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Israel Folau set for a switch to the AFL. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)
It has been announced that Israel Folau will be joining the AFL’s new Greater Western Sydney club. The move will delight some and infuriate others, but it sets up another intriguing code-switch experiment that is sure to capture plenty of interest.
All three Monday night AFL programs, as well as newspapers in both Sydney and Melbourne, reported last night that an announcement was imminent and the deal was confirmed in a press conference today at the franchise’s Blacktown base.
It is a four-year deal, reportedly worth $6 million.
“Money was not the end factor in my decision, it was the opportunity that came up,” Folau said at today’s announcement.
Following the lead of Karmichael Hunt at Gold Coast, Folau will become the second Brisbane Broncos player in as many years to join with an AFL expansion club.
While the AFL will be excited by coming out of a three-code war on top, the news won’t impress everyone, even many within the code.
After whispers of a potential Folau signing first emerged, Leigh Matthews and Jason Akermanis both attacked the AFL on the amount of money it was prepared to give league converts. Both believed it was unfair on those who have been playing the game their entire careers, and it’s a view they aren’t alone on.
Drawing from his time on the AFLPA executive, Brisbane Lions coach Michael Voss was livid yesterday: “What we thought we were investing in though was Auskick, under-10s and under-21s. What we didn’t think we were investing in were two players, who would be the highest paid players in the AFL. That would seem ridiculous that we would do that.”
Outside the code, the news means rugby league are set to lose another of its stars, as are the Broncos.
Broncos fans would have to be disappointed, especially considering Folau moved up north and joined the team – on big dollars, too – for family reasons. That he is now so willing to move elsewhere would be a cruel blow.
Fans of the NRL and rugby league in general would be disappointed to lose another star of the game, particularly in a year when the salary cap has been such a big talking point.
But back on the AFL side of things, one can’t deny the benefits to the AFL this signing will bring.
Publicity-wise, he’ll have paid back the AFL’s investment by the end of the week. GWS will be the focus of news bulletins and front pages ad nauseam over the next few days – the value of which is truly significant for a young club still finding its feet and searching for traction in the competitive Sydney media market.
And the cries of some will be subdued by the fact we can assume he’ll be signed under the non-registered rookie provision, which means his salary will avoid the salary cap, at least initially, and he won’t be taking up one of the likely 48 senior list positions the club will have in its first AFL season.
The question that will inevitably be asked from here is whether Folau can make it.
He’s 21, so age is well and truly on his side. He’s noted for his big hands and big leap, attributes that certainly won’t hold him back.
At 195 cm and 102 kg, he possesses a frame that generally takes longer to adapt to the AFL level, but also opens up a few options. A look through the AFL Prospectus suggests players of that size – particularly players who weigh north of 95 kg – are generally ruckmen.
Folau, though, has hinted full forward is his position. It’s ambitious, but then again, what isn’t ambitious about this whole thing?
We are entering unknown territory with these signings. They may work out, they may not.
The fun with Folau, just as with Hunt, will be in watching it all unfold and finding out.
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June 1st 2010 @ 7:24am
oikee said | June 1st 2010 @ 7:24am | Report comment
Yes, your right. Also i look at this from my perspective, which is why i dont mind rugby league players moving to other codes. Rugby league players are now moving to 2 other codes, rugby union and AFL. So young kids who play rugby league have now got great oppotunities to make good money in 3 codes. To me it makes the game of rugby league even more competitive in 3 ways,
Opening a larger doorway for more players to succeed.
Opening the doorway for more rugby league players in general to get a start in rugby league.
Weakening our international team, the Kangaroos, this in turn will strengthen our international game , it opens up the door for more countries to compete at the highest level. Which is good for rugby league.
If Greg Inglis, Isreal Folou, Idris and a few others swapped codes, our international team would become very beatable. You only need for England to win the world cup 2013 to improve international rugby league 10 fold. Which is good for our game.
I have no issues with any good player swapping codes, as a matter of fact, i, myself encourage this practise for the good of rugby league over-all.
June 1st 2010 @ 8:25am
TammyS said | June 1st 2010 @ 8:25am | Report comment
Exactly…you wanna make a quick million dollars in rugby union or AFL? simple….you play NRL
There’s a lot of pros in this especially if those players do well. I even hear Inglis being sought after by the NFL.
