Hunt and Folau won’t make it as AFL stars
Columnist
By Spiro Zavos, 8 Jun 2010 Spiro Zavos is a Roar Expert
- Tagged:
- AFL, israel falou, Karmichael Hunt, NRL, Rugby League
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Brisbane Broncos rugby league player Karmichael Hunt kicks an AFL football. AAP Image/Patrick Hamilton
If the millions of dollars the AFL codes are paying Karmichael Hunt and Israel Falou are for more than for PR work, then these two players should be expected to be frontline five-year players in their new code. A fearless prediction: this is not going to happen.
On Saturday, the Sydney Morning Herald ran three documents that make the convincing case that neither Hunt (a tough, stocky and not so fast athlete), nor Folau (a tall, fast, super-athlete), have the practice history or the right aerobic levels to become outstanding AFL players.
Bruce Teague of Gosford, in an informed letter to the SMH, made the point that it will take an enormous amount of time to teach a union or league player, even if they have the right body-type, how to play in the AFL.
Then there is the problem of the 360-degree vision which is absolutely vital for an AFL player, compared with the 180-degree vision required for league or union. “Izzy will have good moments,” he predicts. “But Karmichael will be consistently average.”
Then Michael Cowley had a piece on how Swan Dan Hannebery was made a star by his dad.
Most nights, Dan and his dad would go off to a pedestrian tunnel under the Kew Eastern subway and spend countless hours kicking footballs. According to Cowley, this practice is “the secret behind Hannebery’s sweet, accurate kicking.”
In another part of the SMH’s sport section there was a fascinating article by Daniel Lewis titled Talent Not Enough For Code Swap.
Lewis interviewed sports scientists about Hunt and Folau’s switch to the AFL. They told him athletes need “10 years of passionate engagement,” or 10,000 hours of ‘deliberate practice’ to reach the elite level of their sport.
To reach this level, Hunt and Folau would have to engage in 417 days of deliberate practice at 24 hours a day, Lewis reported.
The experts also pointed out that when an athlete transfers to another sport, he is exposed to patterns he won’t be able to read. This will make him a liability on attack and defence.
Former Collingwood player Ricky Barham is quoted as saying that coaches “will put somebody on Folau who can run all day and he’ll be rooted.”
This raises the question of whether the AFL has considered the impact it will have on its credibility if its two highly-paid, make that excessively over-paid, converts do not make it.
My guess is that AFL tragics will be furious that their money has been thrown away. The AFL players, as we have seen already from posts on The Roar, will be as mad as hell and will push for a bigger cut of the AFL riches.
And rugby league fans, especially among the reptiles of the media, will become consumed with a visceral hatred of AFL for its perceived arrogance in trying to bring down their game.
This has already started with an item in the sports gossip section of The Sunday Telegraph which suggests that Folau, a Mormon, was forced to accept the AFL offer to play in the western suburbs of Sydney so that his family and his church can keep a close watch on his behaviour.
None of this makes for good PR for the AFL, despite the fact that good PR is what the Hunt/Folau exercise seems to be all about.
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Akazie said | June 8th 2010 @ 3:59am | Report comment
Then we’ll have the Rugby Union writers out attacking Rugby League because the players are garbage aye.
They won’t miss a beat.
Michael Dillon said | November 19th 2010 @ 2:01am | Report comment
Spot on Spiros. Rest assured they will both be playing for Toulon Rugby club in 2012 with a possible return to Australia to play Union in Melbourne for the Rebels in 2013. They will both be comfortable with Melbourne by then if a tad exhausted by its sporting and cultural myopia.
Both will vigorously articulate to all who are prepared to listen that they found the challenge `rewarding` as athletes and will be glowing in their praise of their experience in Australian Rules.
Following, a brief hiatus in the regional sporting spotlight Australian Rules will return to its provincial irrelevance (this applies to League) as both players seek international recognition and greater financial rewards establishing themselves on the International Rugby Union stage while enjoying French provincial cuisine.
Michael C said | June 8th 2010 @ 6:07am | Report comment
elements of this are a bit rich coming from a Rugby Union perspective,
wait and see.
Both players are being paid only around $250,000 for playing which is around average wage or a tad over. The big monies are for the extra work – - and probably around about the going rate for the amount they’ll be doing.
