek advice and I'll try to get the chance to talk to K to see what his thoughts are on the transition," Folau said. "That will maybe help my decision out.
"I turned down the rugby offer, so it's out of AFL and rugby league. It's a big decision. I've just got to see how it all goes over the next week or so."
The Hunt factor could again swing the pendulum back in the AFL's favour after Folau declared his time in Camp Maroon last week roused his desire to remain in rugby league.
The Broncos' three-week winning streak, extended with a 20-4 win in Cronulla on Saturday night, and the NRL's decision to bolster its salary cap to $4.8 million are also factors.
"I haven't made my mind up, not yet, but I'm getting closer that's for sure," Folau said.
"I've said that the past couple of weeks but I'll make the decision soon I hope.
"For myself, I look at it on both sides. As an athlete, and also I've got to think about my future and looking after myself.
"When it comes down to a decision, it'll be on both sides."
Folau says the challenge and financial security of the AFL's offer continue to hold great appeal to him, while Brisbane insiders remain quietly confident of retaining their man.
"The Origin win, it definitely could have an influence on my decision in maybe staying in league," Folau said.
"Things like that, if I happen to leave, are the type of things I'm going to miss.
"It's always a big honour to be a part of an Origin side so if I make a decision to leave, it's going to be pretty hard to walk away from an Origin jersey."
Like Hunt, Folau has built an incredible resume during his short NRL career. It includes a premiership ring and Test and Queensland jumpers.

No you can keen Lance Franklin, hes sh!t, wouldn't make it in league anyway and by league i mean a RL club in sydney, he'd be on the wood (before and after and during) the game. Honestly, who do they think they are (AFL) talking up their players, the game is built on a strong defence and talking, they cant tackle in afl or run into a tackle, the only advantage they have is marking and kicking, and even some nrl players would be the same level as them.
Anyway just shows how much cutie is a tosser, i've never liked him, it doesn't suprise me hes trying to get others to jump ship, its like he never played nrl,

Good luck to Folou, hope he blitzes it along with cutie, then it will show league athletes r better than the victorian afl players and worth their 1mil+ debut salary, shouldn't be in the origin side, and if he does come back, offer him the lowest salary, see how much he really wants to play, i can just imagine folou getting the ball from the opposite side of the circle in afl, and running thru the whole team and diving over the opposite circles goal line, and realising hes not in nrl!

 

[Bastard Squad]

FUMBLEBALL FALLACY #101...Endurance athlete..
What a crock of sh*t.......130+ interchanges per game says otherwise...
There is More running involved to & from the bench.

Sorry to correct you, but that's actually 130+ interchanges per team per game.

 

[El Diablo]

plus AFL stops for ad breaks :lol:

 

[aqua_duck]

AFL's tiny red balls are designed to be easy to kick... The only kick you have to master in AFL is the punt, compare that to a guy like Lockyer who can do pin-point kicks in many varieties.

AFL is just professional force-'em-backs. Anyone can punt an AFL ball.

League balls are typically 15g heavier in the dry (an AFL ball can take on water), AFL balls abit rounder but besides that there isn't a big difference. In AFL they use the drop punt alot, but drop punting a kick 50m+ accurately isn't an easy skill to learn, infact I'd say its alot harder than jumping for a ball, catching it and falling over the line when your 6'5. I'm guessing if Israel is to play any position in AFL he'd be a big marking forward which means goalkicking. Trying to kick a ball 30m+ at different angles definately isn't an easy skill to master. Some ignorant people will say they still give you a point for missing but forwards don't get paid to kick behinds
Some AFL blokes can kick it a mile, massive boots, hence why they're recruited by NFL teams

 

[Raider_69]

Another feather in the cap of RL

good to see the other codes admit our players are by far the best athletes in the country. None of their blokes would last 10 minutes in an NRL game, and 2 of our boys are going to be their highest paid players

Seems fair enough.

FTR - Good luck to Izzy, but i hope Gallop has emailed him and told his people not to bother trying to come back.
If i were gallop i'd be imposing a one way door on this system. Once your gone, you're gone for good, and if the grass aint greener on the other side, stiff sh*t.

 

[renouf]

If he wanted a "new experience, a new challenge", then why does it require a $4.2 million price tag? Why not move over to AFL for 200k a season?

 

[Noa]

League balls are typically 15g heavier in the dry (an AFL ball can take on water), AFL balls abit rounder but besides that there isn't a big difference. In AFL they use the drop punt alot, but drop punting a kick 50m+ accurately isn't an easy skill to learn, infact I'd say its alot harder than jumping for a ball, catching it and falling over the line when your 6'5. I'm guessing if Israel is to play any position in AFL he'd be a big marking forward which means goalkicking. Trying to kick a ball 30m+ at different angles definately isn't an easy skill to master. Some ignorant people will say they still give you a point for missing but forwards don't get paid to kick behinds
Some AFL blokes can kick it a mile, massive boots, hence why they're recruited by NFL teams

Whered you get those weights from. Ive got numbers that say a league ball is 400-460g and a Sherrin is 450-500g, which would make more sence seeing an AFL ball is leather.

 

[Noa]

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[Eagle_Rocker]

I hope the NRL refuses to take him back when he fails at a game he has never played.

 

[Edwahu]

I heard the AFLs next signings are Iron Chef Sakai and the Dog from Air Bud. They started chasing them after they saw the ratings and realised how much more popular they are then the swans.