June 1st 2010 @ 8:48am
adrien2166 said | June 1st 2010 @ 8:48am | Report comment
i totally agree with you oikee! At the end of the day that’s good for the health of the code! The kangaroos are too strong that’s why the game is hardly international, but even since the kiwis have beaten them in the last WC, looks like international RL was born again…
June 1st 2010 @ 8:56am
oikee said | June 1st 2010 @ 8:56am | Report comment
Mate, its a free leg-up for international rugby league. Look, we all know that the international game would be great without the Kangarros, so weakening rugby league in Australia is going to grow international league 10 fold, its been holding rugby league internationally back for years.
No, rugby league fans have nothing to fear, if anything, we will one dau be thanking the AFL for our game. Now put the shoe on the other foot, international AFL will never grow, not with our super stars playing AFL.
June 1st 2010 @ 9:06am
Jessinda said | June 1st 2010 @ 9:06am | Report comment
Oikee are you serious??? How will rugby league benefit if it’s super stars all switched codes for the sake of making more money. The Kangaroos are the bench mark of rugby leagues international game, if players with the calibre of ‘K’ and now ‘Issy’ switch allegiance to chase after magebucks based on their agents advise that it’ll be good for them, then yes the Kangaroos will be beatable if some of their best players defect for more financial rewards.
I don’t see how beating a quality depraved Kangaroos will be benefitial for rugby league. The Kiwis crushed the Kagaroos at the last rugby league world championship simply beacuse they had a team that was crammed with A-Grade rugby league stars and not wanna-be’s. During the last five years both England and New Zealand have attempted and have succeeded in beating the Kangaroos by raising their standards through both an administative and sportive culture. All mediocre and high profile athletes aim at being the best and most will not settle for less, and thus it’s this spirit of competition and hunger to succeed that drives them to beat all comers regardles of culture or creed.
Most athletes set goals that are beyond their limits, and all international rugby league teams aim at beating the Kangaroos despite being second tier or stumpy teams, beating the Kangaroos in rugby league is the pinnacle of all international sides, it’s these competitive nature that raises the standard of rugby league which makes it very healthy for the game.
Salary cap is the biggest issue this year and questions are being raised again whether players are earning what their supposed to be earning, what about wanna-be sportsman (player agents) who make most of the decisions of players under their contract, it’s the agents that come up with grand ideas on how an athlete (and also his family – but not him) can make more money. I feel sorry for players who allow themselves to be guided by someone who will not stand on the field week in and week out being battered to a pulp by opposition players. I hope that one day we’ll have an origin like event where agents face each other and beat their fragile figures to smithereens, I’m pretty sure that this’ll be one hell of a concept.
June 1st 2010 @ 12:09pm
oikee said | June 1st 2010 @ 12:09pm | Report comment
Steauth, take it easy, look, as i mentioned, buying rugby league players is not going to weaken the NRL.
If you looked at our last game you would have seen that Folou and Hunt were not in the team. This can only heighten our international game if players do keep moving to other codes.
I cant understand why league fans get so riled up, would we be carrying on like this is Inglis was offered big money to play NFL. ?
Not everyone can make the transition to another code. We should be grateful that we are producing athletes that can be sold, like sardines to other codes.
It makes room for other players from around the world to play NRL. Looking at that Burgess guy, i hope this happens soon.
June 1st 2010 @ 12:47pm
Springs said | June 1st 2010 @ 12:47pm | Report comment
Okay let’s sell all our best players to other codes, make their games better and ours worse. Our international game will not rise, it will just lower the standard, if you want Rugby League players to go to other codes, then I’m sure the England and New Zealand players are going to leave as well. And then, it will make Union’s international game better, by having some of our best Australia, New Zealand and English stars in their lineups.
Imagine how good the NRL would be if we had the 100 or so first grade standard players still playing here. Thinning out the talent isn’t going to do anything, oh wait, it’s going to make our game worse.
June 1st 2010 @ 4:20pm
JimC said | June 1st 2010 @ 4:20pm | Report comment
None of the England backs are good enough sadly. Eastmond maybe the only one. The forwards are good but union isn’rt generally interested in forwards.
June 1st 2010 @ 2:09pm
AndyRoo said | June 1st 2010 @ 2:09pm | Report comment
You would have to tripple the salary cap before Folau’s AFL salary makes sence for an NRL club and even then it would be risky.
I think he’s on 500k a season and the Broncos were bagged for paying that much for a winger and had to convert him to centre to get value. Even if the cap was 10m a season I don’t see the sense in paying a winger 1.5m a year.