Wait and see, sit back and enjoy the sporting experiment unfold before your eyes,
the 10,000 hours is interesting, it probably depends on a couple of things – - such as transferability and coaching capacity plus the old x factor of someone for whom they might just be a natural for a given game (still, though, never NOT requiring heaps of hard work). The reason I say this is we saw Marty Clarke coming from Gaelic and making an impact with Collingwood in his first year,…..fair enough, the exception more than the rule but he’s come from an amateur background in Ireland as compared to fellows who are already full time professional athletes and don’t have to relocate to the other side of the world.
At the end of the day, they might both just be absolute failures…….what’ll that tell us about AFL and NRL?
The Link said | June 8th 2010 @ 8:58am | Report comment
Let us please stop this madness of only referring to 1/4 of the money they are receiving every year.
This is not why they made the jump or why AFL players are legitimatley questionning the amount of cash on offer.
Joel said | June 8th 2010 @ 9:35am | Report comment
Please stop this madness of conflating two jobs into one. They have two jobs. One is to play football, the other is to undertake promotion and marketing activities. If the AFL signed a celebrity on a $500k contract to promote the AFL would players be whining then? It just happens to be that the person they’ve signed to do the promotion can also play. There are no valid grounds for any player to whinge about Folau’s salary.
Michael C said | June 8th 2010 @ 12:07pm | Report comment
Once upon a time the AFL paid George Burns, Heather Locklear and Ray Charles amongst others to ‘promote’ footy,
now it’s Israel Folau and Karmichael Hunt……who,….in backing up their ‘public promotional comments’ are putting their ‘mouths’ where the money is and having a real fair dinkum crack at playing the game,….
…….I’m not sure Burns or Charles were ever going to set the field alight, although Jeff Kennett might tell you that Locklear could’ve slipped into a back pocket neatly………
JVGO said | June 8th 2010 @ 1:35pm | Report comment
Spin, spin and more spin. you treat everyone as if they are fools.
Michael C said | June 8th 2010 @ 2:44pm | Report comment
JVGO -
really?? How so??
JVGO said | June 8th 2010 @ 4:03pm | Report comment
You couch your post in ‘Once upon a time..’ fairy tale language as if its kiddies story time trying to convince us that a bunch of American hacks are the equivalent to two RL converts. Sorry but you’e the one telling the fairy story MC.
Norm said | June 8th 2010 @ 5:52pm | Report comment
JVGO he treats himself as if he is a fool.
Michael C said | June 8th 2010 @ 8:43pm | Report comment
JVGO -
point is – - a promotional budget get’s spent just how??
personally I was annoyed that we felt we needed to perpetuate the cringe worthy Australian ‘look at me’ trait back in the mid 90s to pay for US celebrities and the like to ‘promote’ our own game……to us.
I have no issue with Israel Folau liking the game so much he want’s to have a serious crack at it and accept the role of promoter into a new market.
btw – do you even know who George Burns was?? Ray Charles??
what did you mean by ‘hacks’…….they certainly weren’t ‘hacks’ as you put it.
JVGO said | June 9th 2010 @ 12:13am | Report comment
true GB and Ray are not hacks, but Heather Locklear, sorry i was blinded by the light. Ray however was blind so I don’t know how he watched the game.
mcxd said | June 8th 2010 @ 9:46pm | Report comment
umm.. wasn’t Ray Charles blind ? not that i have anything against blind people but surely someone else would have been better to promote it ? nice work AFL.
CraigB said | June 8th 2010 @ 12:10pm | Report comment
“They have two jobs. One is to play football, the other is to undertake promotion and marketing activities” – so are you suggesting that if any other team split it in this way and only reported to the AFL the ‘football’ bit they would not be in breach of the salary cap?? please….
Joel said | June 8th 2010 @ 2:22pm | Report comment
If the the CLUB paid the salary they would be in breach of the cap. If it’s a third party like the LEAGUE or a sponsor it’s perfectly legitimate. Third party deals do not come under the salary cap in either the AFL or the NRL.
Michael C said | June 8th 2010 @ 8:47pm | Report comment
Joel -
each club has over half a million of ‘marketing’ allowance to use up. Ask how much of Carltons that Chris Judd gets above and beyond his playing salary, or Gary Ablett at Geelong.
GWS for season 2011 (as a VFL team)…….don’t have any one else really to spend it on!!!! FIrst year in though,…..if they secured a player like Lance Franklin – - might contemplate diverting a bit his way??
oikee said | June 8th 2010 @ 9:36am | Report comment
Link, Izzy was being paid 400 thousand plus 3rd party at the broncos, his overall wage was 600 thousand a year.
