Israel Folau has announced that he will quit the AFL and the GWS Giants club, but says he doesn’t know where he’ll be playing in 2013 – with both rugby league and rugby union open as potential options.
GWS announced the move today, with Folau flanked by coach Kevin Sheedy and CEO David Matthews at the hastily arranged press conference.
Matthews said the club supported the decision, and made no comment expressing disappointment or surprise at the decision.
“We wish him the very best for the future and congratulate him on his achievements with us,” Matthews said.
Kevin Sheedy admitted he was “blindsided” by the decision, but wished him well as he reinforced his approach to players as a mentor.
Folau said in his comments, that fundamentally, he didn’t have the passion for the game of AFL. He went on to tell reporters that once he’d realised that lack of drive, he needed to let the club know his decision, despite two years remaining in a lucrative contract.
“It was a pretty hard decision to make and one I’ve been thinking about for awhile,” said Folau.
“I confronted [the club] yesterday to let them know how I was feeling, and it was only fair to let them know so they can move forward. At the moment, I just wanted to let everyone else know and move forward as well.
“I’m proud of what I did the last 2 years. Everyone has their different opinions but at the end of the day its only mine that matters.
“I would not change this experience for anything … it was definitely not a waste of time.
“I have no regrets at all. I definitely have no regrets.”
Folau was asked about his future direction, with reporters keen to know if he’d already signed or spoken with the Parramatta Eels NRL club, as was hotly-rumoured this afternoon.
However, Folau denied he’d signed, repeating that he hasn’t spoken with any clubs and is leaving discussions to his management.
“At this stage, I’ve had no discussions with any clubs at all,” he said.
Folau confirmed that he had played rugby union in his youth and would consider rugby union as well as rugby league as an option for his career.
“I played rugby union when I was younger as well. I’ve got a passion to play that game as well. All options are open.”
Folau’s departure has added fuel to speculation that the Giants will make a play for former Adelaide key forward Kurt Tippett.
Matthews said they regarded Tippett as an “independent consideration” to Folau’s departure, noting that Giants had been in touch with the Adelaide player for some weeks, with renewed interest with the Swans trade falling through.
“Now is the time for us to re-engage in those discussions,” Matthews said.
Contrasting careers: The fortunes of Israel Folau
Age: 23
NRL career:
90 games – 73 tries
2007-08 Melbourne, 52 games – 36 tries
2009-10 Brisbane, 38 games – 37 tries
Representative:
In June 2010, announces a lucrative deal to switch codes and join AFL expansion team Greater Western Sydney
AFL Career
2012 Greater Western Sydney – 13 games – 2 goals
On November 1, announces he’s quitting the AFL as he doesn’t have the passion for the sport.
Macca
Guest
Toa - They may not be bad numbers for someone who can't play AFL but for someone who is wanting to play in the midfield of a side that has as many high draft picks as the Suns do they are terrible. Have a look at the players who hunt will be vying against for a midifeld spot and honestly tell me that he is in the top 10 mid field options at the club! You can afford to have patience with a 18-22 year old, but Hunt is a couple of weeks off being 26 and has to basically double his output in every area to hold his spot in what will be a top quality mid field.
Macca
Guest
Not sure when you made that point or how I proved it! As for Carlton's draw, it was rated the third easiest in the Herald Sun and they only play 1 of last years finalists twice (collingwood). The start is tough but the full year could be far worse.
Toa
Guest
Not bad numbers for someone with 3000hrs of Aussie Rules experience especially compare with the millions of hours that surround him every weekend for that matter every time he shows up to work. Macca I said it before and I'll say it again you lack patience....end of story.
JVGO
Guest
Tell me a worse brand in Australian sport AR, despised by supporters of every other sporting code in Sydney as well as Swans fans who are 90% of the AFL fans in Sydney. Maybe AR you can explain exactly how the whole sorry saga has been good for the AFL's image in NSW? I'd say GWS will be dead within five years and the AFL will be about $100 million poorer.
Brendan
Guest
Voss said him going is like a mosquito bite for the Afl.You proved my point human nature responds to the obscene and the brilliant.Carlton have a tough draw next year so we will see how good Malthouse is.Whilst i fully support the decision to replace Ratten he showed class through his loyalty to Carlton particularly when referring to his hope that one of his sons plays for the bluebaggers.
Lats
Guest
Mate, Israel is so big I reckon he could play lock.. he would be very handy working side by side with Timani... not sure the All Blacks would relish coming up against that pair.... ah we dare to dream, he'll probably go back to the NRL...
planko
Guest
Turning tricks with Ponies sounds like Mad Monday ...
Macca
Guest
Grant - Look at all the mature age recruits of recent times - there are always blokes who get missed. Murph - And what was they average wage of those delisted?