June 1st 2010 @ 2:26pm
danwighton said | June 1st 2010 @ 2:26pm | Report comment
The fact that no domestically based Australian football player (of any code) receives the amount that Folau is to receive, shows that this is not his value as a ‘player’, its marketing and awareness. Companies, such as the AFL, spend millions on advertising campaigns and public relations, so spending 1.4m per year pales in comparison.
From the Hunt deal (which has been widely reported to be around 1m and place him in the top three players in the AFL with Judd and Brown), the AFL and the GC team have guaranteed that every sports fan – RL or AFL, casual or rusted on – will be watching Hunt’s first game. RL fans might want him to play fantastic, and show those AFL players how its done, and AFL fans may want him to be smashed, to show how their code is tougher and more difficult than league, but either way everyone will be watching.
June 1st 2010 @ 2:40pm
Michael C said | June 1st 2010 @ 2:40pm | Report comment
IF we treat the “AFL’ component of the payment to Hunt and Folau as equivalent to a 3rd party payment – then the actual football club salary will probably be far or somewhat less than Judd, Ablett etc……..and Judd with his nice little earner with Visy is probably on a pretty good annual paypacket. And of course, should he choose to, Ablett can opt for a ~$1.5 mill p.a. deal at GCFC should he choose and that would be 100% football salary.
This is a short window of ‘inflationary’ pressue that will produce some distorted market values. It won’t be permanent, as, 2 brand new ground up clubs don’t just appear ever day of the week!! The AFL hasn’t had these sorts of inflationary pressures since the early/mid 90s when Adelaide then Freo and Port came along.
June 2nd 2010 @ 7:24am
Bill Baxter said | June 2nd 2010 @ 7:24am | Report comment
Danwighton is correct, The AFL will be in a win/win situation initially. People will watch Hunt and Folau for 2 reasons. 1. That they will fail miserably. 2. that they will become stars. Either way it will quickly become apparent whether they make it or not and then we can all get back to the business of watching our own preferred game!!!.
June 1st 2010 @ 12:25pm
Pete said | June 1st 2010 @ 12:25pm | Report comment
Oikee, I’m all for positive thinking, but this is delusional. The sky is falling in, but you’re happy for a sky without any stars…
Australian RL is being hit by externals forces: Australian Rugby, French rugby, NZ Rugby (SBW), English Rugby, Japanese Rugby, European Super league and now AFL.
Internally its combusting with with off field scandals, several clubs on the brink of bankruptcy and the Storm fiasco.
Its a resilient game, but there is only so much it can take. Die hards will stay, but its the ‘peripheral supporters’ who are critical. Die hards pay the bills, peripheral supporters bring in the profit.
If all the NFL starts in the US up and left and Australia started winning games against the US, would all Australian kids start playing American football? Would the Australian papers start devoting pages to it? No, why would you think a RL world cup would transfix the Football (and less so Rugby) mad UK? How many Hockey would cups have we won… and how interested are most of us in hockey?
Who on earth wants to watch the NRL become the A-League, where all our best players are playing somewhere else?! How can that be for the good of the game?
June 1st 2010 @ 12:43pm
oikee said | June 1st 2010 @ 12:43pm | Report comment
You fail to see the potentail in this, look, rugby league fans thought it was the ned of the world when we lost SBW and Mark Gasnier, the sky is still there, and rugby league has grown over this period. They cant poach everyone, stop being so soft. Could you imagine Dave Taylor, Sam Burgess running around in AFL. What about Locky, Coote, or Campbell for that matter, different type players.
Rugby league has lost Saffy and Copper Vuna to rugby rebels, ??? Not a wimper from rugby league. ? Why, do your sums, the game is producing players at a rate never seen before. If we allow these players to move into other markets, opens up a whole new line of players into the game.
Over the last year alone, i have been amazed by young talent into the game, ready to go, most of these players could and would never be poached, they are wrong body type. The AFL is only looking for players because they are running out of cattle mate.
They are going to be that weak and watered down come 2012, it will only be a matter of time before league, grabs them by the throat and shoves that dagger they are sharpening, straight into there hearts.
Just repaeting what someone said about there fans on the footy boards. I never go there.
June 1st 2010 @ 7:39am
mds1970 said | June 1st 2010 @ 7:39am | Report comment
To play Australian Football requires a totally different skill set to what he’s had to play rugby league – and it will be a challenge to adapt. But Folau is young, still only 21, and has already proved himself to be an elite performer in one sport. And he has plenty of time before 2012 when GWS enter the AFL.