So he took a pay cut moving to AFL “according to hoyle.”
The Link said | June 8th 2010 @ 12:14pm | Report comment
oikee, exactly, but we don’t exclude the 3rd party deal when talking what coin he’s on.
fair dunkum the AFL types are quick to swallow the party line on some stuff. some of them read like an AFL press release.
Redb said | June 8th 2010 @ 12:31pm | Report comment
That is BS.
maybe the anti AFL types are quick to stick the boot in.
Glass half full v glass half empty.
I dont recall any of the glass half empty types saying anything remotely positive about AFL.
The Link said | June 8th 2010 @ 12:36pm | Report comment
i’ve seen the line that he’s only on X playing salary about 10 times already. that’s what’s BS.
of course people will jump to defend their code, but this stuff is splitting hairs to make a point. no coincidence it appears on the AFL press releases.
JVGO said | June 8th 2010 @ 1:18pm | Report comment
Redb is an AFL press release. That’s all he is. He works out of AFL HQ it appears.
dingo said | June 8th 2010 @ 10:15pm | Report comment
Because there isnt anything positive – oh only a couple of drug tests but we’ll sweep them under the carpet shall we?
Corey said | June 8th 2010 @ 9:28pm | Report comment
The 10 000 hrs I think is a load, look at Darius Boyd for the Saints and QLD (and he has been playing in QLD for at least the 3 years), but he converted from soccer (360 degrees, kicking, passing around players, etc.) to Rugby League (180 degrees, tackling, one way traffic, defensive wall in front to run around, etc.) and was picked in the Broncos after 1 year of conversion, along Denan Kemp (and the Broncos had another 2 on the books a while ago).
I believe you need to learn the basic skills, and freakish talent never goes astray. But basic is the key word here, most of the time a sports person stuffs up it is because of the basic skills. If they learn them, and don’t try and advance too quickly they will be going in the right direction.
chris said | June 8th 2010 @ 6:33am | Report comment
Hunt should of stayed in Rugby Union as he had promise.
Jay said | June 8th 2010 @ 3:24pm | Report comment
Give it a year or two. No doubt the kid would love to be playing rah rah in the south of france than a game hes going to stuggle in.
He even said he’d love to be playing for Biarritz if it was not for this deal being done.
kingplaymaker said | June 8th 2010 @ 6:35am | Report comment
It could well be true that these players don’t make it at AFL level, maybe the AFL are aware of this. What are their motives for bringing them over?
1) To attract publicity.
2) To show they’re the most powerful, growing code.
3) So the players can succeed and maybe show the way for new a mine of talent to move to the AFL.
4) To DESTROY THEIR RIVAL.
Naturally number 4 will take some time, but as it’s an obvious motive the question is: is it essential that players like Folau and Hunt succeed? That might be good, but what’s even more important is that the NRL is damaged. If Inglis and Slater were lured over too this year, even Hayne, the damage would be vast as would the consequences. The NRL, shorn of its major stars, would not be able to negotiate a good enough TV deal to have the money to pay new stars. Other players would leave. If the AFL can launch a crippling attack now, buying all the NRL stars, it might not matter if they succeed at actually playing the game.
What affect will this have on rugby? Entirely positive until the AFL fancies that it has finished off the NRL and trains its guns on it’s brother code. One defence it does have oddly, is that it has few real superstars who would damage its profile and few players who would really weaken the team if they were taken, who could play AFL. If Giteau goes, O’Connor is similar quality, if Cooper goes, Barnes is fine etc..Some really essential players such as Ben Alexander, simply couldn’t play AFL. So oddly by virtue of its weakness, rugby is reasonably safe.
JVGO said | June 8th 2010 @ 7:22am | Report comment
They won’t destroy their rival. Even if they buy a few stars they cannot replace RL’s ratings in the northen states, not even in 50 years. The broadcasters have an interest in maintaining RL’s popularity and audience power which it has built up over 100 years. Also when it is again cashed up after the next broadcast deal RL has an endless supply of talent both from RU and SL overseas to quickly replenish itself with. Inglis and Hunt and Folau will simply come back to RL then anyway and the whole project is vanquished. What is the point of having more games of AFL by the way, will anyone really watch them? The more clubs the less chance each club has to contend. Look what has happened to Sydney and Brisbane as they are no longer making GF’s, they are declining.
kingplaymaker said | June 8th 2010 @ 8:25am | Report comment
JVGO I didn’t say they would, but they can inflict heavy blows. Remember, if Inglis and Slater are to go, and crowds next year suffer, the NRL are unlikely to be able to negotiate the large tv deal that would supposedly save them.
