Israel Folau admits his cross-code venture has been harder than expected, but good mate Nic Naitanui is confident the former NRL star will succeed in the AFL.
Folau’s steep learning curve has become all the steeper in the past three weeks, with Greater Western Sydney beaten by a combined tally of 192 points in their first two AFL matches.
The 23-year-old, who first signed with the AFL’s expansion franchise in 2010 and played in the NEAFL last year, conceded on Thursday his transition from Steeden to Sherrin hasn’t been as facile as planned.
“It has been (harder than I expected). I thought it’d be a little bit smoother than how it’s been so far,” Folau said.
“It’s been tough so far. We’ve just got to stick together as a team and go for the year.”
Folau’s problems have not been unique to him.
GWS’s forward line has been largely starved of the ball, and the whole side would have been at a “pretty low point” after the 129-point loss to North Melbourne.
But while most of his teammates are having their first taste of professional sport, Folau’s lows are coming after unthinkable highs.
His debut NRL season in 2007 was arguably comparatively better than Joel Selwood’s with Geelong – at age 17 he won a premiership, scored a record number of tries and was crowned the Dally M Rookie of the Year.
He then became the youngest ever to play rugby league for Australia and represent Queensland in the code’s showpiece State of Origin series.
“I’ve been lucky enough to be in a good winning culture throughout my career and now I’m experiencing something on the other side,” Folau said.
“I think for me it’s just good in a way … it’s good for me as an athlete to experience what we did last week.
“You sort of bring yourself back down … and it’s going to be like this – a bit of a rough patch for us – throughout the year, so you just have to stick together as a team.”
Therein lies one of the biggest challenges for the super-competitive Folau, coming to terms with the likely one-sided nature of GWS’s clashes.
“I’ve played rugby league and it’s been tough – but I’ve got to say AFL’s been a little bit tougher mentally,” he said.
“Especially for me, coming to a new side where we’ve got a lot of young boys.
“It’s been hard mentally and that’s probably the thing I have to cope with throughout the year.
“…There’s a bit of improvement I can see, but it’s going to take time.”
For all his struggles, Folau has an ardent supporter in Naitanui.
“I can see where he’s at – I was there a few years ago,” said the West Coast ruckman who struck up a friendship with Folau when the pair were promoting the code in the South Pacific.
“He’s probably ahead of me at this stage in terms of my first few games … and 2010 (when the Eagles finished last) was probably the worst thing I’ve ever experienced.
“You can turn it around pretty quickly. We’re developing pretty fast over here so I don’t see why the Giants can’t do it as well.”
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Ian they still do lack that hard running capacity, I had no issue above with Hunt's physicality or ball handling, both very good.
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
Dan, Love your work, man.
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
Cattery, This was premature "The problem with both players, as evidenced by their stats from the weekend (SC scores in the 20s), is that they both lack that hard running ability, to just go and go and go" http://www.afl.com.au/News/NEWSARTICLE/tabid/208/newsId/133109/Default.aspx 5. The codes collide It was 10 minutes into the final quarter and Angus Monfries was about to meet Karmichael Hunt. Monfries was haring after an escaping Suns defender when Hunt decided to intervene. The ex-rugby league international had already made his not inconsiderable presence known in what was becoming his best game of Australian Rules. But he upped the ante with Monfries, collecting the small Bomber with a classic (and legal) shirt-front that left him prostrate on the ground and in sympathy with several NSW Blues of years gone by.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
what was premature?
Phelpsy
Guest
Well he did very well last night - one of the best one ground I would say.
Phelpsu
Guest
Maybe a tad premature on hunt there catty
dan
Guest
Hunt may not be a star but Essendon are making him look rather shiny at the moment.
ManInBlack
Guest
Folau played well and truly more than 6 games, and kicked 30+ goals for the season - so, yep, don't go relying on wiki pages!!! Mike Pyke sadly started getting dogged by injury just once he was looking to have settled - his rucking in Rnd 22 2010 and the first final was pretty good and last year, the game he got injured he actually was looking the most impressive that he had when pushing forward. The interruption to his career is really, really unfortunate. So, it took him a couple of years. Izzie showed enough last year that he SHOULD improve as this season progresses. There is a MASSIVE step up in pace and he needs to train his instincts at that level.
