Folau signing about winning Islander support
Roar Guru
By rugbyfuture, 2 Jun 2010 rugbyfuture is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- AFL, Greater Western Sydney, GSW, israel falou, NRL, Rugby League
As a rugby supporter, I am (somewhat) impartial to the decision of the GWS side to sign the league star, Israel Folau (though it is funny for leaguies to be talking about not being mercenaries).
However, if I was in the AFL or GWS team, I would be wary, again, from a rugby point of view, as it is incredibly dangerous to sign unproven talent. More to the point, there has been an awful lot of jeering in the comments section of certain News Ltd backed publications about how it won’t convert any Sydneysiders.
However, I think the point has been missed: the idea behind signing him lies in the wider Islander populations.
It seems, by Sheedy’s latest comments on the matter, that it is aiming not to be a western Sydney team, but a leader in converting the Islander population to play out of Western Sydney (or if latest rumours are true, middle Sydney).
This may be a smart move on behalf of AFL, who seem to be bent, however unlikely it is, on world spread.
It may attract some Islanders into a code, which until now has not been particularly inspirational for a culture who have a pride in sport, and in particular, football codes.
There is still a risk involved, though, and only time will tell who’s making the right moves.
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akazie said | June 2nd 2010 @ 2:26am | Report comment
Rugby Union feel like it’s being left out of the news hey RF
rugbyfuture said | June 2nd 2010 @ 3:18am | Report comment
not particularly, my codes not getting destroyed. and my first article was about he it can’t.
akazie said | June 2nd 2010 @ 3:20am | Report comment
No, your codes already done and dusted aye
rugbyfuture said | June 2nd 2010 @ 3:23am | Report comment
with rubbish buying it seems, yes (if you have a look at the previous comment it disuades you from asking that question.
Dan said | June 2nd 2010 @ 10:07am | Report comment
I think the point is that the ARU attempted to do what the AFL is doing now 9 years ago and the strategy largely failed… buying high profile League players who never justified their pay packages (with the exception of Tuqiri, who was considered more or less the best winger in the world from about 03-06) just ended up pissing off existing fans and up and coming players.
rugbyfuture said | June 2nd 2010 @ 3:23am | Report comment
and the SMH has come up witha similar conclusion it seems this morning too
allblackfan said | June 2nd 2010 @ 5:48am | Report comment
I’m an Islander. I’ll be dammned if I’m going to follow AFL/Team GWS just because they signed Folau/Hunt/the Easter Bunny!:->
oikee said | June 2nd 2010 @ 7:08am | Report comment
It is exactly what you have said rugby future. They are going to convert as many islanders as they can. It wont effect rugby union, they have looked after the island nations, but it will hurt rugby league because they have neglected and used the islanders for there own gain.
The ARL has alot to answer too, they have used the islanders for there own gain to keep the Kangaroos strong. If they had made the effort to help the island nations grow, this now, what is happening would not be such a body blow for rugby league.
Beleive me, its going to hurt, maybe not now, but like the AFL does so well, 20 years down the track.
rugbyfuture said | June 2nd 2010 @ 12:20pm | Report comment
i don’t agree with your point about rugby union taking care of the islands, i think both codes neglect such strong rugby areas. More needs to be done by both codes to reinforce them.
Redb said | June 2nd 2010 @ 8:48am | Report comment
Form an AFL fans perspective I’m surprised it has taken the AFL so long to wake up to the talent on offer both here and in the Pacific Isles,.
For those who follow the nascent international development of the code from a recruitment perspective and have noted recent AFL programs in Oceania this is totally in line with a new found direction to expand the recruitment footprint.
David Rodan who plays for Port Adelaide (Fijian background but grew up in OZ), has really shown the value of clean hands, and a low centre of gravity making it harder for Poly players to be tackled to the ground (very strong in the legs). Many AFL players are now learning to ‘take’ a tackle and still be able to handpass off, exponents like Rodan do this very well.
Nic Natinui – West Coast Eagles (also Fijian heritage), has a great vertical leap, and is developing some unique ruck skills. He will probably take mark of the year one day, if not the decade.
Also due to flooding and zoning, the ability to ‘break a line’ so common in both rugby codes is more in demand than ever before in AFL.
