Falou signs with w sydney

[Ed_Gein]

Well done. Should be good for marketing for GWS.

Just leave your grubby hands off Tom Mitchell, he's ours.. Thanks.

 

[von_wafer]

I'd like to know who's coming up with the $6M?

I wouldn't mind betting that 90%+ of it is coming from the AFL's marketing budget. I read somewhere that for the first 3 years he'll work for the AFL also in some sort of promotional role. Probably paid $1.499M a year to have his scone on a few glossy posters / TV ads and to take the rubbish out on Monday nights.

Nice way to dodge the salary cap guys (or doesn't that even apply to these new "franchises").

This is purely and simply a marketing stunt. Nothing more; nothing less.

I don't think so. While there is the clear marketing aspect to it, with the AFL likely to be paying alot of the money, Folau is an elite athlete. He may have some problems coming across but he already has the mature body, and at 21, many years ahead of him.

 

[Beaussie]

You can say that again!

The number of people on the main board with no idea about the reality of footy in Sydney and the obstacles faced by kids who just want to play the game is unreal.

Hopefully this signing helps in the long process of legitimising the game for Sydney kids and that they have to put up with just a little bit less crap.

The fact that Channels 7 and 9 showed the presser live in Sydney says it all.

Well done GWS and the AFL

Well put desie. Sydney/NSW is a very unique market. Hopefully like you say the long process of legitimisng the game for Sydney kids become that little bit easier with today's signing of Folau.

Meanwhile, have you seen the reaction from the likes of Dean Ritchie at the Daily Telegraph and Ken Sutcliffe during the press conference.

 

[andy14]

Folau may not become an elite AFL player but his value in influencing Polynesian kids to take an interest in AFL and hopefully playing the game will be of enormous value to GWS.
A team with a few players like Nic Natanui would be exciting to watch.

 

[ben.carbonaro]

The Gold Coast recruited 6 mature age players in Harris, Coad, Illes, Stanely, Ah Chee and Patrick last year and will take more this year. West Sydney will do the same. They are not recruiting NRL players at the expense of the state league players but in addition to the state league players.

A couple of those players have been standout performers at VFL level, had the pleasure seeing Harris play almost a full year with us at Werribee during his final year at North Melbourne.

What smacks of arrogance though is the amounts of money being thrown at the two rugby league converts.

 

[WattsGoodForYou]

Thought he was older! But 21 and with a hugely developed body! On to a winner here!

 

[desie]

Folau may not become an elite AFL player but his value in influencing Polynesian kids to take an interest in AFL and hopefully playing the game will be of enormous value to GWS.
A team with a few players like Nic Natanui would be exciting to watch.

And where was Nic Nat born?

Nepean Hospital, Penrith.......

 

[Redb#]

I still think many people forget the purpose of an expansion team in any sport, not just AFL.

The whole purpose is to grow the game, bring new people to the game in a market that never existed before, convert some, make new fans.

Rugby league has made a huge song and dance about Western Sydney being a rugby league heartland, right, we need to grab a rugby league player and convert them to AFL as an example.

If anyone thinks the Storm would not jump at a high profile AFL player to develop them into a RL player they're kidding themselves. Same with the Rebels. Its a faster route than decades and decades of toil to build a niche.

Apart from extra revenue for the game, the whole purpose is to convert or add players and fans to your game. It may not convert diehard fans, but it sure does provide the opportunity to give the game ago for players and add the passive fans.

The AFL is just in a better position to make it happen.

The AFL is in Western Sydney and the Gold Coast to take market share off the existing codes, whether its future sports fans or a few converts who sit on the bandwagon fence.

The A League, NRL and Super 14 rugby are in Melbourne to do the same.

 

[desie]

Apart from extra revenue for the game, the whole purpose is to convert or add players and fans to your game. It may not convert diehard fans, but it sure does provide the opportunity to give the game ago for players and add the passive fans.

