NRL convert Israel Folau appears set to retire from Greater Western Sydney

[Cletus]

Folou>>all you can eat buffet for a good feed.

 

[Usain Bolt]

Parra have the chance to ruin another players career. Awesome

 

[BranVan3000]

How on Earth can Eels afford all these players?

 

[joshie]

Come back to Melbourne Izzy!

 

[gUt]

Imagine the publicity the NRL will get by poaching a genuine Western Sydney AFL superstar like Israel Folau!

 

[El Diablo]

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/spo...2ae2ee49d6fe3f736f9c0fd0#.UJHzkCyFP4E.twitter

Israel Folau poised for NRL return with Parramatta Eels

by: Brent Read
From: The Australian
November 01, 2012 2:50PM

ISRAEL Folau is on the verge of a return to rugby league next year with Parramatta.

The former NRL star, who has spent the past two years in the AFL with Greater Western Sydney, is expected to announce later today that he is quitting the Giants.

The Australian understands the Eels, a club now coached by Ricky Stuart, have been in talks with Folau and plans to conduct further discussions with the NRL over the prospect of signing the former Queensland and Australian back.

Folau will have to accept a cut in salary to rejoin the NRL after being on multi-million dollar deal in the AFL .

Parramatta chief executive Ken Edwards confirmed the club’s interest in Folau.

“We would be very interested in talking to Israel,” Edwards said.

“We think Israel would be a great fit.”

Asked about the salary cap implications of signing Folau, Edwards said: “Salary cap in the first year would probably be an issue for us. It’s something we need to work through with the NRL and discuss with the NRL. In terms of years after 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 would not be an issue for us.

 

[RABK]

Hayne, Hopoate and Falou in the same backline, wow. Eels will be damn good to watch especially if all 3 can get to full fitness and peak form. Congrats Eels fans. Hopefully Stuart is able to make the most of it for you.

 

[Special K]

With Stuart coach it's only a matter of time before Hayne is in the #6, wouldn't mind it looking like this:

1. Hopoate
2. Sio
3. Loko
4. Folau
5.

6. Hayne
7. Sandow

#5 could be any number of players we have, or could have in the future.

Huge amount of money tied into Hopoate, Folau, Hayne and Sandow. Interesting strategy especially for a guy like Sticky who loves forwards so much(Even Hopoate/Folau in the centres with Hanye at 1 is fantastic).

Not saying it won't work, it looks awesome on paper it will just be interesting to see what can be put around them. How many guys do Parra have off contract next season?

 

[Stinkler]

The NSW Waratahs will be sniffing, mainly because they are shit and need good players.

If the $BW deal falls thru at the Roosters, he could end up there.

Most likely he'll end up an Eel, however Penrith could be a darkhorse if they can offload Jennings.

And the Sharks will chase, because the Sharks want everyone!!!
UP UP CRONULLA!!

 

[BranVan3000]

Huge amount of money tied into Hopoate, Folau, Hayne and Sandow. Interesting strategy especially for a guy like Sticky who loves forwards so much(Even Hopoate/Folau in the centres with Hanye at 1 is fantastic).

Not saying it won't work, it looks awesome on paper it will just be interesting to see what can be put around them. How many guys do Parra have off contract next season?

Forwards should be where the money should be going. They have no forwards

 

[whall15]

Huge amount of money tied into Hopoate, Folau, Hayne and Sandow. Interesting strategy especially for a guy like Sticky who loves forwards so much(Even Hopoate/Folau in the centres with Hanye at 1 is fantastic).

Not saying it won't work, it looks awesome on paper it will just be interesting to see what can be put around them. How many guys do Parra have off contract next season?

The vast majority of our squad afaik.

 

[WayneBennett]

Im sniffing the putrid smell that is the sharks.

 

[WayneBennett]

or is that Parrafurkenmatta?

 

[some11]

How many guys do Parra have off contract next season?

20, although its not uncommon, 2014 will see a massive amount of transfers & re-signings.

zerotackle .com/nrl/rugby-league/players/off-contract-2013/

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

Sign folau for 3 years an you pretty much will only get 2 effective years out of him. Will take him most of 2013 to get back into his groove.

 

[El Diablo]

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...-to-rugby-league/story-e6frexnr-1226508451828

Welcome back, Israel Folau as a star returns to rugby league

Phil Rothfield, Sports Editor-at-large
The Daily Telegraph
November 01, 2012 3:16PM

ISRAEL Folau’s decision to quit the GWS Giants is a massive victory for rugby league in the war against the AFL in Sydney’s west.

Folau was born to be a rugby league player. He grew up in NRL heartland in Minto.

And just as he was peaking as a Broncos, Maroons and Kangaroos superstar, the AFL came to town and stole him.

Not necessarily for his football talents but as a marketing ploy to launch a new footy club smack bang in the middle of an NRL stronghold.

They paid him $1 million season and he paid them back with that amount and more in media exposure.

But on the field it was a different story.

This guy was never going to do a Karmichael Hunt and make a successful transition.

I wrote back in August that the AFL should do the right thing and release him.

Even legends of his new sport turned on him.

The great Kevin Bartlett ripping in after GWS lost to lowly placed Melbourne.

"He looked devoid of even a skerrick of confidence," Bartlett said.

"What's disappointing is you would think 12 months down the track he would be showing something. Today he showed nothing."

Bookmakers yesterday had GWS as $1.25 favourites to win the wooden spoon next year, such has been their struggle to make an early impact.

At least the money they spent of Folau can now be used to attract a ready made AFL champion – or two – who can help Kevin Sheedy lift the team from the bottom.

Meanwhile, rugby league gets a superstar back.

The Parramatta Eels are the obvious favourites to get his signature.

The Eels’ recruitment boss Peter Nolan got Folau out of Melbourne Storm when he was working for the Broncos.

Both he and Ricky Stuart are desperate to get him into a Parramatta jersey.

Rugby league are the winners.

 

[joshie]

Brendan Fevola ‏@BrendanFevola25
Big izzy to retire and move back to Melbourne to play for the storm in 2013 making way for Kurt Tippett to become a giant #scoop

 

[WayneBennett]

Sign folau for 3 years an you pretty much will only get 2 effective years out of him. Will take him most of 2013 to get back into his groove.

 

[El Diablo]

Brendan Fevola ‏@BrendanFevola25
Big izzy to retire and move back to Melbourne to play for the storm in 2013 making way for Kurt Tippett to become a giant #scoop

Russell Gould ‏@gouldyheraldsun
Officials from @MelbourneStorm laughed when asked if Izzy Folau was headed back to his old club. It looks all Eels

 

[Sleep]

I hope he doesn't go to Parramatta. He won't be able to command the big bucks straight away. He needs to bulk back up now after losing all that weight to play AFL. I could see a team giving him a two year contract with a ton of incentives.