Is league not stimulating enough to keep stars?
Roar Rookie By manley, 4 Jun 2010 manley is a Roar Rookie
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- AFL, israel falou, NRL, Rugby League, Rugby Union
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Adapting to a new sport is difficult even for the best of athletes. Just ask Michael Jordan about his time in baseball. So what of Israel Falou’s move to the AFL?
It’s a scary proposition as yet another NRL superstar takes the plunge into an unknown code for the money.
The issue here seems to be player development and athletic ability.
Australian rugby league is producing some of the finest football talent in the world. When rugby went professional, they certainly took note of this and began to poach talent.
Now, AFL are utilizing another code’s player development.
Obviously, league is doing something right to get these young men up to a very high standard very quickly. What is the secret?
I feel the game of league itself is an excellent tool for developing football skills. It is simple to learn and a very effective fitness tool. As an athlete though, I wonder if the game lacks something that keeps the minds of these young men occupied?
I enjoy State of Origin and try to catch Tests matches when I can, but league can get boring with the patterns of play: four hits and kick; four hits and kick; or the big shake up, three hits and kick.
Don’t get me wrong, league is a great game. But at some point, you have to wonder if it is really all about the money for these players?
Aussie Rules has an element of basketball to it, so I can see the appeal for a player wanting try something completely new. Karmichael Hunt and Folau are both pure athletes, which is why they probably fancy their chances in a drastically different code.
Rugby has an air of the unexpected to it.
Players are allowed to be a little more creative with the ball because possession is not guaranteed. Even on the defensive side of the ball, rugby allows for a player to show his individual skill.
The skill set is very similar, thus a player might see rugby as a safer way to experience a new sport.
Noticeably, league is constantly trying to figure out new ways to make the game more of a spectacle – both for the fans and players alike. The double try rule comes to mind.
However, I have to wonder if the game is too boxed in because of the lack of contest for the ball. It seems that more could happen if. say, players were allowed to strip in the tackle with more than one defender.
Anyway you slice it, league needs to do something to protect its only asset – their players.
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- AFL, israel falou, NRL, Rugby League, Rugby Union
June 4th 2010 @ 2:58am
Steve said | June 4th 2010 @ 2:58am | Report comment
And so the code war begins
June 4th 2010 @ 3:48am
JVGO said | June 4th 2010 @ 3:48am | Report comment
Are you serious? It is only about the money. The problem with you AFL supporters is that there is no level above club football so instead of SOO or Test football your great rivalry is now with other codes. If your club has no chance at a premiership you really have nothing to cheer for except Demetriou’s business acumen.
June 4th 2010 @ 4:58am
manley said | June 4th 2010 @ 4:58am | Report comment
I am a rugby guy from the USA, so I don’t have a horse in this race.
My whole point is this: it can’t only the money. If these guys were really just about the cash, they should move the States and take up American football or basketball.
An element has to involve a lack of interest in the sport itself or they would be pushing with the players union to remove the salary cap. In other words, fighting to improve conditions within the sport they love.
June 4th 2010 @ 7:31am
Paul J said | June 4th 2010 @ 7:31am | Report comment
manley
As a rugby boy you are entitled to take the usual pot shots at rugby league, after all this is ‘The Roar’, and you can state that “my code is better than yours”.
The fact is that every player who has ever left the NRL to go to either English Super League, rugby in Australia, Europe or Japan, and the latest 2 publicity boys for the AFL, have all left for MORE money.
To date, no NRL player has left rugby league for the same or less money.
Until the NRL can afford to increase its salary cap, probably not until 2013, then some more players will continue to leave for more cash.
June 4th 2010 @ 9:27am
oikee said | June 4th 2010 @ 9:27am | Report comment
Just to give you a understanding of what you are dealing with, “greatest quote to date from a ex rugby league player, “Greed is Good”,
Made possible by frontman Weirdler Inc, reporter and henchman of Inc incorparated.
Written and orthorised by Anthony the Man Mundine Inc.
Seconded by future SBW Inc.
June 4th 2010 @ 9:30am
JK said | June 4th 2010 @ 9:30am | Report comment
Didn’t really work out for Gekko though!