GM said | June 2nd 2010 @ 8:51am | Report comment
There maybe a few islanders who do take up the sport, but the islanders I know enjoy the physical aspects of Rugby and league rather than the open running nature of AFL. AFL is also a very elite sport like basketball where you practically need to be able to run a marathon to play it. this will not suit any player from 1-8 in rugby.
The Phantom said | June 2nd 2010 @ 8:57am | Report comment
I reckon Pierre Spies could manage easily
Michael C said | June 2nd 2010 @ 12:57pm | Report comment
for inside players – - there’s plenty ’nuff physicality in Australian Football. It’s not all open runners. We still have a lot of stoppages and a lot of contested ball almost rolling mauls with no offside concerns or knock on concerns so the Islander kids just need to learn to have a crack and be more instinctive rather than regulated by in Unions case a fairly technical rule book (granted – there’s been several efforts and loosening the technical ‘chain’s in recent years).
Big thing is – - AFL doesn’t need to appeal to the full x-section of that demographic,……however, if it can be viewed as a valid option and a valid first choice option should that be the case for an individual ……….this isnt’ a ‘world domination’ move. Breaking into a market is about establishing a presence, and developing a niche.
SamSport said | June 2nd 2010 @ 10:25am | Report comment
I can’t really see this converting many Islanders. How is watching Folau play in the AFL going to compare to watching Fiji play the Wallabies this weekend, or the All Blacks playing Tonga in the first game of the Rugby World Cup next year? Of the Kiwis playing their first ever rugby league test against Samoa later this season?
simon said | June 2nd 2010 @ 11:23am | Report comment
Everybody knows you can’t win a code war with a knockout punch. It might be a good punch, but I’m sure the AFL isn’t thinking it will be a knockout blow. The strategy for the AFL is to simply keep laying one brick after another. Down the track when other codes might say ‘why didn’t we start building the foundation in such and such a way 10 years ago?’, the AFL can say, ‘we did!’
Of course, the AFL has the money to lay some good bricks, but the best way to defend against this tactic is not to waste too much energy on trying to defend your own castle. There isn’t much the NRL could have done anyway. There is no easy solution to the salary cap issue.
The best defence is a good offense – to play to your own strengths and to simply keep laying your own bricks one after the other. And the NRL shouldn’t panic. The NRL and ARU will surely know that both having a team in Melbourne will actually have an effect of strengthening both their causes. That said, I don’t think the AFL should go into panic mode about that either.
Paul J said | June 2nd 2010 @ 12:14pm | Report comment
Islanders body type is much better suited to the rugby codes than AFL. Islanders are very good at both rugby and rugby leauge.
How many Islanders make great middle distance runners?
rugbyfuture said | June 2nd 2010 @ 12:23pm | Report comment
the point isn’t that it IS going to convert islanders, the point is that they are targeting islanders, and it really isnt a promotional tool for western sydney as much as that targeting.
Paul J said | June 2nd 2010 @ 1:02pm | Report comment
IMHO…the point isn’t that it ISN’T going to convert islanders.
Islanders make great prop forwards or back rowers or huge centres/wingers. They excel at the rugby codes.
You need endurance more than brute strength to play AFL.
Michael C said | June 2nd 2010 @ 1:37pm | Report comment
Paul J -
as body types evolve in different environments …..via mixed marriages and nutritional variation etc……….not everyone will be a typical polynesian Rugby body!!!
btw – - Demetriou mentioned the role in helping provide recogniseable role models for the Islander kids coming through the brand spanking new Pacific Islands junior development squads (that will debut in the AFL national U16s championships next month). For the AFL in places like Fiji, it’s one thing to get a few kids to try out and have a go, but, often it’ll be in the off season and they regard themselves primarily as Rugby players……….however, gradually over the next 5 years more and more might have a go, find they enjoy it and be more willing to regard themselves footy players if it suits them more and they can see the career potential.
Paul J said | June 2nd 2010 @ 2:43pm | Report comment
Michael C
“mixed marriages and nutritional variation..”
With all due respect Michael i think sometimes you are full of the proverbial.
While there are exception to the rule – Tim Cahil has islander background and has fantastic endurance as a midfielder in soccer – i think it’s fair to say we won’t see many islanders in the AFL, except for one big bloke at full forward in a couple of years time.