Multiple sources are claiming that Israel Folau’s management has opened talks with the Sydney Roosters to lure the former test star back to Rugby League.
The Rugby League Week Mole mentioned it this week in RLW magazine and Rugby Union writer Greg Growden also wrote about it on ESPN’s Rugby Union web site.
The Roosters would have the salary cap space to make the deal happen (As would most NRL clubs) and they would probably be able to pay Folau more than he would be earning right now from the ARU.
Losing Sonny Bill Williams will free up salary cap space at the Roosters for next season and further rises in the salary cap would also make it easier to make the deal happen.
Folau was furious last week when the ARU overruled his current “Super Rugby” clubs team doctors and forced him to sit out a game due to a throat injury he sustained a few weeks earlier. While it would be a bit of a shock if he did switch codes so close to the Rugby Union World Cup, money has always been Folau’s driving force so it wouldn’t be out of the question for him to turn his back on possible achievements to chase the cash.
If the Roosters are the club good enough to make the deal happen, good on them. I’d hope the NRL steps in and does everything it can to make this move happen.
Folau is a great player. Much like Sonny Bill Williams, Rugby League is clearly his game.
It will be interesting to see if this deal comes off. I think the Roosters and the NRL would have to strike fast to make it happened.
Rugby League stuffed up once and let Folau get away. Let’s hope the same mistake doesn’t happen again.