Hopefully Kevin Sheedy knows what he’s doing. If Folau succeeds, it’s both a marketing coup and a good signing for the club. If he fails, it’s an expensive disaster. I’m trusting Sheedy’s judgement on this – and looking forward to seeing Folau take the field for GWS.
June 1st 2010 @ 7:55am
agga78 said | June 1st 2010 @ 7:55am | Report comment
How simple a game to play at the highest level must AFL be if they signing players from other sports who have either never kick a ball or played a couple of matches, there must be hardly any skill required at all and having watched Geelong Collingwoood last week I can see why failed athletes from Basketball, Hurling, Rugby Union and Association Football are flocking to the sport.
With the Mike Pikes of this world running around the AFL, the AFL competition is fast becoming a haven for failed athletes across the world, who want to play professional sport.
June 1st 2010 @ 8:04am
Galloping Guru said | June 1st 2010 @ 8:04am | Report comment
Snipe number 1, far from being a easy sport to play, it has quite a wide skillset, therefore it can incorporate athletes from other codes who bring their own skillsets and then learn new ones.
Once you have good hand,eye, foot co-ordination, you are usually OK at most sports.
Surely even you can understand that.
Basketballers have good hand/eye co-ord and are known for their vision in traffic, soccer players foot/eye, gaelic players like Australian footballers have both hand/foot but not usually as physical, rugby L/U have a far more physical approach and good steps.
June 1st 2010 @ 2:21pm
Aka said | June 1st 2010 @ 2:21pm | Report comment
Galloping Guru, with regards to football, if you haven’t started playing by around 12 yo it’s unlikely in the extreme that you are going to make it at the top flight level. To think that you could be introduced to the sport at 21 or even say 16 and make it as one of the highest paid professionals in the sport is fantasy. Good eye, foot co-ordination is not nearly enough.
Now Falou hasn’t ‘made it’ in AFL yet. But he enters as one of the highest paid players in the game and so has Hunt. Other non marketable guys who have very limited knowledge of the game are being recruited by AFL clubs (not your local suburban club) The AFL clubs are recruiting non players who they regard as great athletes – The AFL clubs think the skills and especially tactics are easy enough to pick up.
June 1st 2010 @ 9:28pm
jiggles said | June 1st 2010 @ 9:28pm | Report comment
AKA,
Tom Williams from the Western Bulldogs didn’t start playing AFL untill he was 18… played rugby union as a kid at five-eight of fullback
June 1st 2010 @ 8:04am
Mark Young said | June 1st 2010 @ 8:04am | Report comment
The swans became quite popular without a single Rugby League player and that is the key for GWS to remember.
They are not going to get Rugby League fans ditching their team and coming to the GWS games, they are going to get people who HATE rugby league and think it is all just organised thuggery coming along.
This guy will not bring in a single extra fan, and only a few days of headlines on the Daily Astonisher which is already kicking league as hard as it can so the tv rights can be beaten down for its Pay TV arm.
Spending this amount of money….
On a guy with no profile in Sydney….
On a guy who is actually DISLIKED in Sydney since he plays for interstate teams and Qld State of Origin…
Based on a whole hour and half kicking trial…..
Not a win,
Stupidity.
June 1st 2010 @ 8:08am
Galloping Guru said | June 1st 2010 @ 8:08am | Report comment
You make a good case with your points, but the other side of the coin is not about getting rusted on league followers who are never going to follow GWS even if Graeme Langlands plays for them, its about the kiddies and what they see, and choices they have available to them.
It’s also about attracting polynesian kids.
June 1st 2010 @ 9:19am
Mark Young said | June 1st 2010 @ 9:19am | Report comment
Yeah that is true
Good point!
June 1st 2010 @ 8:06am
Redb said | June 1st 2010 @ 8:06am | Report comment
Hot word in AFL circles, Brisbane Broncos will be the 19th team in the AFL by 2015.
I beleive the following statements to be a fair viewpoint and in no particular order and without weighting:
- Fantastic marketing exercise in getting the name GWS known in Sydney.
- Existing AFL players rightfully miffed at the amount of money being paid to Folau.
- Folau’s profile and Polynesian heritage important in terms of medium to longer tem recruitment goals, fan base for the AFL.
- Will not attract diehard NRL fans beyond his first game.
- Folau has the potential to be a KPP (key position player) due to athleticism, height,etc
- Folau will not have the game sense, can’t kick, can’t mark with hands in front, didn’t grow up with the game.
