Many of rugby league’s regular critics and doomsday prophets were claiming that while they’d been wrong about the last 1,567 reasons why this marked the imminent death of rugby league, this was the moment the game crumpled in a heap.
While it may have also brought more attention for a revision of the NRL’s salary cap, it is unlikely any of the practical solutions for the cap posed would have stopped Folau’s switch if the figures of the deal are true (reports already range from a $3 million to $6 million).
Even if they had Brian Waldron in charge, it’s highly unlikely any rugby league club would have come up with that cash, nor would they probably want to for Folau.
From just a footballing perspective, which is what rugby league contracts are determined on, he is just not worth the amount dangled in front of him by the AFL.
Arguments have already begun about Folau getting his true worth in this contract.
But here is not so much a player but a tool of the club’s marketing department, and so he apparently can command such a fee. Folau is worth far more to the AFL to be popping in and out of primary schools in Western Sydney (and reacquainting himself with the streets of Minto, no doubt) than he is to the Broncos actually playing rugby league.
Also, let’s remember that his salary is not counted within the GWS salary cap, so this is an extreme example and one that shouldn’t guide the future of any NRL salary cap changes.
If this salary comes from the marketing budget, who’s next? Lady Gaga?
I’ve argued previously about the need for changes in the rugby league salary cap, but let’s move on for the moment.
Nearly every fan of rugby league that I have spoken to since his decision has had similar feelings: “Good luck, I would have done the same.”
Kerry Packer got his Alan Bond and Israel has his Andrew D. You are very lucky if at one point in your life some blokes wanders past with a wheelbarrow of cash and asks you to hold onto it for the rest of your life.
Generally speaking, if he does, say yes.
What has been stomach turning has been the PR that has accompanied it with all the predictability of a bunch of women on a hen’s night requesting the Annie Lennox and Aretha Franklin song “Sisters are doing it for themselves.”
Suddenly this Queenslander is Minto through and through, keen for a new challenge, and it’s just a hammer blow for the ailing sport of rugby league.
Man the barricades!
A bloke who has never played the sport has signed for a team that, as yet, doesn’t even have a name.
I’m sorry, I’ll admit I don’t like marketing people. They are loose with the truth (in the sense that they lie) and basically exist to speak bullshit to part you from your cash.
So the marketing line that was quickly trumpeted almost as soon as the deal was announced was that it had already paid for itself. Gee, it was almost like they’d done the calculations before getting the equations.
Former Brisbane Lions players and Fox commentator Alistair Lynch announced that when he saw the morning paper’s, “It’s very rare that we see AFL on the back pages here in Brisbane”, which must have gladdened the hearts of his former club, who have been toiling away for a not insignificant period of time.
I then started to wonder if Lynch had awoken from a particularly heavy night on the cans when he said: “It’s looks like it has already paid off”.
Really.
“AFL makes sports pages” is surely not breaking news these days.
I understand the point, that this has much much more to do with marketing and business than it has to do with sport (oh joy!). But what is the equation that tells us how much Israel needs to trouser before it becomes a waste.
Does the AFL really need to spend such enormous amounts to get people in Sydney talking about AFL? What have the Swans been doing for the last 20 odd years?
But if positive news stories are a plus, do we subtract from the total when Michael Voss, Brendan Fevola and a host of other commentators slam the move?
Probably not.
It’s not science, it’s marketing fantasy, where everything is bigger and brighter, everything is perfect, and everything boils down to a catch-phrase which actually means nothing.
Which brings me to another equation, which surely must exist in the marketing paradigm.
If we have had all these rugby league converts to rugby union, then surely someone has worked out how much they are worth to a code to bring them across. Seeing sport is business, it wouldn’t make sense for them not to pay for themselves, surely.
But then, if as every rugby fan seems to tell me, these blokes were a “failure”, why will they be a roaring success in AFL, a game that is less similar to their own game and in which they have less experience in?
I’m genuinely interested to know. Or doesn’t it matter?
For what it’s worth, if Folau’s exit is a sign that rugby league is a basket case, then how to do you explain the return of Lote Tuqiri and Timana Tahu and the expected return of Mark Gasnier?
Until Folau, it was about fitting in all the blokes wanting to come back to NRL, let alone stopping the exodus.
I simply think it is a sign of things to come, players will up sticks and move to whatever sport pays them the most, it might depend on their skill or their marketability to some key demographic.
