Lote Tuqiri has told Fairfax media that it is vital for the ARU to hold on to Israel Folau/ This comes as Folau put on yet another dominant display in coming back from injury, and just days after media speculation that Folau was looking to return to the National Rugby League.
Tuqiri makes a very good point in that Folau is the biggest name in Australian Rugby Union by a very long way. He is their best player and easily their most marketable player.
In Rugby League Folau would still be a star, he looks like he would walk back onto an NRL field and pick up where he left off. However, in the NRL he would be just another star player where as in Australian Rugby Union, their whole world revolves around him.
I think if the price was right Folau would end his current ARU contract early and return to Rugby League in a heartbeat. That isn’t anything special that Rugby League does by the way. While it is undoubtedly Folau’s favorite code, I think he would play netball if the price is right.
If the NRL decides to step up and get Folau, there would be very little the ARU could do. They simply do not have the money to compete with the money available in the National Rugby League. It is just a matter of an NRL club stepping up and making that offer.
Time will tell if that happens…
