Sheedy talks up Folau as AFL ruckman

Rugby league convert Israel Folau has earned a huge compliment from Greater Western Sydney coach Kevin Sheedy in the aftermath of his team’s 119-point thrashing by Adelaide.

Folau returned to the senior side following a hamstring injury at the end of a week during which he had to reiterate his commitment to the Giants after renewed speculation of a return to rugby league.

He started up forward alongside boom youngsters Jeremy Cameron and Jonathon Patton.

While he had limited influence around the ground with five touches and two marks, Folau racked up 13 hitouts as a backup ruckman to veteran Dean Brogan.

“I thought Izzy Folau in the ruck was quite outstanding,” Sheedy said.

“His tapping out and hitting of the ball to our players gave us a good opportunity to see what talent he has away from a key forward line position.

“If he can keep actually working in that area and tap the ball either hand and become a mobile ruckman for this club in the future, that’s another string to his bow that I wasn’t sure of when we got him.”

Sheedy was more concerned about looking at players in different positions over the closing weeks of the Giants inaugural campaign than fretting over the possibility of more big losses.

“I’d rather take risks,” Sheedy said.

“Everybody worries about what you get beaten by.

“But I’d rather look at (key forward) Jeremy Cameron at centre half back and Nick Haynes back and the backline and see what they are capable of doing in a game in their infancy of learning to play their first year of AFL.”

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