Foul on Folau

I've spent the entirety of the day somewhat conflicted. I'm trying to measure my response to the announcement of Israel Folau's defection from NRL to AFL by some quantifiable means. I've trawled through the tripe of forums and news site vitriolic comments boards (yeesh) in order to gauge opinion and come up with some kind of response to it. So hopefully in this discourse, my opinion will call itself into being in a shape more coherent than the spasmodic ramblings that have trawled across my brain all day.

I may have come across before as some kind of frothing anti-League douche. I'm really not. Honest. I may prefer Australian Rules as a sport, but I know Rugby League has it's place in Australia. As an outsider, I can see where NRL is falling over and get equally frustrated when it's administrators do nothing to fix it's ailments. I'm not wringing my hands gleefully when seeing every missed opportunity or blow against it as some kind of 'death knell', nor do I see such a thing as a desirable outcome.

Yet actively targetting and striking against the NRL is what the AFL as an administration is doing. It's almost trying to conduct some kind of aggressive business takeover. I can sympathise with people who may enjoy the game but see the conduct of the AFL as innappropriate at best and as a major factor for them watching these recent events with anger.

Now talking specifically about the moves to recruit Karmichael Hunt (The Kanye of sport?) and Izzy, there are the following parties to consider; The Gaining Club (GCFC and GWS); The AFL; The NRL; The Losing Club, (The Brisbane Broncos) not to mention the players (referred to as poachings).

Firstly, the Gaining Clubs are getting major concessions when it comes to the AFL drafts in the first year(s) of entering the AFL. The quality of players coming through the draft today is unquestionable; one only has to look at Lucas, Trengove, Scully, Martin and of course Barlow (among many others) as a sign that not only is AFL development solid and fruitful in it's heartland states, but it is also immediate and broad in it's impact. Any claims that these poachings are for lack of talent in AFL stocks are ignorant and misguided.

But rookie players don't demand high salaries, they take time to appreciate in value. Barlow will be of equal value with the top 5% of AFL players if he keeps up this years form; but not for another two to three years at least. The planning that is going into these clubs, I can assure you, has been meticulous and long reaching. The time periods these poachings will play for are formative, the new clubs are not counting on running onto the park with a premiership side (how can they?). They are planning to run onto the field with a future premiership side. In the 3-5 years it will take for these teams to become true challengers, the poachings will reach the end of their contracts. If they are worth the coin they will be offered it (again).

But more likely is that the poachings will have done the development and promotional groundwork for the future stars to build on; stars they'll acquire in the draft or from trades. I think it truly doesn't matter if Folau is getting the same money as Judd or Ablett. Putting Judd in GWS means more to current AFL states than it ever would in NSW. Putting Folau in there has much more potential (and dare I say it, opportunity) than putting a developed player as a marquee star. Look at the impact it has created on the day it occured itself, it will resonant across both communites for weeks. People saying he'll be forgotten in a year must have very selective memories. I don't think it matters how good the poachings are individually because as a whole team they won't be able to seriously compete for several years. The value of these players cannot be measured against the same scale as that of Chris Judd and Gary Ablett Jr because the purpose of their employment is for different objectives.

N.B. That said, I still think they are being overpaid and ridiculously so.

The AFL itself has more than one agenda here. It is happy to further the Polynesian example set by Nic Natanui, it is happy to promote to more people of varying regions to try and come into the game. Mike Pyke, Canadian; Setanta O'hailpin, Irish and so on. But the deliberate, strategised targeting of NRL specifically is something I find distasteful and potentially damaging to the image of Australian Rules in general. Most NRL supporters agree. They aren't following NRL because of an individual player, they're following it for the game itself. The game is bigger than Israel Folau and Karmichael Hunt. These events do however, undoubtedly boost the legitimacy of the new franchises. Not as AFL clubs, but as social and community entities. People are talking, and that is points on the board for the AFL.

Moving onto the NRL side of the fence is a bit more complicated because I'm not 100% up to speed with every development administration (and player) wise. Giving it a crack though. Pull me up if I'm outright wrong.

As a professional competition of a popular sport in Australia (not to mention NZ and the Islands) the NRL has, and will continue, developing elite athletes. Retaining this talent is of prime importance to the NRL. The main point of contention at the moment in facilitating this, is the salary cap. A million people have said it and I'll say it too. Raise the bloody salary cap. Raise it through the roof because the NRL's players are worth more than what they are getting. No wonder they'll go to England or even switch codes they are an undervalued commodity in the NRL.

If a cap is such a problem to implement, as Gallop seems to repeat ad infinatum, the NRL might consider bringing in the A-League system of having 1 (or more) players paid outside the salary cap as a marquee player. The problem is that the NRL almost seem reluctant to treat the code as a business, the opposite of the AFL's problem. But then his claims can be backed up by the lower TV distribution rights deal, low attendences and membership numbers. The NRL is almost a pokie welfare entity in that regard.

The players themselves are not stupid, nor are they advised and managed by stupid people. These are all business choices. Someone trying to use their athleticism and natural talents to their best ability and make the maximum return on their efforts is not someone to scorn. People playing the loyalty card are absolute hypocrites because loyalty goes both ways. If you were ever loyal to Folau, you'd wish him luck and hope he does well, instead I find people are partisan wankjobs and treat sport like politics.

And as I've said before, NRL and AFL can easily and happily co-exist. The AFL doesn't have to be this juggernaut stomping across the countryside. Yet the NRL has to stop being a suburban wannabe competition and develop it's framework and business model to something competitive not just in Australia but on the World Stage.

Oh and Izzy should represent QLD in SoO2. It's pretty discriminatory to ban a player because they are leaving the code, surely the best players should be picked and that is that?