‘Also when it is again cashed up after the next broadcast deal RL has an endless supply of talent both from RU and SL overseas to quickly replenish itself with.’ Unlikely, all the best league talent is already in the NRL, while its 15 years since any serious union poaching was in action.
JVGO said | June 8th 2010 @ 8:38am | Report comment
It isn’t about crowds. It’s about TV ratings. AFL has nothing to offer in the biggest TV market in OZ, Sydney and Brisbane. These raids merely create a backlash of more consequence than any purported gains. Union tried it and it didn’t work.
Redb said | June 8th 2010 @ 9:12am | Report comment
JVGO,
so if the AFL has nothing to offer why does it have the biggest TV deal?
kingplaymaker said | June 8th 2010 @ 9:17am | Report comment
JVGO union didn’t exactly try..and doesn’t have the same resources or popularity as the AFL.
AGO74 said | June 8th 2010 @ 9:23am | Report comment
Two reasons – Firstly, the NRL is hamstrung in that it is asking it’s half owner to pay it at the same time. AFL being independent does not have this problem. Secondly, AFL was also the recipient of an almighty ego clash between Kerry Packer on his death bed and Kerry Stokes at Channel 7. The first is a perfect example of why RL has to be independent. The second was the AFL’s luck for want of a better word.
JP said | June 8th 2010 @ 11:14am | Report comment
Redb, AFL have the larger TV deal because Packer screwed CH 7 & 10.
Packer, having already secured the League rights, turned his attention to the only other major sporting code in the country and went in all guns blazing with an over the top figure knowing that wether he obtains the AFL rights or not, it will still be a win/win situation for him because;
a) Both Ch 7 & 10 will need to pay over’s to obtain the rights, putting them in a risky financial situation and at a disadvantage in trying to bid for future high rating tv programs.
b) If Ch 9 secured both the AFL & NRL rights it would clean up financially and in the ratings.
Things are about to even out between the AFL and NRL very soon.
Redb said | June 8th 2010 @ 1:40pm | Report comment
So here’s your view, the AFL only got a large TV deal because of Packer’s ego full stop.
Do you know this as a fact or only what Roy Masters told you to think. Pack of sheep, you’ll beleive anything your shepherd writes.
Packer is gone now, so the AFL TV deal should drop dramaticially right? Because it’s only Sydney that watches sport on TV.
JVGO said | June 8th 2010 @ 4:08pm | Report comment
We’ll see how it goes next time Redb. The proof will be in the pudding. If RL doesn’t get something commensurate with what it is worth then you and everyone else at AFL HQ can begin celebrating. All those hours and hours of spin will have been worth it.
Paul J said | June 8th 2010 @ 7:56am | Report comment
King
Did you read this post?
http://www.theroar.com.au/2010/06/04/a-brilliant-plan-for-the-afl/
kingplaymaker said | June 8th 2010 @ 8:34am | Report comment
Paul J good article: I think they may attempt something similar but not on that scale.
1) They need much or most of the money for other things.
2) They would face a rebellion from their own code firstly for buying so many players in and taking their careers, and secondly for paying all these new players so much more.
3) The bullying nature of the raid would provoke someone either within the ARL board, supporters etc.. to put a spanner in the works as they would consider it ungentlemanly.
What they may do instead is buy as many of the top ten NRL stars as possible, which will obviously do colossal damage, totally undermine the tv deal the NRL can negotiate, while maintaining their own respectability and keeping their own players happy. They would aim to kill the NRL by stealth, or let’s say comparative stealth.
I imagine they think rugby too small a threat to bother with. If an assault on the NRL led to some merger of the codes or defection of NRL clubs, they might retrain their sights however.
oikee said | June 8th 2010 @ 8:47am | Report comment
Kill them by stealth.
Seeing you have taken the same path rugby union has laready played, and failed, Stealth might be good.
Just dont cry if we use a few nukes. Rugby league dont play fair, and that ain’t smooth. Nice drop the bundy red.
kingplaymaker said | June 8th 2010 @ 8:52am | Report comment
oikee it seems the AFL is several dimensions more powerful than Rugby union. Union could probably only afford Sailor, Rogers and Tuqiri together: the AFL can buy as many players as they want. There’s a difference.
In addition I don’t think Rugby’s raiding was aimed at destroying league, but rather increasing their own popularity and because they think the players would be successful, rightly or wrongly. I think the AFL’s raiding is aimed at destroying league however.