Murph
Guest
There have been a bunch of draftees delisted from AFL clubs in the last week, many of them not having played any senior games. The Suns and the Giants aren't the only clubs with young players trying to forge careers.
Macca
Guest
How is he a success is the better question - he played all this year in the midfield and averaged less than 15 possessions a game a didn't exceed 15 possessions after round 12. He is supposed to be the protector but only lays 3.5 tackles per game and ranks 19th for one percenters at the club, he doesn't impact the scoreboard, only had 41 inside 50's in 18 games, he only has a disposal efficiency of 73% despite handballing twice as much as he kicks and for an inside midifelder who is supposedly feeding the ball out to his lighter and more skilled team mates only 43% of his possessions were contested, or 6 per game and 48 of his 264 possessions were clangers or 18%. With the development of the Suns other midfielders and the inclusion of the likes of Omeara look for Hunt in the 2's a lot this year, especially in the second half.
Australian Rules
Guest
How is K a failure?
Australian Rules
Guest
Afternoon JV How exactly does this make GWS "loathed and despised"? (except by you) And what damage does the AFL have to repair? Is it the millions of marketing dollars it attracted by signing Izzy in the first place? Always refreshing to hear your unique logic...welcome back!
KiwiDave
Roar Guru
Well the Super 15 clubs have the money and room to accommodate him. He is much loved in Brisbane and I think he would be a big drawcard for the Queensland Reds. I would not be surprised to see the Reds and ARU go full on to try and get him. Unlike the NRL and AFL they are not burdened with a salary cap and they can clearly outbid any NRL club if they so desire.
KiwiDave
Roar Guru
All along I believed he would fail in this code and the whole thing about signing him was to try and attract rugby league supporters by luring them with a well known league identity. It was a monumental failure, like KHunt's, and just part of a pissing match between the AFL and NRL. As for his future, well I think the NRL is off the cards. Most clubs would have burnt a lot of their salary cap already and he will come with a big price tag. I am guessing you might see him in a Queensland Reds jumper next season as they would be in the best position to offer him a substantial contract
Macca
Guest
Brendan - " no publicity is bad publicity" Really - Is that what the NRL were thinking after the bulldogs players made those comments about the reporter and urinated in public? And why is it after hearing for the past 2 years that Folau has the perfect build for AFL, especially when combined wit his superior athleticism, that other converts who succeeded (while being paid far less) had a natural advantage due to body size or shape? And perhaps other coverts will try to outdo Folau, but as he was supposed to be a trail blazer for Polynesians his failure is hardly going to encourage others to follow, unless they are paid $1m a year as well. And as for barracking for hawthorn I am not that fickle, I still can't see the need for Ratten to be sacked but the decision has been made and you just have to get on with it.
Brendan
Guest
Macca no publicity is bad publicity.As an earlier post suggested it helps to be Pykes size or even Kieran Jacks build.Perhaps converts will try to outdo Folau output.As an aside are you barracking for Hawthorn next year now Ratten is on there coaching panel.
Punter
Guest
I can see it now Ian, in twenty years time, my grand son saying, 'did you really see the great Del Piero play for Sydney FC Grand daddy?', 'wow that must have been a wonderful time in Australian sport' & I will just smile & Sing, 'Del Piero SFC's no 10.
Pot Stirrer
Guest
Worst part about this is now we have to listen to all this code war crap again. I really dont care, the NRL moved on and he wasnt missed. What the AFL payed is peanuts when you look at the TV deals that Both codes get. If Folau was the premier polynesian athlete and given he struggled as he did then the AFL has learnt some avenues are dead ends. Just like the NRL has with recruiting RU players.
Australian Rules
Guest
There's certainly a point of difference in Izzy too. He's a former Mormon, now an evangelical Christain, doesn't drink, quietly spoken, a gentle soul etc. When he left the NRL, I heard one League official talking about how the locker room/drinking culture of League had never really sat well with him (maybe AFL wasn't the place to go then!). But he's clearly a different kid than most 23 year olds...a kid born with spartan athletic qualities.
Australian Rules
Guest
I stand by my original comment. Izzy - walks away richer but having damaged his brand in the eyes of many. To some (not necessarily me) he looks greedy and mentally weak cos he couldn't hack it. Physically, he'd not be quite ready for NRL and will earn about $200k tops on his return. He's wasted 2 of his prime sporting years. AFL - received untold media traffic and interest over 2 years for a mere $2M. That is a bargain in an area where AFL had virtually not existed. If they wanted to (and they won't) they could run the line of "the best NRL player couldn't make it in the AFL". Would the AFL have wanted Izzy to be a 10 year success? Of course. But it has squeezed way more value out of him, than what he has out of the AFL.