But it will happen.
Eventually the absolute din which occurs with every transition will eventually calm down, much to the chargrin of our media, eager to sell a “code war”.
Look at the Titan’s Josh Graham. 2004 Queensland Reds, 2005 Melbourne Storm, 2006 Western Force, 2007 to present the Gold Coast Titans.
No Israel Folau or Mark Gasnier for the Rebels. Instead come on down Cooper Vuna and Jarred Saffy, and barely an eyebrow raised.
Get used to it.
Steve Kaless
Roar Guru
Redb, Certainly an argument worthy of consideration. There certainly are different issues when comparing buying league stars from the position of the AFL and ARU, however I would have thought there was at least some data from which to make some sort of educated observation. Like many others, I don't think the leaguies were failures as players but they certainly didn't seem to bring good will from the rugby public. This may be interesting to note with Folau and Hunt, the big question up until has been will they be good enough. However what happens if they are good enough but the crowds still don't show? When you are paid as a player that isn't that much of a concern but its different when you are paid as a marketing tool. Hall and Lockett were also some of the alltime greats in their positions, or that is what I;m led to believe so that's a high benchmark. Also good full forwards need good service, so they'll need a quality team to get them the ball. All will be revealed I guess....
The man
Guest
Good luck to Israel, much like Hunt getting paid a truck load of cash without having kicked a Sherrin should inspire any budding Mark Knopfler to pen a new version of "Money for nothing". As this recruitment policy can unlikely be sustained even under the AFL marketing budget, it will have short term impact and much like those recently departed league stars be missed. The real tragedy is this opens the door for the Broncos to snap up some bargain basement Storm players!
M1tch
Roar Guru
So its not really free publicity..he be costing them 800k at least per year
Redb
Roar Guru
Paul Roos estimates actual playing salary in the $200-300K pa range (for salary cap), the rest is promotional based.
M1tch
Roar Guru
Ill flog a dead horse but the tv rights are the main thing for the NRL - the ratings the game gets in nsw,qld and even vic when its shown are good, Origin rated through the roof and the test match even got a high ratings, the last couple rights have been flawed with channel 9 etc..lets see how the cap goes with new rights and no news ltd
Paul J
Roar Pro
Excluding the very top fullbacks no outside back is currently worth $450K in RL - apart from the super freak that is Greg Inglis.
Fred
Guest
Well I cannot see how the salaries the NRL players are demanding going to be paid by the clubs. Some one some where will have to pulled thier head in...
M1tch
Roar Guru
Anyone think Folau is worth more than $450 000 in Rugby League
Harvey the Scouser
Roar Guru
yer havin a laugh
Fred
Guest
I agree mass panic does little to help. But I doubt that the NRL will be able to maintain whole teams of paid professionals. I think the eventually the NRL will go back to a semi professional game. League will never die but I think thier days of massive pay packets are numbered. Simply put AFL, Rugby, overseas clubs will all be looking for the quality player from the NRL. If the AFL is successful with GWS and the Rebels succesful in Melbourne I cannot see how the NRL will survive if they dont do not look to the semi professional player. I think league will probably be the breeding ground for rugby and AFL player of the future. While many player swear to the death for league the $$$ are simply irresistable and I dont blame them most players will only have 5 year careers at a high level. They need to make as much as they can as quick as they can. I dont think that the qualtity or the level will drop or the passion for the game look at the SOO in the 80s most semi professional players and there was probably more passion then than now for the SOO.
The Link
Guest
Fair enough point, but just to clarify its Rugby fans that constantly point out the failures of the League converts. As a fan of both codes I actually think that outside of Tamana Tahu all have done pretty well.
Redb
Roar Guru
Rugby union in decline reduced the effectivenes of its stars to inspire more fans and juniors. As I'm suggesting the union comparison is not a good one. Success is vital.
AndyRoo
Roar Guru
The Wallabies lost a lot that's what happened. And probably some other stuff too but I wasn't really paying attention since it all happened on pay TV and Channel 7 (surely the worst sports broadcaster in Australia). Meanwhile Rugby league started to get over the super league hump and the Socceroos came good. Edit: And take your point. AFL will get a lot more out of them because it has more TV time and such, it's not hidden away on Pay TV. I just don't think they will ever be considered anything other than "ex Rugby league players" just as Sailor and Tuquiri were. The media circus was all arround them rather than the genuine Union players. That would be my concern at GC17 or WS 18 is that a fair bit of the AFL quotent on the news is used up on these guys and stops them building up the other players who are more likely to be 10 year players.
