Israel Folau shocks Parramatta Eels by turning his back on NRL return to take up rugby union.
Paul Crawley
The Daily Telegragh
December 01, 2012
12:00AM
A MONTH ago Israel Folau quit AFL because he wanted to play rugby league with the Parramatta Eels and he said money wasn't his motivation.
Last night Folau turned his back on the Eels to take up an offer to play rugby union overseas where he is expected to earn double the money he could get playing NRL.
Parramatta was in a state of shock and disappointment last night after Folau met with the club's recruitment boss Peter Nolan and informed him that he wouldn't be playing for the Eels next season.
News Limited can reveal Folau's camp issued desperate Eels officials a deadline for yesterday to come up with a package that would satisfy NRL salary cap auditor Ian Schubert.
Aware that Folau was contemplating his options in rugby, Parramatta worked frantically with the NRL to devise a legitimate four-year offer worth.
Initially unable to accomodate Folau, the Eels were told next year's cap was likely to rise at least another $200,000 from the provisonal $5 million mark that all clubs were told to work toward.
The breathing space gave Parramatta enough room to put Folau on an acceptable base deal for 2013, after Schubert had previously knocked-back their attempt to register him for $110,000 uinder the cap.
Parramatta boss Ken Edwards was clearly upset at Folau's back-flip, especially given the player's initial reasons for wanting to return to rugby league.
"We made him an unconditional, fully-compliant offer that he said no to," Edwards said. "Presumably he has had a much bigger financial offer from rugby. We are disappointed.
"We did everything we could to give him everything he wanted. Remembering he was the one who approached us and told us he wanted to get out of the AFL and he wanted to play at the Eels and money wasn't an issue.
"To end up in this situation a month later where we did provide him with everything he needed and he decided to play rugby ... He had a meeting with our head of recruitment Pete Nolan. The bottom line was he decided to pass up on our offer and play rugby."
The Daily Telegraph has learned Folau stood to earn more than $1 million next season in rugby league through contract payments and third party deals but the money on offer overseas playing rugby union in France and Japan is believed to be significantly higher and possibly twice as much.
Folau's decision came on the day some of the NRL's biggest stars met with the Australian Rugby League Commission and rejected the latest pay offer increase. There was an immediate backlash from NRL fans on social media blaming the ARLC for not doing enough to bring Folau back to rugby league.
One fan tweeted: "THE NRL is an absolute joke."
When asked if the Commission was doing enough to keep its stars in the NRL, Edwards said: "Significant additional money has arrived in the game as a result of the new media deal and it is clear that the players are insisting upon more than they have been offered.
"It's not my job to say what they should be paid, that is the Commission's job to work that out. I don't want to be drawn on that."
The ARLC last night was refusing to comment on Folau's decision because they were still hoping for a last-minute change of heart.
ARLC interim chief executive Shane Mattiske was last night still holding some hope that Folau might make another about-face.
Asked if the game was doing enough financially to keep its stars in rugby league, Mattiske said: "We have been in discussions with Parramatta to provide them with some guidance how they could work within the salary cap and we understand that they were able to make a strong offer to Israel.
"At this point in time we are still in discussion with his management to understand exactly what Israel's position is. He is yet to confirm that he is definitely not coming back to the game."
ARLC chairman John Grant would not comment.
The AFL's Greater Western Sydney coach Kevin Sheedy refused to be critical of Folau's decision to choose rugby union over NRL.
"Maybe he found it difficult to get back into the NRL because maybe the NRL salary cap is all taken up,' Sheedy said.
"But he has got the talent and the ability to be a superstar in rugby. I know it sounds strange but it might be a blessing in disguise.
"He may be a superstar. I mean the guy has got freakish ability to run, jump, move he is quite amazing."
Asked if there is any chance remaining of seeing Folau in Parramatta colours next season, Edwards said: "Well, you never say never I guess but I would think that it is done."
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...e-up-rugby-union/story-e6frexnr-1226527789062