—————-
What that all means, no idea.
June 1st 2010 @ 8:36am
oikee said | June 1st 2010 @ 8:36am | Report comment
Hey Redb, lets just tell the truth, anyone can play AFL, you only have to take one look at the weak cattle running around in AFL to see that its lacking real talent. Wait till you see K-Hunt and Izzy make your players look ordinary. Then you will have to open up the paychecks even more to sign NRL super dooper stars.
The more worrying aspect for AFL is the ease that the NRL can replace these players. Darius Boyd is twice the player Hunt was, he is now leading the Dally.M. And Josh Hoffman has replaced Hunt at the Broncos,
Roll out those checkbooks buddy, your going to need them.
I have made a hit list for the AFL
Inglis, Greatest player i have ever seen, and can kick a ball.
Idris, Biggest human being Gus Gould has ever seen, and is twice the monster Izzy is.
Hayne, speed machine and can kick a ball as good as any player i have seen.
Duffy, new young superstar in waiting, and ex-highjump champion.
Slater and Stuart, 2 of the fastest players in sport, you dont win the rexona tital being slow.
Thats just a appertiser, we have plenty more where they come from, i have been watching the under 20′s, the production line is in full swing baby.
Cha Ching.
June 1st 2010 @ 8:50am
Brett McKay said | June 1st 2010 @ 8:50am | Report comment
Oikee, I love your passion, I really do, but come on…
June 1st 2010 @ 9:02am
oikee said | June 1st 2010 @ 9:02am | Report comment
Red my post above Brett, its a god-send if we lose our best players. The international game will thrive, i have known this for years, but now we have a good pathway for our best players to move to, enter AFL.
AndyRoo, you have no idea, this guy is no whimp, he is one of the toughest Hombres going around, he will not only make it in AFL, i expect him to be one of the superstars of the game. This guy is awesome, a powerhouse player. And to think, i rate Idris above him.
Idris is only 19, so bring it on, get the checkbook ready. 
June 1st 2010 @ 9:06am
Brett McKay said | June 1st 2010 @ 9:06am | Report comment
I have mate, and your point about international league is an orphan in terms of some of your logic today….
June 1st 2010 @ 10:09pm
hutch said | June 1st 2010 @ 10:09pm | Report comment
what do you mean by that?
June 1st 2010 @ 9:00am
True Tah said | June 1st 2010 @ 9:00am | Report comment
oikee
after doing his knee trying to tackle Lote Tuqiri, I wouldnt put Stuart as being one of the fastest players in sport.
June 1st 2010 @ 9:11am
oikee said | June 1st 2010 @ 9:11am | Report comment
? Mate, come-on, you talking about the same Stuart as me. He is like lighting mate, he covered Tiquiri no trouble, he was falling backwards when that happened. You will find out who the fastest man is at the end of the year, but if Melinda Gainsford is anything to go by, and she knows Stuart, he must be fast. She rates him as one of the fastest.
June 1st 2010 @ 12:58pm
Springs said | June 1st 2010 @ 12:58pm | Report comment
Obviously not, as his name is Stewart!
June 1st 2010 @ 8:51am
AndyRoo said | June 1st 2010 @ 8:51am | Report comment
Folau’s profile and Polynesian heritage important in terms of medium to longer tem recruitment goals, fan base for the AFL.
Folau will have a torrid time of it in the media. They will not divorce his performances from his pay packet and he will be the object of ridicule (even if by some mirracle he turns out a half decent player he will still be “overpaid”). It’s more likely to have the complete opposite effect Redb because I don’t think seeing a hero of the Polynesian community turned into a joke is going to be good for PR.
June 1st 2010 @ 9:12am
AGO74 said | June 1st 2010 @ 9:12am | Report comment
If a large chunk of Folau’s paypacket is for promotional work then the AFL are indeed idiots. have you heard the guy talk? No disrespect to the fella but he is your quintessential cliche-boring speak player, and to be honest I think that’s being kind to him.
June 1st 2010 @ 9:17am
Redb said | June 1st 2010 @ 9:17am | Report comment
AndyRoo,
There is a risk in that happening. But it can also go the other way. The AFL is finally looking at greater development in the Pacific Isles not just within Australia.
If people think the whole team will be based around Folau they’re kidding themselves, but there is no doubt his signing will create intense interest and scrutiny.
No matter what anyone says, this whole deal can be spun either way and as it will if he succeeds or fails as an AFL player.
This is a much bigger story in Sydney than Melbourne which tells you something.
