Money doesn’t buy success: Brian Waldron warns Israel Folau

Melbourne chief executive Brian Waldron fired his last shot in the fight to keep Israel Folau today, warning the teenager against trading success for money.

Folau will contemplate his future over the weekend, the 18-year-old faced with offers believed to be worth $400,000 a season for three years at the Bulldogs and Brisbane.

Due to salary cap constraints the Storm are unable to match the inflated figures thrown at Folau elsewhere, but Waldron said the reigning premiers offered the best guarantee of success.

“We understand Israel is probably going to be able to earn more away from the Melbourne Storm,” said Waldron.

“But that’s the price you pay for being part of a successful organisation.

“Our players have made it clear they have to make sacrifices to keep the group together.

“Izzy will still be well rewarded if he stays with Melbourne but it’s within the confines of what we have to manage. And that’s a very tight salary cap when you’ve got so many good players.

“(Folau) wants to stay, we believe we are the best place for him.

“We believe him and his management believe that and his family believe that. But he’s a young man with some really attractive offers to go and play elsewhere. He has to weigh those things up.

“But there’s no better place to play rugby league than Melbourne, there’s no better place if you want to be part of a successful organisation.”

The other public pursuit of an NRL star, Canberra’s Todd Carney, could also be resolved over the weekend with the Raiders, Penrith and Manly all waiting answers from their lucrative offers.

The 21-year-old has four-year deals on the table from each club, the Panthers believed to be offering significantly more than the Raiders and Sea Eagles.

Carney’s manager David Riolo said he expects the young halfback to make his decision within days.

“We are still working through it. Canberra have put a time frame until the end of next week and we are working towards that,” said Riolo.

“It won’t be decided today, but it could be tomorrow or it could be later.”

The contract negotiations of Folau and Carney have consistently made headlines during the preseason, with various reports suggesting both players will leave their current clubs.

Folau publicly stated last month he was “100 per cent” committed to staying in Melbourne, but since then he’s been strongly favoured with a return to Brisbane for family reasons or a move to the Bulldogs on one of the NRL’s richest contracts.

And Carney, despite pleas for loyalty from former greats, is being swayed by reuniting with ex-coach Matthew Elliott at the Panthers or a change of scenery and fresh start on the northern beaches with 2007 runners-up Manly.

Despite the continued speculation Waldron is happy with the free-for-all negotiation process.

“We understood his manager needed to have a look at the market. We’re very comfortable with how it has unfolded,” said Waldron.

“In the future we may be in a situation where we’re chasing another player in a similar situation and we’d like the window to do that.”

Don’t forget to sign-up to our NRL tipping comp. Starts soon!