http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...uard-in-the-south-pacific-20100708-102cy.html
Baby Izzy and Peni become part of AFL vanguard in the South Pacific
Israel Folau's code switch has made a splash - and big ripples - far offshore, writes Michael Cowley.
On Wednesday night, as Israel Folau was bringing to an end his State of Origin career with Queensland, at Blacktown the first evidence of the influence of his move to the AFL was being witnessed.
For Tongan youngsters Simote Taunga and Peni Mahina, Wednesday was a night to never forget. Not only had their South Pacific AFL team finished just 15 points adrift of the powerful Queensland under-16 team, but they were playing football, at the same time, in the same city, as their cousin - and hero - Folau.
Like their cousin, they both played another game, rugby, before switching to AFL ''around a year ago''. Now, with ''Izzy's choosing our sport'', they would not dream of returning to the other game.
''I played on the wing in rugby like Israel, but I enjoy AFL more now. It's exciting he's playing AFL, too,'' said Taunga, who, because he is 190 centimetres and because of a striking resemblance, has been dubbed ''Baby Izzy'' by his teammates.
Added Mahina: ''We started playing AFL through school, and now that Izzy is playing it, more people in Tonga will start to play the game.''
Peni's father, Malakai, is the cousin of Folau's father. He is a development officer for the game in Tonga, and said there was ''great excitement'' there when Folau signed with Greater Western Sydney earlier this year.
''When we heard on the news that Izzy had signed for AFL, we were so very happy,'' Malakai said. ''It will help build AFL in Tonga. It's very new right now, but when all the people heard Izzy signed, they began bringing their kids down to have a look at playing the game. Israel is a real role model for the youth of Tonga.''
Malakai says ''around 800 kids'' now play AFL in Tonga, with the game popular in schools. Interest has soared this year with the introduction of live telecasts.
''We would only get some Wallabies and All Blacks games but now, every Friday and Saturday and Sunday, the AFL is on TV,'' Malakai said. ''As a development officer, it's very helpful for us. Everyone is watching the game and learning about it now that Israel has signed to play AFL.''
Malakai coached the Tongan under-16 team, of which his son and Taunga were members, to win the Oceania title in Fiji last December. Tonga will host the event later this year, and ''we hope to get Izzy there, and also for our king to be there''.
The pair are part of the South Pacific team playing at the junior titles in Sydney this week. Their team is made up of boys from PNG, New Zealand, Samoa, Nauru, Fiji, Tonga and the Solomon Islands.
Co-coach is former Hawthorn premiership player Trent Croad, who himself was born in New Zealand and is the grandson of former All Black Eric Boggs.
Croad arrived in Australia when he was eight and, like many youngsters in his team, came from a rugby union background.
''These kids are just a lot older and a lot more raw,'' he said. ''But they are adjusting.''
He admitted being ''blown away'' by his team's performance against a Queensland team which beat NSW/ACT by 70 points last weekend. It lost 7.15 (57) to 6.6 (42), and at one stage the margin was less than a goal.
''It was incredible,'' Croad said. ''The AFL was beside themselves. I reckon they might be throwing some more money into the development of football in the South Pacific next year
''We turned up late because we had done some sightseeing on the way, we had just 45 minutes to prepare, we warmed-up with red footballs - they should have been the yellow ones for a night game
it was unreal, I was blown away. Queensland are the best team. I was so proud of them
''And now they will go back home and spread the word. One will go back and tell three. I'd better be ready for my South Pacific boys, because they are coming.''
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