June 1st 2010 @ 9:38am
AndyRoo said | June 1st 2010 @ 9:38am | Report comment
I won’t try and convert you but I think your kidding yourselves that you can spin this positively unless these guys make the grade.
If the AFL wants Polynesian stars their going to have to do the hard work. Get themselves a genuine AFL star with that background and help promote him. Their good at sport and they would be open to the game if given the opportunity.
The world 18 or whatever = good idea
Paying overs for league players who can’t play afl = poor idea
If the FFA signed Preston Campbell and thought that would help with Aboriginal recruitment I would be calling for a leadership change. That is cheap, tacky and borderline disrespectful to think the AFL will now have cred in these communities.
We need a prediction thread, I think I was right about the feeling in regards to the Storm, they are coming undone now that their disputing the penalty, should have just copped it and kept everyone feeling sorry for them (and gotten under the cap asap). I think I will be right on this one and I am surprised the AFL have made such a gamble. Fringe leagues like the A league, NBL and Super Rugby which are all on pay TV only I could semi understand (still would be a mistake but their desperate for coverage so you can understand the motivation).
I think the AFL is well past the any publicity is good publicity stage and they had better make as much hay as they can asap from these signings because I have already seen jokes about how much K Hunt is getting paid start to surface (on Ten news of all places).
June 1st 2010 @ 9:55am
Michael C said | June 1st 2010 @ 9:55am | Report comment
The AFL is doing a fair amount of hard yards in the Pacific. A lot of work in PNG over the last 10 odd years (making up for admittedly too long a period of neglect), and supporting Samoa, Nauru and NZ better than before as well as pushing along Fiji.
re. Pac Isles ‘stars’, the Pac Isles descent guys include :
recently retired Mal Michael (still has a profile in PNG and played for PNG in recent tournament)
James Gwilt PNG – (a big improver at StKilda this year)
Nic Naitanui – Fiji – WCE, high profile young player will only get better
David Rodan – Fiji – Port, he of the miracle knee, top little player and a good example
Alipate Carlise – Fiji – Port, much improved but low profile defender
Setanta O’hAilpin – Fiji/Ireland – Carl – 6 years in and it’s clicked for him, now a key component of Fevless forward line
Aaron Edwards – Samoa – NrthMlb – struggling to consolidate his undoubted talent, capable of a big grab and I still reckon should be in our best 18.
then there’s a couple of Kiwi extract guys…….the key for the AFL on this front is the current push with the Pacific* side in this years AFL U16s national championships gives kids the first access to a real doorway of opportunity, combine with the publicity around Hunt and Folau to effectively illustrate AFL as an ‘employer of choice’ if we were in the general market place………
June 1st 2010 @ 9:57am
Redb said | June 1st 2010 @ 9:57am | Report comment
The very reason that the AFL is not a fringe league renders the comparison with union useless in Australia.
Union have no club game which generates week in week out support. The AFL does this very well and if Folau makes it as a full forward (a stay at home full forward
) he will become a star and this position in AFL has enormous pull even in Sydney – see Tony Lockett, Barry Hall.
Union has no such star equivalent position. In fact in Australia union has lacked a true superstar since the David Campese days. The other union recruits have become just another member of the team, in AFL if he is good enough he can really stand out.
This is why people like Hall, Fevola, Brown, Reiwoldt have profiles. The defenders in AFL dont have profiles.
This is unchartered territory and as I posted above it’s impossible to predict.
And you were wrong on the Storm, I knew as things died down, the no points penalty was a recipe for sporting indifference, despite the legal action which is a bad look in NRL circles, the 12,000 crowds already are not surprising. They’ll probably come back to 15K at best with Inglis and Slater in the team.
As I’ve said many times here, bandwagons are driven from success and gather considerable temporary support, but they can also quickly evaporate if your not winning, especially in non tradtional markets.
June 1st 2010 @ 10:09am
AndyRoo said | June 1st 2010 @ 10:09am | Report comment
Ok maybe your not as crazy as I thought because your answer is quite detached from what I expected with some decent logic.
We probably differ in that I just don’t see them being succesful at all on the field and I just assume they will fail.
June 1st 2010 @ 8:23am
agga78 said | June 1st 2010 @ 8:23am | Report comment
Galloping Guru I don’t see anyone going from AFL to other sports, there are other sports out there which pay a lot more money to their players, how about Chris Judd or Gary Ablett switching sports to say Association football or Basketball where you can earn 200k a week, if as you say once you have hand eye or ball skills you can play other sports, I would like both players to go have 6 months at the Melbourne Victory or Melbourne Tigers and see whether they can just make the professional level in Australia, im tipping the chances are below 5%.