The AFL is in Western Sydney and the Gold Coast to take market share off the existing codes, whether its future sports fans or a few converts who sit on the bandwagon fence.

This is what people continually miss in this whole discussion.

It's got zero to do with the League flogs who get online at times like this and bag the crap out of our game.

It's all about the kids who are at school right now, a million miles from a keyboard, who might have Israel Folau or Karmichael Hunt visit their school to do a footy clinic one day soon.

You don't reckon the little brats who copy their moronic fathers and call it GayFL and bag any kid who plays it won't sit up and take a bit of notice?

And Beaussie, that's why I've always hated Ken Sutcliffe mate, because he unashamedly dislikes Australian Football and makes no effort to hide his ignorance, even on that rubbish he hosts of a Sunday morning.

And a big thumbs down to Terry Kennedy on Sky Sports Radio this morning who interviewed Izzy and asked him how he was going to feel wearing those tight shorts.

Where have you been for the last 15 years mate?

 

[Black Falcon]

The ramifications of FOLAU signing on for GWS are huge, and will be felt over the next two decades, by both NRL and AFL in western sydney +.

INteresting article in Courier Mail today titled ' Land of the Giants', comparing Folau's 195/102 to JBrowns same. Franklin at 196/101. Pavlich 192/101.

AFL have recruited themselves a corker. Folau wants to play FF. I recommend AFL marketeers do a one minute promo of Izzies spec marks in NRL games, a trick he has perfected. It will silence many a critic. As for his kicking, he's got 6 million reasons to work on it and get it right.

 

[Redb#]

This is what people continually miss in this whole discussion.

It's got zero to do with the League flogs who get online at times like this and bag the crap out of our game.

It's all about the kids who are at school right now, a million miles from a keyboard, who might have Israel Folau or Karmichael Hunt visit their school to do a footy clinic one day soon.

You don't reckon the little brats who copy their moronic fathers and call it GayFL and bag any kid who plays it won't sit up and take a bit of notice?

And Beaussie, that's why I've always hated Ken Sutcliffe mate, because he unashamedly dislikes Australian Football and makes no effort to hide his ignorance, even on that rubbish he hosts of a Sunday morning.

And a big thumbs down to Terry Kennedy on Sky Sports Radio this morning who interviewed Izzy and asked him how he was going to feel wearing those tight shorts.

Where have you been for the last 15 years mate?

I havent seen the footage of Ken Sutcliffe at the presser, any links?

Never watch WWOS anyway.

cheers

 

[Professor Knowall]

Big article in todays Age (and maybe the SMH?) about Falou. Some here may find it of some interest -
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/western-sydney/project-izzy-20101119-18132.html

Project Izzy
Jake Niall November 20, 2010

ON April 27, several weeks before he signed a massive contract to become the face of the AFL's mission to convert the rugby league heartland, Israel Folau met key AFL officials, including Greater Western Sydney coach Kevin Sheedy and his support crew, at a secluded park in the rustic outer western suburb of Castle Hill.

The purpose was to test Folau in the basic skills — kicking, marking, picking up the ball — of what would become his adopted sport, before further advancing the negotiations. Folau and his management had selected the Fred Caterson Reserve in Castle Hill in the belief that it was sufficiently remote for the test screening to remain secret.
But the Folau camp and the AFL party had not counted on the presence of a man walking his dog, who had stopped to watch as GWS assistant coach Alan McConnell kicked and handballed to Folau, before Bali bombing hero Jason McCartney, an AFL development coach, tested Folau in one-on-one marking contests.

The officials were suddenly anxious. Was their cover blown?
"God knows what he thought," said McConnell of the lone spectator. "He could have blown the whole thing apart if he'd known what he was watching." ... (lots more on the link)

 

[dlanod]

Big article in todays Age (and maybe the SMH?) about Falou. Some here may find it of some interest -
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/western-sydney/project-izzy-20101119-18132.html

Yeah, it was a double page spread in the SMH as well. More free publicity.