The Link said | June 8th 2010 @ 9:00am | Report comment
kingplaymaker – head in sand stuff.
If Rugby had a higher profile in Aus then the AFL would be after its players not leagues.
By extension your argumnent is that Rugby will be safe because it will remain a relatively minor sport in Australia.
oikee said | June 8th 2010 @ 9:07am | Report comment
Fair point, good luck with the last one.( destroying league ).
JVGO said | June 8th 2010 @ 9:09am | Report comment
Remember KP that the AFL is not really buying these players, they are offering them the challenge.
JF said | June 8th 2010 @ 9:23am | Report comment
I think you are spot on with your analysis of the AFL’s motives for these RL signings kpm. The naivety of those who think the AFL is not striving for the demise of RL is astounding. This is not a drill people, sporting codes being killed off by rival codes is not unheard of, it can and will happen. For those who think this type of talk is crazy, I would like to know what you think the AFL would be doing if it actually were trying to bring down the NRL? The AFL’s superior TV deal is being used to set up pro teams and junior development in RL areas, recruit RL players to spruik the AFL, force live broadcasting of AFL into RL areas, what else do you want them to do – drop leaflets?
oikee said | June 8th 2010 @ 9:40am | Report comment
Leaflets would be nice, i have surgested this for the NRL, and signing babies and dogs as members.
Michael C said | June 8th 2010 @ 3:55pm | Report comment
how is the AFL aiming to detroy RL??
as distinct to ensuring a reasonable presence in the ‘other’ 55% of the Aust Population.
Given that the 2 teams established have been around for 25 years now,……it’s about time to increase the ‘contact’ with that market as the markets of Sydney/NSW and Bris/S-E Qld have grown rather over that timeframe.
You don’t retain share by standing still.
The AFL is compelled to ‘move forward’ just to retain share – - – how is that destroying RL?? You might argue it if the AFL were suddenly doubling from 2 to 4 teams….providing more than 1 single game a week is no chance of ‘flooding the market’ in any serious way that could possibly destroy RL.
And don’t forget – - Israel himself back in February was commenting (whilst promoting the NRL All-Stars game in WEst Sydney with Hayne and Gallop), Israel commented how he’d like to see Aust Footy doing well in West Sydney and it’d be good to have a bit of a change, something different……………Folau came to the AFL,……..the AFL didn’t bribe him to be interested. However, will reward him well for work well done. How well Folau has ‘sold’ his intentions publicly is another matter.
JVGO said | June 8th 2010 @ 4:11pm | Report comment
It’s merely capitalism at work. Corporations like the AFL strive toward a monopoly. They have no greater purpose.
Michael C said | June 8th 2010 @ 4:43pm | Report comment
JVGO -
so, you regard the AFL as a corporation??
what about the NRL….after all, it’s half owned by NewsLtd?
What about FIFA and the FFA?
we know you’re trying to put down the AFL because you don’t like it.
JVGO said | June 8th 2010 @ 5:09pm | Report comment
News Ltd is a corporation. RL fans fought it on the streets and forced it to compromise. And believe me it is an uneasy compromise. Keep spouting the corporate line MC. News knows they cannot treat RL fans as fools the way that the AFL thinks it can. They learnt the hard way as Demetriou and Sheedy will too.
JVGO said | June 8th 2010 @ 5:33pm | Report comment
MC you talk about marketing, market share, business deals, I mean really doesn’t that sound like corporate talk. I guess it might just be professional. I mean it’s amazing how you and Redb come up with the same stuff at exactly the same time. Do you really go and talk about this stuff over the watercooler at the back of HQ or do you have to share the same miserable office.
Michael C said | June 8th 2010 @ 9:10pm | Report comment
JVGO -
sports is business, that’s unavoidable.
half the people on theRoar wish their codes were as well run as the AFL. Now – - I can clearly see that the AFL does somethings really, really well…….and others not so well.
You use the word ‘fools’ a little too much me thinks.
It awaits to be seen what the Storm independant directors court case might expose to show just how much NewsLtd and the NRL chiefs have been treating everyone as fools.
JVGO said | June 9th 2010 @ 12:40am | Report comment
I think sport for its fans is about more than business. Passion and loyalty and all those foolish things maybe. When business gets in the way of these things people should stand up. RL supporters have already done this against News. AFL supporters haven’t been tested yet and seem to cheer unthinkingly for Demetriou much to their shame. They seem quite happy to believe the tripe that Demetriou’s office boys like yourself are paid to spout MC.
