Israel Folau’s first year in the AFL hasn’t gone exactly as planned. Folau was a solid contributor in the lower leagues last year, when he would, on occasion, kick four or five goals a game.
However, things have changed this year, since coming up against players with a greater skill level, and he has gone from being a key forward to looking like some rugby league player trying to play Australian Rules.
As a result, it seems Folau has become disinterested in the game and remorseful of his change. And the Giants look the exact same way, after splashing a whole bunch of cash at their highest-profile recruit. However, the remorse of the two parties can very easily be prevented.
All of Folau’s problems stem from one major issue; he’s on the wrong part of the field. Folau has constantly been played as a forward, mainly after his success in the minors as one.
He was even thrown in defence on the weekend as a desperate attempt by Sheedy to get some confidence and time into the kid. This shows that Sheedy is obviously sick of having to find a place on the field for Folau; sick of sticking up for him at press conferences.
However, this can all be avoided with a few positional changes.
Folau has all the body and athleticism needed to make a top-shelf ruckman. He is big, bulky and strong, with a good hit that has developed from his days in the NRL, and while he is not as tall as most convention ruckman, he could out-leap many who contest the centre bounce every weekend, and definitely has the size and strength to compete at the restart of play.
Who knows, Folau could experience the same sucess as Adam Goodes when he stepped in as a smaller ruckman. It would also increase Folau’s knowledge of the game, especially around stoppages, which could later see him move into more of a swingman role that most ruckman these days do, such as Matthew Kruezer and Darren Jolly just to name a few.
Hell, in a few years, we may see Folau loping out of the centre square, ball in hand, as we so often see done by Nic Naitanui. He certinaly has the athleticism to do so.
But what about his teammates? The Giants already have an abundance of ruckman. Well, I can tell you for free the Giants will be cutting their list down like the Gold Coast did last year.
But Folau’s move into the ruck can do nothing but wonders for his teammates. We have already seen how good Jonathan Giles is in front of goals.
This will lift the workload off Giles’ back so he can go forward and kick some more for the Giants, something they have struggled with this year. Sounds pretty good to me.
Sure, this might require the Giants playing a bit of 17 on 18, but if Folau’s short time in the ruck to date is any indicator, it shouldn’t be for too long.
Once Folau’s general knowledge of the game increases, which it will with time, and his overall skills increase, he could turn into a deadly, Nic Nat type player who can give his side a boost in more ways than one.
But what this will require is a mutual commitment from both the club and from Folau, but he can definitely get there. Switching codes was half the battle.
Mick Mac
Guest
Dead right spek! Parramatta are rebuilding, Ricky Stuart will be looking for talent, the NRL now has a motza from yesterday's deal which Parramatta will share in, Folau likely wants to be a star again, one or two years to run on his AFL contract. Join the dots! I really don't think speculating on how good an AFL player he will be in 4 years has much point except as an intellectual exercise. And the media benefits in the long run will go to the NRL. Well done Demetriou!
spek
Guest
hey Christo i take your point that in four years from now Izzy may be a middle ranked AFL player but why bother when in four years he could has a shot to be an NRL legend ? "do what your good at" is my two cents worth of advice. spek
Minister for Information for the Democratic People's Republic of Football
Guest
Marketing $$$ well spent then Christo?
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
"Izzy is rated 415 out 416 players who have played more than 10 games this year in the AFL its just a matter fo time before he and AFL bowed to the inevitable and he returns to league." Why is it inevitable? In any list there will be people at the top and people at the bottom. Quite frankly I would have been astonished if he had been much higher than he is, seeing as he is in his first year as an AFL player with no history in the sport. As I've said before, look at the career of Mike Pyke - probably the only similar case to Folau. It's taken him four years to start to become competent. Why would Folau be any different? It's up to Folau to decide whether he wants a long-term career in AFL. Only time will tell...
spek
Guest
Izzy is rated 415 out 416 players who have played more than 10 games this year in the AFL its just a matter fo time before he and AFL bowed to the inevitable and he returns to league. This sorry performance also shows the short sighteness of these big name and big dollar league converts because the AFL will have egg on their face when he returns to league. The AFL will have paid huge money to create a big name AFL convert only to watch him convert back to leage. What a great story for the NRL paid for by the AFL. The entire matter is sad and silly for the AFL. The upside is that he will bring even better marking/rucking and kicking skills back to the NRL. He would now make a great fullback but has too many quality player in front of him in that role at a rep. level: Slatter, Barba, Ingels etc the good news for Izzy is that Qld have not nailed down a full time replacement for his wing position. So the State of Origin door is wide open if he moves quickly spek ps agree with the OP comments that he was paid for marketing and not playing but that marketing will be largely a waste of time when it blows back and it becomes and AFL to league story.