June 4th 2010 @ 2:42pm
ItsCalledFootball said | June 4th 2010 @ 2:42pm | Report comment
There’s a big difference here manley between wanting to play a sport and being approached with money to play a sport.
The AFL would never have approached Filau to play AFL if Jarryd Hayne had accepted their offer.
Thats right, the AFL and Sheedie targeted Hayne first with the same sort of deal but Jarryd said no because he was happy to stay with league.
Then Filau’s contract comes up for renewal and he was hunted by the rugby, rugby league and Aussie rules people to play for them.
He chose Aussie rules purely for the money, he stated in an interview that he was never interested in a career in AFL till he was approached by them, not the other way around.
If you can get $1.5 million a year to play Aussie Rules with no experience whatsoever then there are a few more league players interested – of course.
June 4th 2010 @ 5:02pm
bazza said | June 4th 2010 @ 5:02pm | Report comment
I am sure that if NFL teams offered NRL players $1 million dollar contracts you would see plenty leave.
Unfortunately, I think NFL teams would see this as a big risk and so don’t bother.
They also don’t get the marketing benefits that RU and AFL believe they are getting
June 4th 2010 @ 5:48am
TheWish said | June 4th 2010 @ 5:48am | Report comment
manley………, money talks, people walk. Sure they players converting will say they are after a new challenge. You won’t hear them say they are getting four times the money for switching codes. As an avid NRL follower we are used to seeing the players being poached by mainly Super League and more recently Rugby Union, and we are also accustomed to seeing players depart from our clubs after only 3-4yr stints.
Loyalty is an endangered species.
Crossing codes also happens more than you think. Lower grade cricket players often try their luck in baseball, AFL players switching to NFL mainly for their kicking ability numbers up around 10x the NRL-AFL switch, Gaelic footballers switching to AFL include some of the best such as Jim Stynes winning the prestigeous Brownlow Medal. Even basketball players have been targeted by AFL with Dean Brogan playing for Port Adelaide and the Adelaide 36ers, and winning premierships.This year there were two AMerican born players in the AFL showing that they certainly dip their wicks in a lot of other codes wax and it won’t be long before they hit the lower grades of union, if they havent already done so.
June 4th 2010 @ 8:49am
Baz35 said | June 4th 2010 @ 8:49am | Report comment
Only one AFL player has left for gridiron before the end of his AFL career – Ben Graham – and he was 30 so may have had another year or two left.
The amazing thing is, despite it being 20 odd years since Darren Bennett went over, no AFL player (even a b-grade one) with a booming kick has gone over while still getting a regular senior game in the AFL
June 4th 2010 @ 12:36pm
Ken said | June 4th 2010 @ 12:36pm | Report comment
Is that a choice thing or because they wouldn’t have made it? I’m not winding you up I really don’t know the answer?
Is it that easy for a not quite so successful AFL player to just get his manager to put in a call to the US and bang! he’s on $20 mill?
Or is it like Ambrose in Nascar? He obviously had the skill but he had to move over and start from scratch – i.e. plenty of chances to fail regardless of ability
June 5th 2010 @ 7:27am
Corey said | June 5th 2010 @ 7:27am | Report comment
There is a guy I think he plays for the Colts? He is an Aussie kid who was an AFL up and comer (was going to be put in the draft system) and he chose to go to Hawaii and try and get into the NFL in through the college arena, and did (he worked on it a lot though, his speed of catching the ball and kicking it wasn’t up to scratch, but now he is good) and he is now the most expensive punter in the history of the NFL, I think his sign-on fee was like 5-10 mill or something ridiculous.
June 4th 2010 @ 6:29am
James D said | June 4th 2010 @ 6:29am | Report comment
The game is easy to learn and sills wise easy to master but ultimately boring. Hence why it has not grown in 100 years.
June 4th 2010 @ 6:55am
JVGO said | June 4th 2010 @ 6:55am | Report comment
Which game are we talking about here? I’m confused. This must be the one who is hiring unskilled novices from other codes right?