Michael C said | June 9th 2010 @ 9:32pm | Report comment
JVGO -
actually AFL fans have been tested – - variously, over the years,
from the Footscray/Fitzroy potenital merge back in the ’80s that saw a house wife Irene Chatfield lead a people power rescue,
to the Melb/Haw potential merger that the people of Hawthorn stood up and rejected, and more recently North Melb resisting the AFL’s lures to head to the Gold Coast.
The AFL has had to review it’s stance from the ’90s on seeking to encourage mergers and relocations – - having realised that ‘burning’ fans is a destructive thing to do.
The fans can’t win every battle ……. but they can pick the good fight to pursue now and then. If the state govt gave the AFL some decent stadia support it might be cheaper for us all to attend the footy too……..sooner the AFL owns Docklands outright the better to at least keep the footy fans money in the game rather than building infrastructure that elsewhere Govt’s build!!! And by then the AFL will wield real power and ……….hmmm…….be more like a stadium management corporation!!! (in part).
JVGO said | June 10th 2010 @ 12:14am | Report comment
So you admit The AFL is capable of acting like an arrogant corporation. Good, then we will fight it too and win the same as we did with News. Enjoy the ride MC. We will make it as pleasant as possible for you (and your employers).
Michael C said | June 10th 2010 @ 1:41pm | Report comment
JVGO -
mate –
the AFL is a peak sporting body run by a CEO who played over 100 games and came to the position from the Players Association,
the NRL is half owned by NewsLtd and is run by a Lawyer and former NewsLtd employee
tell me which one looks less like a peak sporting body simply weighing up the various demands and in charge of a lot of money and employees??? What I’m saying is the AFL ain’t perfect – - – but, it’s not like there’s a worlds best practice code in Australia to model it on!!
You’re welcome to not like the AFL – - – but, for an NRL person to regard the AFL as a corporation with no other interest but striving towards a monopoly is pretty weird given the comparison towards the NRL ownership structure.
Being pragmatic – - the AFL could never contemplate a monopoly state – - the AFL by it’s definition is in a constant battle to simply retain ‘share’ given the large level of immigration into this country that always delivers people MORE aware of soccer and rugby to our doorsteps. If established families were still having a nice catholic dozen children then there might not be any major issue!!!
Ziggy the God said | June 9th 2010 @ 10:09am | Report comment
The reason why these guys are stars is not just because of their talent, but because the media pumps them up by continually pushing their barrow.
What will happen is the next best players will take their place, and be pumped up as ‘stars’.
People said that the game would weaken when the Union crop left, but how could that be when the game has grown across all categories?
Maulman said | June 8th 2010 @ 6:36am | Report comment
The ’10,000 hours’ theory comes from a book called ‘Outliers’ by Malcolm Gladwell. It’s a good read.
kingplaymaker said | June 8th 2010 @ 9:08am | Report comment
Link of course my argument is that rugby is safe for a while because of its small profile and lack of stars.
kingplaymaker said | June 8th 2010 @ 9:15am | Report comment
JVGO the challenge to work out which year of Dom Perignon they prefer or whether they like the new Rolls Royce or Bentley convertible better.
ilikedahoodoogurusingha said | June 8th 2010 @ 4:55pm | Report comment
Actually I prefer Veuve Cliquot and Aston Martin…..but each to their own!
kingplaymaker said | June 8th 2010 @ 9:16am | Report comment
okiee I don’t represent the AFL you don’t need to worry.
JVGO said | June 9th 2010 @ 12:20am | Report comment
It’s only MC and Redb who are AFL PR operatives. I think KP is honest enough.
kingplaymaker said | June 8th 2010 @ 9:36am | Report comment
JF there is also the ludicrous idea that infinite codes can co-exist in peace as if there were some unending supply of players. It’s a case of whoever gets them first.
From a rugby point of view, the interesting question is whether a hypothetical demise of the NRL would be dangerous or positive for it. Would it force a merger which could then counter-attack the AFL with much greater strength? Or would the AFL simply move on to successfully destroy rugby having done so to the NRL?
Harvey the Scouser said | June 8th 2010 @ 9:40am | Report comment
I really dont understand this talk of destroying Rugby League
to me it looks like the game has never been healthier
JVGO said | June 8th 2010 @ 1:25pm | Report comment
Because AFL has nothing better to do and nowhere else to go. It just spins around in its own little pot trying to wash away its competitors. It may seem pointless but they can imagine nothing more meaningful than 30 games of AFL a weekend.