Redb
Roar Guru
Like it :-)
Redb
Roar Guru
Yes but what happened since, they didnt come back to RL in 2003/04. Media focus and fan support has been declining ever since 2003. In other words, its hard to shine when the sport is out of the spotlight.
AndyRoo
Roar Guru
maybe the Socceroos will sign Jarryd Hayne to a $10 million contract to promote their World Cup bid? Surely that will herald the end of rugby league too! Football is as broke as Rugby league, we can't afford Jarred Hayne. Maybe we could borrow him for a couple of weeks in the summer when you guys don't need him :)
AndyRoo
Roar Guru
Weren't Sailor and Tuquiri around in 2003 when Australia hosted the World Cup. Rugby was doing all right then. Prior to the Socceroos making the World Cup I always thought Rugby would be the code that would most lose out if Football got it's act together. For way too long the Wallabies as "Team Australia" did so well on and off the field it covered up a lot of the ARU's domestic problems that were never sorted. Whereas League and Aussie Rules have really strong domestic products, I love Australia beating some other country a lot....but I also love to beat the neighbours too :P
Redb
Roar Guru
Steve, One issue that is used as a defence by NRL fans is that rugby union has been doing this for years and look where has it got them? "they all come back to RL eventually" the beleif that the ARU largely squandered its post RWC revenue on buying league stars. Has not rugby union in Australia had much deeper problems? Both with the game itself becoming bogged down by penalties and too much kicking and therefore less tries? Resulting in a loss fans and media attention. One of the key differences between AFL and rugby union is that individual positions on an AFL field can attain superstar status, namely full forward or in the midfield. Particularly full forward or at centre half forward. If GWS are winning even more so. Even in Sydney the names of Tony Lockett and Barry Hall are names with big profiles. In both eras the Swans were successful the biggest profile belonged to the full forward. If Folau makes it as a full forward his profile will propel him well above what a Tuqiri or Sailor could have achieved as one of the team in rugby union where it suffered in the mediocrity of its rules and game play (need for ELVs a white flag), plus at a time when the Wallabies were hardly world beaters. It remains a big IF if Folau can convert successfully, but the game itself can create individual stars that stand out and it should not be underestimated.
jim_bar
Guest
"Good Afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen, my name is Captain Folau and my flight team and I hope you all enjoy the flight to Melbourne. With me in the cockpit today is Co Pilot Hunt. Flight conditions are expected to be mixed, with a chance of some challenging weather along the way. Some of you may be concerned that we lack the relevant experience to make a safe landing, however let us reassure you that all the experience and skill learnt in our previous careers as Bus drivers should prepare us well. So sit back, relax and enjoy your flight with AFL Airways"
Crayfish
Guest
Agree with the article - this is the sort of ridiculous spending that any player would have to take up.Folou is not worth this much money as a footballer, so if he can get it somehow than he should take it. The purchase of Hunt and Folou is once in a lifetime spending from the AFL, desperate to have some marketable figures in their new expansion clubs. Despite the loss of an (albeit talented) winger, rugby league has managed to retain to long-term contracts its best and most marketable players - Johnathon Thurston, Benji Marshall, Billy Slater in recent times, while also encouraging the returns of Sailor, Rogers, Tuqiri, Tahu and possibly Gasnier. On top of all this English stars like Ellis and Burgess are now also coming out here. The salary cap certainly needs sorting out and the sooner the cap is raised the better, but rugby league is not in an awful position at the moment. In a few years from now, when the cap (and representative payments) has increased, sponsorship restrictions for long-serving players decreased and Hunt and Folou have returned to rugby league (leaving a trail of controversy and player revolt behind them in AFL), the media will need to find something else to batter the code about. I'm interested to see what the next crisis to kill rugby league will be, once the AFL has joined other plagues like player behaviour, pokie taxes, rugby union defections (firstly to the ARU, now to France), refereeing standards etc. in failure...maybe the Socceroos will sign Jarryd Hayne to a $10 million contract to promote their World Cup bid? Surely that will herald the end of rugby league too! Just on a sidenote, Welsh rugby union legend Gareth Thomas now plays for the Welsh Super League club, while other Welsh rugby internationals have confirmed interest in also making the move. Does this mean Welsh rugby union is dead?