June 4th 2010 @ 12:32pm
captain nemo said | June 4th 2010 @ 12:32pm | Report comment
JamesD, Canadian rugby player by the name of Pyke would not of been good enough to make the grade in Super 14 or NRL but got a first grade start with the swans. enough said!!!
June 4th 2010 @ 6:37am
oikee said | June 4th 2010 @ 6:37am | Report comment
I think rugby league is doing a great job.
They should advertise our game as the million dollar production line.
June 4th 2010 @ 6:47am
Shaun said | June 4th 2010 @ 6:47am | Report comment
Bizarre comments. Especially from a supporter of a code that is glorified kick chasey or force em backs. Fair dinkum do you southerners have a clue between you at all????
June 4th 2010 @ 9:34am
oikee said | June 4th 2010 @ 9:34am | Report comment
Mate, lets not turn this into a code war. Look, it takes great skill in AFL because you need 360 degree vision, 3 players running at you all at once. It will take 1 rugby league convert to teach them to duck. Owwww, thats got to hurt.
June 4th 2010 @ 7:07am
Ian said | June 4th 2010 @ 7:07am | Report comment
Its about the money and has nothing to do with “Stimulation”
Falou was dumbfounded when asked what position he wanted to play in the AFL at his big press conference. The AFL’s marketing machine must have choked when after committing to spend Six Million dollars, its obvious that he ain’t that passionate about his new code.
Mind you for six million dollars, I’d probably sell my soul and support a game that resembles grown men chasing chickens.
June 4th 2010 @ 9:35am
oikee said | June 4th 2010 @ 9:35am | Report comment
He should have said Hooker. Well he prostituted himself.
June 4th 2010 @ 7:38am
JK said | June 4th 2010 @ 7:38am | Report comment
Hang on, Izzy offered 3.5 x current league salary to cross, but you think he’s actually looking for stimulation. If that’s the case why did it cost the AFL so much? I’m neither way on this issue, but your suggestion is close to denial.
June 4th 2010 @ 7:47am
Chris said | June 4th 2010 @ 7:47am | Report comment
I’ll give you three hints:
a) Money,
b) Money and
c) Money
If it was because the NRL was a crap sport Tiquri, Tahu, Rogers, Blacklock, Sailor, Walker and Thorn must have been wrong when they came back, given they could have all earned quite a bit more going the the Top 14. I can guarantee you that within 5 years Gasnier, Hunt and Folau will be back as well.
As for Folau – he can’t run more than a short distance at once or kick – congratulations on your $5 million lemon. Not exactly the first time the boy from Minto playing for… Queensland has exhibited no loyalty. Don’t be surprised when it happens again.
June 4th 2010 @ 2:50pm
titus said | June 4th 2010 @ 2:50pm | Report comment
No, those guys went back to league because it’s their game, the game they grew up with and can identify with the most. It’s the same with those union boys who crossed to league in the 80s – Kirwan, Shuster, Botica, Tuigamala, Davies, Moriarty, Ellis etc. They all returned to their game which in their case is union.
June 4th 2010 @ 3:27pm
Chris said | June 4th 2010 @ 3:27pm | Report comment
Don’t know what you are saying no to… because we are in total agreement.
June 4th 2010 @ 7:02pm
Ryan said | June 4th 2010 @ 7:02pm | Report comment
Sailor and Lote were sacked, Rogers, Blacklock and Tahu couldn’t hack it. Walker had demons that restricted him in both codes. Thorn is the only one to be a complete success in both codes through genuine hard work.
June 4th 2010 @ 7:27pm
Dan said | June 4th 2010 @ 7:27pm | Report comment
Tuqiri was a genuine success in Union. He was considered one of the top 3 wingers in the world from around 03 to 06. He just couldn’t maintain it. Sailor was overpriced, but toward the end of his career he was proving much more valuable than all the negative press suggested. He was brilliant for the Tahs in the ’05 season, but then f@#$ed it all up with the drug incident.
June 4th 2010 @ 9:10pm
Ryan said | June 4th 2010 @ 9:10pm | Report comment
Dan,
I was happy with Lote and Dell, it’s such a shame they both stuffed it up. Rogers was solid but his heart wasn’t in it at the end.