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
Seanmaguire, If you're relying on wikipedia, then your opinions are based on nothing. Go look at this tape http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VEEcSUqjgU&feature=relmfu It's the twos. The real thing is faster, tougher and so on. I know. But theres six NEAFL goals, right there. I do want Folau playing in my team - to be precise, I want him playing at true full forward, and rotating into the ruck when Giles needs a break (and he needs a couple of touches of the footy). Cameron is a much better CHF option for now, although he might end up at CHB when Patton is back. And I expect he'll come good in his third year, and this is year two.
Bludger
Guest
Maybe, just maybe if he stuck at it for 3 or 4 seasons and noone lost patience he could find somekind of useful role. Problem is, by then he will be holding the team back.
ManInBlack
Guest
as with draftees - and Irishmen - generally, the need is to get 50 games under their belt as quickly as possible. Izzie is only just started down that pathway. but - agreed that both he and Hunt do some nice stuff when they are able to be in position - - but, A. it's harder to read the play when you're side is getting thumped, and B. it's harder to run and run and run when most of it is chasing tail.
ChrisH
Guest
No, I wouldn't back Hunt to be a star, but I do think that he's been better than quite a few other blokes in his team so far, both from looking at his game and a superficial glance at the stats sheet. So whilst it seems a little counterintuitive, unless there's a few other blokes that also don't deserve to be in the side based on merit, then Hunt deserves his position.
seanmaguire
Guest
According to wiki he kicked 7 in 6 games. Hardly bags. Kevin Sheedy has to play him in the team, there's no point having your publicity stunt playing in reserves. Besides which, Sheedy is as mad as a sack of badgers. Anyway I just can't see how he can learn all the nuances of the game in a few years. Mike Pyke is the only other one I can think of apart from Hunt and Folou but all he has to do is jump. Would you want Folou playing for your team Ian?
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
Seanmaguire, You might think that. Kevin Sheedy disagrees. But if you pay attention to Republican, like him you probably think the State leagues have a bunch of 6'4, strong-bodied, contact-loving potential key position forwards with both a hundred kilos of muscles and burst off ten meters - ie like him, you're delusional. Folau is the perfect physical specimen for a KPF. He took five big grabs against the Collingwood reserves. He';s kicked bags in the twos last year. If you dont play him, you ought to be running the Melbourne Football Club.
seanmaguire
Guest
Chris Hunt looks like he is going to adapt a lot better than Folou. But will he ever be a star? I don't think so. Like Republican says Hunt and Folou are constantly scutinised to see if they are actually doing something good and anything remotely competent will be seen as a positive. But they wouldn't be in the team if it was selected on merit.
ChrisH
Guest
Seanmaguire, I really don't agree re Hunts performance at this point. His first game was genuinely solid. Got more of the footy than about half his team mates and didn't make a single mistake (kicked accurately and didn't give any stupid frees away). Very respectable. Second game was quiet but nothing outstanding from the ret of his team
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
Republican, You havent paid much attention to the development of forward play recently, have you ?
seanmaguire
Guest
Well I'm writing him off. it's not a question of whether he can jump or catch, it's putting himself in a position to do it. We've seen it before with league players going to union, they have the skills but they just have no idea where to put themselves and just don't get the tactics like someone who has played all their lives. And Sailor and Lote weren't bad union players, they just weren't top class players like they were in league. It's all well and good telling Folou what to do, but he has to do it instinctively rather than thinking about what he has to do. And I don't think he'll ever be able to do that.
Republican
Guest
The Eagles will have been briefed by the league, to go slow v GWS
Republican
Guest
'Izzy does nice little things' - well so would a blind folded Japanese Sumo wrestler. As nice as they may appear, they would be unrelated to the skill set required for our game, especially at the elite level and are far from proportional to the salary this fella has commanded at the expense of actual Australian Footy grass roots products, of which and contrary to the globalist persuasion - exist in abundance. Izzy is laughing all the way to the bank - to be sure!