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Israel Folau is a proven football nomad, with just two years max at any one club. In 2007-2008 at the Melbourne Storm, 2009-2010 at the Broncos, and finally 2011-2012 at Greater Western Sydney in a fateful change of codes.
Now 23, Folau must show his next club he’s become stable, and reliable. His nomadic days must cease.
There’s no sympathy for his decision to switch from rugby league to AFL. And there’s no surprise he was an expensive financial flop at GWS.
It’s what’s in your blood, and what you’re best at.
Why would Folau switch from being one of the most exciting and successful rugby league players on the planet, to just make up the numbers in a vastly different code?
So he became a daily headline, and an AFL marketing tool of immense proportions, and well worth the multi-million dollar four-year contract.
But for Israel Folau it was a nightmare. A dumb call.
It’s timely to remember just what he did in 2007 as a 17-year-old, the youngest to ever pull on a Melbourne Storm jersey.
He scored a match-winning try on debut against the Tigers, scoring 21 tries for the season to tie with Cowboy Matt Bowen as the NRL’s leading try-scorer.
But the 21 four-pointers broke Billy Slater’s 19 in a season to set a new NRL debut season record.
And he topped off his first season with national selection at 18 years 184 days to become the youngest Kangaroo in history, breaking Brad Fittler’s 18 years 347 days.
In four years of rugby league with the Storm and Broncos, Folau played 90 games and scored 73 four-pointers, played five Origins for Queensland, and seven Tests by the time he was 21.
Two wasted seasons in the AFL can only be seen as boosting his bank balance.
Where to now?
The Parramatta Eels are an alternative if he is to return to the NRL, especially as his brother John is entrenched at the club.
Or there’s a rugby possibility with the Queensland Reds, seeing Brisbane is his home base, and he did play rugby as a kid.
If doesn’t matter which rugby code Folau selects, he is a natural. AFL just wasn’t his bag, he never fitted in, and never looked like doing so.
He’s a big unit at 195cm and 98kgs who is genuinely quick for a centre or winger.
At least he’ll feel at home for the rest of his career, and give thousands of fans plenty to enjoy watching him in action.