Rugby league convert Israel Folau has been viewed in a variety of ways during his short time with Greater Western Sydney: as a novelty, an intriguing experiment, a publicity stunt, among other descriptions.
But we will soon learn if he can silence the doubters and make a successful transition from rugby league international to genuine AFL player when the Giants debut as the AFL’s 18th club next season.
It was June 1 last year when Folau confirmed he would be leaving a sport that had made him a household name in rugby-dominated parts of Australia by the age of 21, to attempt another game he had never played.
The announcement was a huge shock, and the decision considered by many an enormous gamble.
“I think he’s a very brave man, make no mistake,” Giants’ head of innovation and development Alan McConnell told the AFL Record this week.
Folau’s decision was met with a healthy dose of scorn and derision, with plenty doubting his chances of making a career in Australian Football. Some also raised concerns about the fact he is being paid handsomely for someone with no experience in the game.
Greater Western Sydney, not unexpectedly, is far from concerned about the critics and cynics, and has been thrilled by his progress, especially his development as a forward.
“I’m still trying to get used to it, but I’m slowly chipping away with training,” Folau said.
The demands on Folau’s time are significant, on and off the field. Although he has spent hours on the training track trying to learn an entirely new skill set, he has spent almost as much time spruiking the club to the masses in Sydney’s west, a vast, multicultural region the AFL wants to make its mark in.
He has a seemingly never-ending schedule of clinics, announcements and school visits, most involving media commitments and photo or autograph opportunities.
But he has handled it all with aplomb and the Giants believe the off-field business has already been a worthwhile exercise, seven months before their AFL debut.
“We couldn’t be happier about the amount of coverage he’s given our club and how he’s helping build awareness of and profile for the club,” Greater Western Sydney CEO Dale Holmes said.
“From that point of view, he’s been a great asset already.
“But we look forward to continuing his development as a player and I think by our second and third year in the AFL, in the last two years of his contract, I think you'll see quite a good AFL-level footballer.
“It’s exciting to see his progress and I think that’s captured the imagination of the public, seeing how (former NRL star and Gold Coast recruit) Karmichael Hunt and Izzy develop,” he said.
Read the full version in this week’s edition of the AFL Record, available at all grounds.
