A red-letter day for one code is a red-faced day for another.
'The war' continues to rage but Israel Folau has symbolised an almighty battle within it and today rugby league is dancing on the AFL's battered millions.
The west cannot be bought - the heart and soul of Sydney's working class has repelled the cashed-up invaders from the south.
There were always two stories accompanying Folau's switch of codes and inevitably the journey of an athlete is lost in the cacophony of inter-code combat.
A young man's decision to leave everything he knows to try something new must be applauded. It is also very brave to admit very publicly that it didn't work out.
Australians who live by the mantra of "having a go" - and that's most of us involved with sport - would be hypocritical to knock that aspect of Folau.
Sure, there was a big chunk of cash to be earned, but it's likely his earnings in the next two years will fail to match what would have earned if he saw his AFL contract through.
Folau's story was always bigger than that.
The majority of Giants jumpers bought by fans have the number four on them and the most of the Sydney media or public wouldn't know who Jonathon Patton is.
So where did the AFL go so wrong with Folau compared to what is going so right with Karmichael Hunt?
Marketing was always a huge part of Hunt's recruitment but his talent was undeniably adaptable.
Having seen the amazing PR machine created by Special K, the AFL tried try and replicate it and the amazing vertical leap of Folau was enough to take a risk.
What will really hurt the AFL is that it had its "pawns" stationed in the wrong battlefields.
Success in Sydney and man down on the Gold Coast would have been a much preferred outcome considering the enormity - both in populous and psyche - of the AFL's task in these two frontiers.
Rugby league has always shown itself to be forgiving to a prodigal son and Folau will be welcomed back with open arms.
As for the AFL it might be best served asking the premiers across town, who have been in residence for 30 years, just how tough it is to make it in Sin City.
Tags: nrl, australian-football-league, rugby-league, sport, australia First posted November 01, 2012 18:25:02
Major League Baseball 2K9 captures the essence of baseball down to some of the most minute, player- specific details including batting stances, pitching windups and signature swings. 2K Sports has gone above and beyond the call of duty to deliver this in true major league fashion. Additionally, gameplay enhancements in pitching, batting, fielding and base running promise this year's installment to be user-friendly and enjoyable for rookies or veterans. New commentary and presentation provide the icing to this ultimate baseball experience. If you really want to Play Ball this is the game for you. Minimum PC Requirements - CPU - Pentium 4 2.4 Ghz Single Core processor or equivalent (2.8 Ghz for Vista); RAM - 512 MB or more (1 GB for Vista); Disc Drive - 8x or faster DVD drive; Hard Drive - 9.5 GB or more free space; Video - DirectX 9.0c compatible; Sound - DirectX 9.0c compatibleInput - Keyboard or dual-
by 2K Sports Dynamic Player Ratings Revamped Fielding System My Player mode MLB Today Total Control Pitching & Hitting New player models More details below