But AFL is very different, it doesn’t matter whether you have played all your life, 5 minutes or never, they will teach you how to play and within 6 months you will be playing NAB cup and then onto the premiership season.
It is great for the AFL to have big money to get these athletes, but one must ask, why are junior levels in the heartland not be producing the amount of decent players to keep a decent standard of competition.
June 1st 2010 @ 8:33am
Galloping Guru said | June 1st 2010 @ 8:33am | Report comment
I am no marketing expert, but it’s not about not having enough juniors, can you see that yet !!.
Think about it, 2 very high profile RL players from RL areas have been recruited for 2 new Australian football teams in those areas.
In the same amount of time players have been listed or rookie listed or become scholarship holders on AFL clubs from PNG, South Africa and NZ, but we dont hear about them.
Purely and simply it’s marketing, although a gamble, no doubt.
June 1st 2010 @ 8:40am
Redb said | June 1st 2010 @ 8:40am | Report comment
I agree with you Galloping but arguing with them is not going to change their mind, especially the NRL types given their defensive mindset, which I dont blame them for.
June 1st 2010 @ 8:52am
oikee said | June 1st 2010 @ 8:52am | Report comment
If its all about marketing, the NRL can just use this as a marketing ploy for there own code. ? Join the NRL and you can acheive a greater pay packet than any player in the AFL, or rugby union for that matter. The point being, if the AFL keeps buying NRL players, this is going to open up the NRL salary cap even further to entice young players into the game, with gifts of becoming paid even more by recruiting scouts from afl and union.
I would use this marketing for rugby league.
This is all going to backfire on the AFL eventually, rugby league has a production line of players, so every year there will be players to replace players, and earning twice as much. Its a free leg-up for rugby league, there to be taken if they want this.
What you fail to relise is that rugby league has been done this path before, we are best practice in this feild. We lost around 5 of our best players, SBW, Gasnier, Sailor, Tiquiri, Gower, and never missed a beat, as a matter of fact, the sport has grown since then.
June 1st 2010 @ 9:00am
Galloping Guru said | June 1st 2010 @ 9:00am | Report comment
If you are an indication or barometer of league backlash Oikee, no disrespect but it will be fantastic success.
But once again i dont think it’s about the majority of the fans who post on here, it’s about getting more kids in GWS interested in Australian football.
June 1st 2010 @ 9:01am
Brett McKay said | June 1st 2010 @ 9:01am | Report comment
Oikee, why would the NRL – even in their silliest moments – ever want to market their game as a stepping point to a bigger payday in another game?!?!
That’s like Pepsi telling their bottlers that if they do a good job now, they could get picked up by Coke….
June 1st 2010 @ 9:05am
AndyRoo said | June 1st 2010 @ 9:05am | Report comment
Brett
But you would also get paid a bucket load more than the guys who have been working at Coke for 10 years
June 1st 2010 @ 9:09am
Brett McKay said | June 1st 2010 @ 9:09am | Report comment
and Andy, you wouldn’t even have to be the best bottler at Coke…..
Great moments in marketing
June 1st 2010 @ 9:09am
Galloping Guru said | June 1st 2010 @ 9:09am | Report comment
To much coke is bad for you.
June 1st 2010 @ 10:06am
Richard said | June 1st 2010 @ 10:06am | Report comment
You are right. It is marketing, and it is exactly what is needed to establish a foundation in an indifferent environment. This is all about establishing that foundation, upon which the reputation and success of GWS will be built, and what a brilliantly well executed strategy it is. These boys in the AFL really do know what they’re doing.
June 1st 2010 @ 8:27am
David said | June 1st 2010 @ 8:27am | Report comment
All great empires fall. Full of self importance and becoming bloated by our own egos. I fear for the AFL long term. There is no reason for this. I am an AFL man but follow all codes and we are just doing exactly what the Australian Rugby Union have tried to do over the last 10 years. Buy names, athletes and pulicity via rugby league players. The players went to union, took a lot of money out of the game and then went straight back to league. It will happen again. Our own arrogance and ignorance is going to hurt us on this one.