Coxinator said | June 8th 2010 @ 6:57am | Report comment
From what I heard in Brisbane Hunt was a terror as a schoolboy afl player and has more than enough of the skills to get him there. Also I suspect he may return to rugby if he wins a premiership in AFL, to reinforce his elite and exclusive status. As for Folau, even if he stands at half forward shrugging off defenders and taking pot shots at goal, he won’t need as much 360 degree awareness as Hunt will and hence will be a success once his kicks are improved. On top of this, I hear he has plenty of basketball experience which is 360 degrees anyway.
jiggles said | June 8th 2010 @ 11:39am | Report comment
Coxinator,
Hunt was a terror schoolboy rugby union player, not AFL. he played a handful of games as a bit of a giggle after the end of the rugby season.
JF said | June 8th 2010 @ 11:56am | Report comment
Brisbane Schoolboy AFL, LOL. Taken about as seriously as Brisbane Schoolboy Ten Pin Bowling.
Willy said | June 8th 2010 @ 7:49am | Report comment
Listening to Israel Falou on the radio last week I couldn’t help but think: “Here is a very nice young man who has absolutely no idea what he’s doing by moving to AFL.”
He offered the usual soundbites about “the challenge”, but when he was pressed on even the most simple elements of his new game, he fluffed and floundered.
The Mormon stuff in the Sydney papers is ridiculous and (as Spiro recognises) little more than the first in what will be many, many, many more attacks on Falou’s integrity and motivations.
But I can help but feel that the player has been given some terrible advice, possibly from a manager or managers who stand to also make a fortune (up to 20% of the total salary) from this move.
And I really believe Falou will regret selling a potentially long and glorious league career down the river for 30 pieces of silver.
AGO74 said | June 8th 2010 @ 9:27am | Report comment
Folau being a quiet unassuming guy will really struggle with the glare he is going to be facing from allcomers. Hunt is a bit different. He is reasonably articulate and confident as all. he’ll be a much more effective PR for AFL than Folau.
Not that I have any sympathy for Folau. If he wants the big $$$$, then he’d better expect to have to give something back for it.
Paul J said | June 8th 2010 @ 8:01am | Report comment
Ricky Barham is quoted as saying that coaches “will put somebody on Folau who can run all day and he’ll be rooted.”
If Izzy is playing full forward doesn’t the defender have to stick with him if Izzy’s team has the ball? When i’ve seen AFL live the full forward stands around scratching himself while he waits for the ball to come down his end of the field. It’s the midfield that does all the running.
Hoy said | June 8th 2010 @ 9:51am | Report comment
Was thinking exactly the same thing.
Fev isn’t exactly a picture of fitness, but it doesn’t matter. He only has to explode for 50 metres, catch, and kick.
We all know Issy can explode, and catch. Kicking goals will be the big one for him. Can he play in the forward 50?
Redb said | June 8th 2010 @ 1:50pm | Report comment
If Folau goes forward he will be a ‘stay at home’ forward like Fevola.
Timing his leap will be critical, you could see a lot of long bombs into the forward line, Folau contests with his bulk and vertical leap (Nic Natinui style) and crumbers scoop up the sherrin off the deck if he doesnt mark.
Richard said | June 8th 2010 @ 2:20pm | Report comment
I wish Fev had stayed at home the night they played Collingwood.
Baz35 said | June 8th 2010 @ 1:02pm | Report comment
Full forwards don’t scratch themselves and wait for the ball to come down. If Folau is just going to sit in the goal square for most of the game than the opposition team will essentially play with an extra player.
It depends on the game plan of the opposing teams but FF’s are either on the move 80 % of the time making position or they (and the FB) are coming up as far as the middle of the ground. You won’t be able to hide Folau if he can’t significantly improve his endurance
Al said | June 8th 2010 @ 1:59pm | Report comment
Tony Lockett, the greatest goalkicker in VFL/AFL history used to workout by taking his greyhounds for a walk, in his car, whilst he drove. He was just a specimen of athletic perfection he was!
Redb said | June 8th 2010 @ 8:04am | Report comment
“And rugby league fans, especially among the reptiles of the media, will become consumed with a visceral hatred of AFL for its perceived arrogance in trying to bring down their game”
Congrats Daily NRL Telegraph.