mds1970
Roar Guru
I was at the game in Canberra last Saturday, and it was concerning to see how he was playing. Not just that he was struggling, but his body language. One moment that immediately comes to mind is in the opening seconds of the third quarter. The Giants got the centre break and kicked the ball to the forward 50 metre line. Izzy had the sit for a contested mark, started going to it, then pulled out of the contest and dropped back well away from the play. It was a sign of his poor confidence that he didn't attempt the mark. But even if he didn't think he was in a position to take it, he could have effected a spoil, or at least been another number around the ball. But he didn't; he dropped his head and had no influence. It's not the technical side. He has the skill set. When he gets the ball, he disposes of it well. But not every mark is going to stick; and he's dropping his head and not making second efforts. His problem isn't his skills, it's in his head. He still has another year to run on his contract, so he'll be back next season. But it's going to be a big job to restore his confidence after what has been a humbling year. He'll probably play the last two rounds because he's fit and the long season is taking its toll on our kids. But as far as being a key forward is concerned, Jeremy Cameron and Jonathan Patton have both gone well ahead of him this year; and even Nick Haynes on the forward line is a project I think is worthy of continuing with. Unless Sheeds and Chocko can pump his tyres during the pre-season, he'll struggle to get a game next season.
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
Actually I just realised another advantage of having Folau in the team - he protects the younger players like Cameron and Patton from receiving a level of media scrutiny that might otherwise have come their way. Which will help keep the younger stars focused on the development of their football skills, rather than their egos.
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
Most of Folau's salary is for marketing, not playing. If you were to divide up his overall salary into playing and marketing components, he's be lucky to be getting six figures for his on-field performances. So, no problem for me. And I think it will take linger than 1-2 years for him to come good. Again using Pyke as an example (no background in the sport, unlike the Suns' Hunt), it will take 3-4 years. As you said, it is up to him (and the Giants I guess) as to whether they have enough resolve and faith in his inherent sporting ability to stick it out.
Adam Ludeke
Roar Pro
An idealistic spin on what is unfortunately a story that will have a very sad ending. I like the Giants and I've been to a few of their games, but watching Folau sheepishly stroll around the paddock is embarrassing to watch. I doubt that it was ever intended to be anything more than a PR stunt - and in a sense it's worked because all sections of the media hit us with the occasional "Give Izzy time" piece - when that space would otherwise be dedicated to the Swans or a rival code. I'd rather more articles on the emergence of Jeremy Cameron, William Hoskin-Elliott or the maturing of Phil Davis and Tom Skully - i.e. people who can actually play the game. I have nothing against Folau, the money was astronomical and would be hard for anyone to turn down, but it's time for he and the club to end this charade and part ways.
Australian Rules
Guest
Sheeds has said, repeatedly, that Folau is a 1st year player. People seem to be unaware of this. The Giants are not looking at his 1st year game statistics, but his *potential* to become a *future* player for them. The clear difference between Izzy and other 1st year rookies...is his salary. It took rugby convert, Mike Pyke, 4 years to become a solid contributor for the Swans. Anyone who thinks that someone can come to Australian Football late in life, learn the game, attain the required fitness and then be able to be a good player in 1 year, then that person has no idea about Australian Football. It is the money that Izzy is on, that makes hima target of criticism. If he can stick at it, show some resolve and work hard, he may be a good contributor in 1/2 years. If he doesn't have the resolve to do that, he might be playing league again.
Vic
Guest
Don't pee like a puppy when you run with the big dogs Izzy. This isn't NRL no more.
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
Wherever they decide to play Folau, they need to stick with that. As he has so little experience in the game, he really needs to pick a spot and stick to it. All this chopping and changing isn't helping him learn the game. There's an article in the DT today about how he's statistically the second worst player in the AFL. IN response I would say: a) so what - somebody will always be last in any list you create, and b) Is it any surprise? He was never going to be an instant success. I would also look at the evolution and growth of Mike Pyke, the Swans ruckman/forward. It's taken him four years of gradually increasing amount of game time at the top level to mature into a quite decent player. Why would Folau's experience be any different?