June 1st 2010 @ 8:43am
ac said | June 1st 2010 @ 8:43am | Report comment
If i was a AFL Junior i would say WHY BOTHER. Go to League cause thats the code that seems to supply the talent. Do well and then someone else like Union or AFL will pick you well before your a player that has come up from the ranks of AFL. I cant blame him for crossing codes. But the AFL is shameful in its stunts to gain publicity. This is very shameful indeed. A lot of Victorian players must be thinking what are we doing wrong.
June 1st 2010 @ 2:03pm
Michael C said | June 1st 2010 @ 2:03pm | Report comment
ah, but, the by-product of all this is two brand new clubs with about 80 odd new positions opened up, that 2 of them are taken by such means is less important than that they help provide publicity and interest in the clubs starting out that provide those other 80 positions.
So, a lot of Victorian players will probably be quite grateful that the AFL does what it takes – if that’s what it’s going to take!!!
June 1st 2010 @ 8:48am
Crayfish said | June 1st 2010 @ 8:48am | Report comment
The ARU were doing the same thing at the beginning of the 2000s, and all of those players are now back in League and rugby union has slipped well behind in the popularity stakes. I think the signings of Folou and Hunt are nothing more than PR – unfortunately for them, their performances will be poor and only embarass the sport. Cheap (or expensive) publicity stunts will not attract long term fans to either new club, and in three years from now both players will be back in the NRL.
June 1st 2010 @ 8:52am
Paul J said | June 1st 2010 @ 8:52am | Report comment
League fans are happy to hear the NRL salary cap is being raised from $4.1 to $4.5 million next year but league is still vulnerable to losing players to rugby until 2013.
Izzy will be the last league player to go to the AFL, probably ever, as why would the AFL spend $1 million a year on a league player now? The obvious point to me, as many have already said, is why get a Maroon player who has helped add to the Blues origin misery play for Western Sydney? Surely they could have found a NSW player. 99% of NRL players will go to AFL (or Union) for $1 million a year.
While it will help add publicity for GWS, (i thought GWS had already had plenty), i don’t see it having much impact on rusted on RL fans or kids in the region. Of course if i was an AFL fan i might think it a brilliant idea.
Just imagine if the NRL does go to Perth in 5 years as they are tipped to do, if they pay a stupid amount of money to get some beefy West Coast player to play for the Western Reds, how much impact is that really going to have on the immediate or long term development of RL in Perth?
Expansion takes a lot of time, just ask the Swans.
June 1st 2010 @ 9:12am
Michael C said | June 1st 2010 @ 9:12am | Report comment
I tend to agree –
the circumstances of K.Hunt were fairly unique. Folau approached the AFL (and I must admit up to yesterday I thought he was just using the AFL and RU to bump up his NRL pay offer).
The AFL need is now removed…….so, if a 3rd player wanted to try it out……the ‘value proposition’ is far, far less.
The AFL has no more need and any future $1million dollars will be on helping retain talent in junior pathways one would imagine.
WIth young kids – - these days, their ability to jump on the internet and google for themselves is amazing …….. the kids of today are no longer beholden to their parents whims and this means that for this new generation, Hunt and Folau are perfect timing. In RL territory, this is opening impressionable minds.
However, that’s today……….3 years hence, who knows how it’s all played out and what the 2nd contract will be if there is one.
ANd that’s why for sports fans……..it’s an interesting story to follow. Let’s hope it can play out ‘naturally’ rather than become too much of a circus.
June 1st 2010 @ 12:07pm
The Link said | June 1st 2010 @ 12:07pm | Report comment
try 1.4 large ones a year.
there’s a stack of things i’d do for that coin, can’t blame Issy.
shame he’s going to a team that has buckley’s of making the 8.
June 1st 2010 @ 12:48pm
Michael B said | June 1st 2010 @ 12:48pm | Report comment
Previously all the talk was that GWS was offering Falou a $1mil per year contract and now im hearing $1.4Mil per year. Maybe the AFL topped up the offer and that’s why he’s signing. Sounds like the AFL were very desperate to get their man!
June 1st 2010 @ 2:08pm
Michael C said | June 1st 2010 @ 2:08pm | Report comment
Looks that way -
some of the reporting about a ‘big win over the competition’ is a bit dodgey———really, it looks like Izzy’s manager has done his man a fine service.
If Izzy had opted at say $1mill pa, then perhaps a ‘win’. I guess though – the far less straight forward code swap than a RL to RU – means the far greater risk on the part of a state and national rep player – - so, his manager has done the job that he had to. The AFL perhaps fell in love with the idea and perhaps hadn’t any other similar nibbles (or as attractive nibbles).