JVGO said | June 8th 2010 @ 8:14am | Report comment
Congrats to Demetriou and Sheedy and AFL head office…oh and Redb as well. Well done.
AGO74 said | June 8th 2010 @ 9:42am | Report comment
What work for any hubris that Daily Schmele in defence of NRL against AFL, you can equally say about the Herald Sun about defending AFL against ‘sokkah’ and it’s World Cup bid – who can forget the lovely photo of Ron Barassi photographed so gracefully puncturing a ‘sokkah’ ball on the cover of your paper. What dignity from one of the greats of the game!
Redb said | June 8th 2010 @ 9:50am | Report comment
I agree the Barassi soccer ball stunt was stupid.
However, there is no ongoing campaign, witness the double page poster of Tim Cahill in today’s Herald Sun.
You cant deny the News Ltd connection with the NRL.
AGO74 said | June 8th 2010 @ 10:08am | Report comment
Of course you can’t deny it. It’s quite the opposite actually. News Ltd is screwing rugby league as much as you claim that it is trying to destroy AFL through trashy newspaper pieces. By that, I mean the TV rights that NRL has to negotiate with it’s half-owner in News Ltd and therefore cannot hope to achieve its true value. A conflict of interest if ever there was one.
Forget about all the dodgy code war screaming headlines that the Daily Tele goes on with, the fact that News half owns NRL is actually detrimental to NRL and an indirect positive for the AFL.
Redb said | June 8th 2010 @ 3:26pm | Report comment
The point is the Daily Telegraph is whipping up anti AFL sentiment in RL areas I do not see that as a positive. Especially when many here on the Roar parrot what the DT says about the bid bad AFL.
it is in fact hiding the brutal truth that the NRL is poorly administered and hamstrung by News Ltd’s failure to exit the sport and a lack of an independent commission. Something the AFL has had for 15-20 years.
News Ltd has a massive conflict of interest with the Melb Storm cap rorting and subsequent legal action. Its a joke frankly.
Whose fault is it that Greg Inglis is looking at playing AFL as an option?
JVGO said | June 8th 2010 @ 3:55pm | Report comment
RL and its fans have already fought News in the streets and forced them to compromise. That fight was over the survival of the game as the fans saw it. It’s in fact still the same fight, just a slightly different enemy. Just keep spouting Demetriou’s corporate tripe Redb, I’m sure he pays well.
oikee said | June 8th 2010 @ 10:08am | Report comment
Hey Redb, one thing you have to remember, rugby league and soccer are not enemies,.
We have a nice new stadium in your heartland, in 10 years time we will take over that big caketin and turn it into a proper stadium..
Have you not noticed your government opening the door to our 3 codes. You now have Union internationals, Football(soccer) internationals, and Rugby league internationals.
Not going to get bogged down with this, but gee whiz, there is a big world out there, afl is not top of the pile, never will be, just watch the soccer world cup.
Like i said, rugby league and soccer are good mates , you might say. We kick there balls,
not puncture them.
pike64 said | June 8th 2010 @ 8:16pm | Report comment
Don’t rely on the herald sun to unquestioningly support the corporation that is AFL. If they think the cards are falling another way they will jump on that bandwagon as quick as they can.
oikee said | June 8th 2010 @ 9:47am | Report comment
Yes, the last time they tried to bring down rugby league with bad publicity, the game grew another leg, its great.
All we need is the big guy Demetriou to say league sucks, that should just about do it for me.
The very last NRL headline on that issue was”You cant kill rugby league with a Axe”
written and athorised by afl Inc.
Nick the second said | August 13th 2010 @ 4:58pm | Report comment
‘All we need is the big guy Demetriou to say league sucks, that should just about do it for me.’
ha if he said that all that would do is cement NSW and QLD league fans dismiss for the AFL game. The best thing he can do is shut up!
oikee said | June 8th 2010 @ 8:19am | Report comment
Hey Spiro, you must be having a little laugh, the AFL taking down rugby league and rugby union.
The AFL boys would not have been watching the Rabbits Cowboys game last nite. Wonder where they are going to play Burgess and Taylor.
Not to mention Tamou, he has to be the biggest human being i have ever seen. What is he, 7 foot, and built like a battle ship.
As far as Hunt goes, he might be a Akkamanus type player, Folau will play a full forward type roll, simalar to J.Brown at the lions maybe, but it could take 5 years before either are any good. I wont be losing any sleep, i was watching the junior warriors on the week-end, that young rugby union convert they have playing for them is a absolute monster, and he has just turned 17.