Israel Folau

[I bleed Maroon]

I figured we should give this one its own thread, as the talk surrounding Izzys future in Rugby Union is being seriously questioned after the fiasco with the ARU using totalitarian power to bench him for that Waratahs game. He is fair dinkem pissed about it and honestly, I don't blame him. I never imagined a sporting body could overstep the line on club and player autonomy so dramatically.

As everyone knows, thanks mostly to RLW, we've been linked to him, probably on no basis other than the fact he's played for us in the past and we're gonna have some serious dosh to play with when the NRL introduces its cap exemption for outside players. The Eels will be looking to lock down Semi Radradra, I would've thought, so they're out of the picture. The Dragons have been linked to Marshall, so they're out if he is put on reasonable money. That leaves the Roosters with their SBW cash as our only rival for Izzy's signature.

Final verdict: Should we resign him or not? Personally, if it is at the cost of Jack Reed and nobody else, I certainly would not say no, but we obviously need a good enough half on the left edge that is going to feed him enough ball for him to be effective. Queue, Anthony Milford.

 

[Super Freak]

Roosters are not the only rival. Bulldogs. They are still looking to add another player in their back line..

He does have family in Brisbane, which I believe was a huge factor in his reason to sign with us in 2009. However, he loves Sydney so I can't see him leaving.

I would love to have him back, though. Reed can move to the backrow..

 

[Harry Sack]

The ARU fucked up when they did that, he won't be lost to their code IMO. I would love him back, purely from a QLD/AUS perspective, but I just don't see it happening.

 

[Broncoman]

However, he loves Sydney so I can't see him leaving.

Why wouldn't he it's where he has lived for most of his life :laugh:

On a serious note he is such a remarkable athlete and I would take him back in an instant if he wanted to come back to the Broncos although we would have to release some players to fit him in.

 

[Unbreakable]

Can't see him leaving Union, can't see him taking less than $1m to play League, do not want to spend that much money on him, sorry.

 

[Nashy]

Will it be at the cost of a tonne of juniors?

 

[pennywisealfie]

I would def take him.

 

[levikaden]

Sign him up whitey FFS

 

[jarro65]

Great player, but would come at too high a cost.

As said earlier, we'd more than likely have to shed some good juniors to get him ..... which i don't really agree with.

 

[Bucking Beads]

If we needed a fullback he might have been worth the money but as a centre I don't think he is worth $1 million a season.

 

[Super Freak]

Doesn't an exemption mean it doesn't get counted towards the cap?

Why would we have to lose players to sign him?

Commentators were talking about cap exemptions being brought in the next salary cap as an incentive for clubs to look outside the NRL.

If that happens, we wouldn't have any problems.

 

[Bucking Beads]

I doubt there will be cap exemptions for Folau. More likely is that the NRL starts to pay marquee players bonuses on top of what the clubs pay them.

 

[Kimlo]

Don't want him... He'll cost to much and probably leave for the next best offer in two years time.

 

[Ari Gold]

Would much, much prefer Folau to Khunt. Folau is a genuine strike weapon in the backs. Hunt is not.

That being said, I don't really think Folau is worth it. Frankly I'm much more on board with the Hurrell idea if it's damaging centres we are after, and frankly I think we should be after one. Hoffman is likely to leave IMO and though Reed, Copley, Maranta, Vidot are all doing a strong job this year, none of them are what I'd call a strike weapon, and when Hodges leaves we're definitely gonna need one (in addition to Barba and Milford).

 

[Battler]

I'd take him and release Reed, won't happen though (he'll definitely stay in Union, at least for the world cup).

 

[Porthoz]

Would much, much prefer Folau to Khunt. Folau is a genuine strike weapon in the backs. Hunt is not.

That being said, I don't really think Folau is worth it. Frankly I'm much more on board with the Hurrell idea if it's damaging centres we are after, and frankly I think we should be after one. Hoffman is likely to leave IMO and though Reed, Copley, Maranta, Vidot are all doing a strong job this year, none of them are what I'd call a strike weapon, and when Hodges leaves we're definitely gonna need one (in addition to Barba and Milford).

Surely you jest about preferring Hurrell to Folau.

Hurrell is one of the most overrated players in this forum imo. He can be a destructive force in attack, but he is as lazy as they come and I'd venture to say he's the worst centre in the NRL defensively.

 

[Ari Gold]

I prefer Hurrell to Folau because of this salary cap thing we have to abide by. Folau is obviously a better player but I doubt we can afford him.

FWIW, if given the option of Hurrell or Khunt at the same price, Hurrell 24/7.

 

[Foordy]

I prefer Hurrell to Folau because of this salary cap thing we have to abide by. Folau is obviously a better player but I doubt we can afford him.

FWIW, if given the option of Hurrell or Khunt at the same price, Hurrell 24/7.

I doubt he would cost us more than Smith would have and we haven't spent the money we had allocated for him yet